Exclusive Tour: National Archives & Portrait Gallery
5.0
15 Ratings
Washington

This exclusive 5.5 hour led dual expedition will enable you to study these two distinctive landmarks of Washington DC, optimally utilizing your time in the US capital. Unravel the tumultuous past of the United States with preserved artifacts in the National Archives, followed by a tour of the architectural wonders on Capitol Hill.

Duration: 5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • National Portrait Gallery - After a break to ponder the complexity of history (and grab a bite) your guide will lead you to the dual exhibition space of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Inside the local Washingtonians favorite Smithsonian space you’ll wander hallways that seamlessly flow between the two collections surrounding one of the most relaxing spaces in downtown Washington DC, the Kogard Courtyard. Your guide will take you to see the famous Presidential Portrait Gallery and you’ll hear stories of other famous Americans as you view their portraits in painting, sculpture, and video form. Make your way over to the Luce Center of the American Art portion and get a chance to peek inside the labs of the Lunder Conservation Center! Some of the most iconic figures in Art and History pop up in the most unexpected places in this criminally overlooked Smithsonian!
  • The National Archives Museum - The best way to understand the who and the what of the United States of America! Skip-the-line at the National Archives and start with the original handwritten “Charters of Freedom” housed in their spectacular Rotunda. Your guide will narrate the extraordinary circumstances that brought this nation into existence. Surrounded by documents and paintings giving depth and nuance to the founding period, no trip to the US Capital city is complete without a visit to the National Archives. But at Babylon we take it a step farther. In the Rubenstein Gallery, go even further to the philosophical foundations by viewing a 1297 copy of the Magna Carta. You will be guided around the room as the concept of citizenship, what it means and who is included evolves from the declaration that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”.
What's Included
  • Exclusive Tour Guide
  • Guided Walking and Museum Tour
  • Private Transport Between Locations
  • 5.5-Hour Tour Including Lunch Break
  • Rain Or Shine Assurance
  • Skip-The-Line Access to National Archives
What's Not Included
  • Tour price does NOT include hotel pickup or drop-off (we recommend UBER or Taxi)
  • Tour price does NOT include gratuities (optional)
Additional Information
  • It is imperative that you provide us with guests MOBILE PHONE NUMBER (including country code)
  • Notes: National Archives and other attractions or museums may be subjected to occasional closures without previous warning from the museum management. When this occurs, we will provide guests with an appropriate alternative if the museum opening time is delayed more than 1h from the tour starting time. In these cases we are unable to provide refunds or discounts. Appropriate dress is required for entry into some sites on this tour. No large bags or suitcases are allowed inside the museum, only handbags or small thin bag packs are allowed through security. Due to increased security measures at many attractions some lines may form on tours with ‘Skip the Line’ or ‘No Wait’ access. Some specific rooms inside the museum are subjected to a very quiet or restricted right to speak inside, in this cases your guide will provide the information about this places before entering the specific rooms where this rule applies. Some collections may vary along the year.
Location
National Archives Museum
Constitution Avenue Northwest
Meet your guide on the corner of 9th Street NW and Constitution Ave.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(15 Ratings)
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L850gqgeorgeb
Apr 26, 2024
Portrait Gallery - We did a tour of the National Portrait Gallery. Brenda was our guide. She was amazing! She knew each president and anecdotes about each one. She took us to see exactly what we were interested in and we were able to concentrate on her narrative as we went through the museum. She knew where we could sit for a break, where we could go for a quick lunch, and how to navigate thru the maze of exhibits to see exactly what we might enjoy the most. So knowledgeable and personable. A great guide and a great visit !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seaside15676488261
Apr 19, 2024
We learned so much! - Annemarie was so knowledgeable, she kept us all engaged pointing out interesting facts throughout the tour. She asked if there were any specific portraits we wanted to see and made sure we did. Weaving US & art history together made all the information easy to absorb.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
353alishan
Mar 17, 2024
Best for Last! - Annemarie was amazing! She was thoughtful, considerate and knowledgeable. She shared interesting stories and knew where to take us throughout the tour just by figuring out who we were as tourists and catered to us for our experience. I can’t thank her enough for making our last day in Washington DC a memorable one.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N1398nvnatalies
Mar 15, 2024
Deep History Come Alive! - Annemarie was a great guide and super knowledgeable! We had all ages in our group and she was able to make deep dives into history accessible to all of us!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Q9010qxkathleene
Jul 4, 2023
Amazing Archives and Capitol Hill Tour - Mary Anne did a great job educating us and showing us all the highlights despite having to navigate some street and building closings. We learned a lot and kids enjoyed it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nathan_t
Jun 28, 2023
Great tour - Brenda was a great tour guide that was able to answer all the questions and tell interesting stories.
Review provided by Viator
Jim
Oct 18, 2022
Great Tour and VERY informative - Richard did a great job and used his unique ability as a story teller to convey an easy understanding of the subjects in a very informative way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lse218
Sep 13, 2022
National Archives - Richard was great, I would highly recommend him to friends and family. He was great with communicating with the group.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kjw20769
Jun 6, 2022
Phenomenal - Richard was Amazing!!! He guided us on two tours yesterday. We could not have had a better guide ever! He also went above and beyond and helped us get 2 tables combined at a local restaurant last night. Words cannot express how engaging he is. Our family was blown away with his knowledge. We all feel like we have a new beat friend in DC. We plan on keeping in touch, as our daughter lives here and wants to book him for her future tours. We loved every minute and was sad when our day came to a close.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Noral715
Apr 11, 2022
America! - Babylon has the best guides. Kimberly was a scholar and we enjoyed our time at the archives. Definitely do this tour right at 10am when the gallery opens so you beat the crowd.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 8 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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