Supreme Court of the United States
The marble temple of the judicial branch on Capitol Hill, with a free self-guided ground-floor visit.
The call
Worth it if you are watching the budget and you only have one day.
Why
- 01
You can walk into the highest court in the land for free, see the great hall and (when the courtroom's open) sit for a docent lecture in the chamber itself.
Our read - 02
The honest catch: there are no guided tours and the courtroom is only viewable when the Court isn't sitting, so what you see varies a lot by day.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
This is your first trip to Washington DC
A free, underrated stop that completes the Capitol Hill trio.
You are watching the budget
Supreme Court of the United States earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You only have one day
Short trip or not, keep Supreme Court of the United States.
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, Supreme Court of the United States is an easy yes.
Think twice if
You are traveling with kids
With kids, skip Supreme Court of the United States.
You care about the visual experience
Supreme Court of the United States offers some beauty & photography, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
Plan it well
- Cost
- Free
- Timing
- Weekdays when the Court is not in session, for courtroom access and docent lectures
- Booking
- Free; self-guided only, no guided tours
- Allow
- 45 min–1 hr
- Accessibility
- Fully accessible
- Getting there
- Capitol South or Union Station Metro, on Capitol Hill