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Library of Congress


TripAdvisor Traveller Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #7 of 280 attractions in Washington DC
Traveller Description:
Though the Library of Congress doesn't own every book ever published, it sure has most of them, with 532 miles of shelves and 115 million items, with...... more » Though the Library of Congress doesn't own every book ever published, it sure has most of them, with 532 miles of shelves and 115 million items, with 7,000 added each working day. « less
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Attraction type: Library, Government building, History museum
Activities: Group tours/walking tour
Address: First Street SE between Independence Ave. and E. Capitol Street Washington DC, DC 20540
Tel: 202 707 8000

Reviews you can trust

[ Date ] [ Rating ]
Go Here.
6 Dec 2009
1/1 found this review helpful

An explanation of my title--above the title box, travelocity asks 'If you could say it in one sentence, what would you say?'--and that is really what I would say. We travelled to the Library of Congress from 9th and I, taking the red line metro to L'Enfant Plaza, and then transferring to the orange line to get off at Capitol... more

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5 of 5 stars
New Braunfels TX
16 Nov 2009

We went to the Supreme Court and just happened to stop by the Library of Congress, Jefferson Building and we are so glad that we did. It was beautiful! Take time to visit it. more

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5 of 5 stars
Minneapolis, Minnesota
1 Nov 2009
1/1 found this review helpful

Wow! I was not prepared for the Library of Congress. It's not just about books! When we visited, they had temporary exhibitions on Bob Hope, the Gershwin Brothers, Pre-Colombian culture, the "rough drafts" of America's founding documents and the art of political cartoonist Herblock. All were outstanding! Jefferson's original library of donated books are here (though most are replacements due... more

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4 of 5 stars
Tifton, GA
28 Oct 2009

If you mark the LOC off your must see list, you are making a bad mistake. It has to be the most beautiful building I have ever seen, and the exhibits, especially that on the history of the American Indian, are done so well. Everything about a LOC visit is first class. more

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5 of 5 stars
Tucson AZ
7 Oct 2009
1/1 found this review helpful

This is the best architecture and internal artwork of any public building in DC. The only one that came close was the mosaic tile-work at the Basilica of Immaculate Conception. We stumbled on a tour just starting as we entered. It was excellent. The best thing about this building is that it is completely accessible to the public. The only... more

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5 of 5 stars
Naperville, Illinois
26 Aug 2009

The library of congress is a must see!! I am hard pressed to recall another building as beautiful as the LOC in the U.S. Here's a link to my pics but the pics don't do it justice. For best effect view the slideshow in full screen mode. http://colinspics.phanfare.com/3725281 Cheers, Colin more

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4 of 5 stars
Grandville, MI
23 Aug 2009

What a beautiful building! It made me want to apply to do some research just so I could spend some time down in the actual archive area. Not many areas that you can go into, and you cannot take pics of the research area, but it was worth seeing. more

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5 of 5 stars
Cincinnati, OH
4 Aug 2009
3/3 found this review helpful

The Library of Congess is spectacular. DC is full of buildings with amazing architecture, but this is head and shoulders above anything else we saw. Pictures you see online simply can not convey the beauty. You have to see it with your own eyes to truly experience it. Allow yourself at least an hour to see this. It is more... more

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5 of 5 stars
El Paso, Texas
4 Aug 2009
1/1 found this review helpful

This building was breathtaking. We came here through the tunnel underneath the street from the Capitol building following our tour. Another full marble building, this place's murals are by far the most amazing and breathtaking. The amount of detail that went into the columns and the architecture astounded me and words cannot do it justice. more

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5 of 5 stars
Commack, New York
2 Aug 2009

I recently visited Washington, D.C. for a day on my way to a vacation in Myrtle Beach. I have been to DC several times and was looking for something different to see. Do not be fooled by the word "library" - this place is far more than that! We visited the Jefferson building (which I believe the the most noteworthy... more

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Library of Congress Address

First Street SE between Independence Ave. and E. Capitol Street, Washington DC, DC 20540
Tel: 202 707 8000