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Offered languages
- English
- English
This 90-minute tour explores the "Pillars of Policy," revealing the history and infrastructure of the federal bureaucracy through 16 architectural landmarks.
Key Highlights:
USDA & SNAP: Learn how the "People’s Department" manages a $240 billion budget, including SNAP benefits for 41.7 million Americans.
Currency & "Red Tape": See the BEP printing 26 million notes daily and the Yates Building where "red tape" was coined.
Infrastructure: Discover the Central Heating Plant and the WWI-era "Liberty Loan" building.
Architecture & Change: View Brutalist landmarks like the HUD and Forrestal buildings, standing on sites reflecting D.C.’s complex urban renewal.
Explore where the invisible work of government happens.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This tour begins at The People’s Garden, located just behind the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Jamie L. Whitten Building. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading
The tour ends at the Constitution Center. 7th street Southwest, Washington, DC.
Itinerary
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(Pass by)
Pass by the Beaux-Arts "People's Department" to see The People's Garden and learn how policy translates into food security and sustainability programs. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Stroll past this Renaissance Revival landmark, once a currency printing house and now home to the Forest Service, to learn about "red tape" and public land management. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (Pass by)
Walk along this evocative structure designed by survivor James Ingo Freed to learn through comprehensive collections and testimonies about the impact of the Holocaust. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
National Mall (Pass by)
Pass by the capital’s iconic "grassy expanse" to see how the 1902 McMillan Plan transformed the city’s landscape into a world-class center for museums and monuments. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Walk along this major thoroughfare to see the architectural manifestation of U.S. policy, bridging various departments through symbolic arches and massive administrative hubs. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
Bureau of Engraving and Printing (Pass by)
Stroll past this Neoclassical "fortress" where U.S. paper currency is designed and printed on a unique cotton-linen blend. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Pass by D.C.’s first Brutalist federal building to learn how the DOE manages the nuclear arsenal and funds advanced clean energy research. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Walk along this International Style building to explore the history of aviation safety and the complex urban renewal of Southwest D.C.. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Stroll past this striking Brutalist "concrete waffle" to learn about fair housing laws and the legacy of the first African American cabinet secretary. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Pass by this massive private high-rise to learn how diverse agencies, from the FTC to the NEA, collaborate to keep the country’s infrastructure functioning. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The total tour time includes walking the route and passing by the attractions
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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