Guide to the Capitol Visitor Center

Congressional leaders open the CVC with a ceremony in Emancipation Hall on Tuesday.

Visitors Have Mixed Impressions of CVC

December 2, 2008, 5:24 P.M.

At 12:58 p.m. the Capitol Visitor Center was virtually empty, save for a few Capitol guides and CVC employees.

CVC May Be Great for Visitors, but Not for Capitol Police

December 2, 2008, 4:24 P.M.

The Capitol Visitor Center is not only a stately entrance for visitors — it is also designed to be a state-of-the-art facility that enhances the security of the Capitol.

Video: The Grand Opening

December 2, 2008, 5:51 P.M.

CVC (Finally) Ready to Open Its Doors

December 1, 2008, 1:00 A.M.

The idea of an underground extension to the Capitol took seed 30 years ago, gained traction in the 1990s and finally got off the ground in 2002.

CVC Set to Be Integral Part of Capitol Security

December 1, 2008

Congress may have the benefit of 1,600 police officers and classified intelligence, but its accessibility has worried the Capitol Police for years.
As the house of the people, it is open to the world: Visitors can walk through a metal detector and be in any House or Senate office building, tourists can wander right up to the Capitol’s walls and any citizen can walk into the Capitol if they have an appointment inside.

CVC Design Is ‘Modern but Faithful’ to Capitol

December 1, 2008

When Pierre Charles L’Enfant was designing the city of Washington, D.C., he staked out a hill that stood 88 feet above the Potomac River’s surface and dubbed it “a pedestal waiting for a monument.”

• CVC Built With Green Tint

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60 Percent of CVC Serves as Member Office Space

December 1, 2008

While there may not be a bunker built into the new Capitol Visitor Center, there is a 450-seat Congressional Auditorium tucked underneath the Capitol that can act as a House or Senate chamber if needed.

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New Web Site Boasts Advance Booking for Tours

December 1, 2008

One hassle the leadership of the Capitol Visitor Center hopes to alleviate is the drudgery of waiting in line for tickets to tour the Capitol.

• CVC by the Numbers