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All 340 Washington DC Attractions »

Library of Congress

First Street SE between Independence Ave. and E. Capitol Street, Washington DC, DC 20540
202 707 8000
Ranked #8 of 215 attractions in Washington DC
4.5 of 5 stars 473 Reviews
Type: Libraries, Government Buildings, History Museums
Activities: Group tours/walking tour
Owner 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 » Owner 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 7,000 added each working day. « less
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473 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
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    84
    21
    4
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Date Rating
Uk
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 May 2012 NEW

Magnificent building (and you see so much more than the Capitol) with fascinating contents and history.

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See 4 more reviews by Holwell for Washington DC
Burke, Virginia
Senior Reviewer
7 reviews 7 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 May 2012 NEW

and Constitution are on display here. Good shop, too. Also they run free showing of the Oscar-nominated shorts every year right before the Oscars.

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See 5 more reviews by MaryPatS for Washington DC
Irmo, South Carolina
Contributor
15 reviews 15 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 May 2012 NEW

The LoC is a fantastic place to visit. We set up a tour through out congressman's office prior to visiting DC. Tour guide was great. The library is very ornate and filled with all sorts of literary treasures. We especially enjoyed seeing the Gutenburg Bible. There were a couple of special displays as well. Very young children might not appreciate... More

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See 4 more reviews by iteachpc for Washington DC
Portland, Oregon
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2012 NEW

Worth a visit. Try to get a tour. We had a great guide who told lots of stories about renovations.

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See 3 more reviews by Beenthere1950 for Washington DC
Northampton, MA
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2012 NEW

We missed our timed tickets for the Capitol Building tour and took the tour of the LoC by default. What a treat! Informative view of an extraordinary building, and a fascinating perspective on the makings of America. Take the free docent-led tour, or you'll miss half of what you're looking at!

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See 2 more reviews by MistinguetteS for Washington DC
Montana City, Montana
Senior Contributor
43 reviews 43 reviews
Reviews in 31 cities Reviews in 31 cities
22 helpful votes 22 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2012 NEW

This is my favorite interior in DC. The place is beautiful. I highly recommend a tour here.

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See 4 more reviews by akmoma for Washington DC
usa
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2012 NEW

the building has to be seen to be believed and be sure to see the reading room with the wonderful ceiling.

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See 7 more reviews by razzberry for Washington DC
Waukesha
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 May 2012 NEW

The Library of Congress is truly a beautiful building. My partner and I scheduled a tour of the Library, so we were able to receive the historical information and the reasoning behind the brilliant architecture. I highly recommend scheduling a tour through your congressperson, because the information you will receive will cause you to appreciate the building even more! Two... More

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See 4 more reviews by chgravelle for Washington DC
Fountain Valley
Top Contributor
86 reviews 86 reviews
Reviews in 39 cities Reviews in 39 cities
156 helpful votes 156 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 May 2012 NEW

The Library of Congress is a beautiful building with great architecture. It is definately worth a visit and can be reached thru a tunnel connected the Capitol.

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See 12 more reviews by ladybug5 for Washington DC
Belle chasse, La.
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 May 2012 NEW

The library of Congress is even more beautiful than the Capital itself. The artwork iside this building is so fine. The attention to details inspires you the whole way through the tour.

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See 6 more reviews by rncavalier3 for Washington DC

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