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The Library of Congress
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill/Southeast
101 Independence Ave, SE
(between S 1st St & S 2nd St)
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 707-5000
101 Independence Ave, SE
(between S 1st St & S 2nd St)
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 707-5000
- Nearest Transit:
-
Capitol South (Blue, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Sat. 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
33 reviews for The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is a masterpiece. It may have the best interior of any building in D.C. There are free public tours of the Jefferson Building at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30. I stopped by for the 1:30 tour and there were probably 150 visitors waiting for the tour. Even though we were divided into 4 groups, I still felt lost. The tour guide gave a lot of information, maybe too much information and I was getting really bored so I ventured off on my own.
I would not recommend the tour because its pace is way too slow but the Library is worth a self-tour. There are several exhibits on the second level, but they're not that exciting either. Go there solely for the architectural details.
Fantastic architecture, amazing collection of books and other copyrighted works. The tour... a little boring, but with good information. The tour guides know an insane amount of information, and they try to pass it all off on you in a 1 hour tour. A bit hard to do and still follow them.
That being said... go here, give yourself a self guided tour. Be sure to check out the main reading room as well as the Guttenburg bibles!
An absolutely stunning building. We wandered over here from the Capitol Visitor's Center after a Capitol tour just because there was a tunnel and we wanted to see where it went. Turns out, it spits you out in the most magnificent lobby I've ever been in. We didn't get to take a tour, but we will definitely be back to do that sometime in the near future. In addition to the architecture, there are some exhibits in the library, the most memorable of which was the Thomas Jefferson book collection. A DC sight that must not be missed.
O.K., folks. I am nervous about telling you this secret because, honestly, I want it all to myself. That said, the whole point of Yelp is to share or help - so here goes: There are dozens of FREE classical concerts throughout the year - during the week (and sometimes on the weekends) at the Library of Congress concert hall (below ground). They often feature the best string quartets in the world. You have to get tickets (through Ticketmaster), but it's FREE. Need I say more to you classical music fans out there? Get off your arses and go. They are fabulous. You will be hooked.
Growing up, I always wanted my own library. I always wanted my collection of first edition books and an extensive place to rest, relax and gain vast knowledge.
Looking inside the Jefferson library at the Library of Congress was just like that. It's the badass version of what I want my book collection to be when it grows up. The building's architecture is absolutely beautiful and the complexity of the interior design is absolutely marvelous. There are a few exhibits, but there is so much history encased in the walls of this building. It's simply stunning and completely worth your time when one is in the area.
The most palatial library you'll ever have the pleasure of doing research in.
The genealogical library at the Jefferson Building is amazing. Top-notch staff who know their way around the many, many resources. They have impressive on-site internet resources too-- they have all the pay-per-use ones (like http://ancestry.com) for free right in the library. They also have a lot of handwritten or typed family trees that were donated over the past century. I would recommend coming to one of the twice-monthly orientations given by the genealogical library before you start your search. They'll show you around and tell you what to do first.
The main reading room at the Jefferson is gorgeous. I will probably sit down here with my stack of materials next time.
If you are interested-- check out the Map Room in the basement. They have the original hand-drawn maps of the railroad expansion (these are the ones I looked at) and I was told they have an impressive collection of historical Eastern European maps as well.
There is a cafeteria on the 6th floor of Madison-- it's OK as far as cafeterias go, but there's nothing else in the area for blocks so you pretty much have to eat here if you're going to make a full day of it.
Only book nerds like my friend who is a law librarian and myself, an English grad student, would consider going to the Library of Congress for a fun morning. I can say now that I am a card-carrying member of the Library of Congress. I think it's pretty cool.
My friend regularly goes to the LoC for work purposes so she took me to the main reading room at the Jefferson library which was amazing. I wish I had known that I could take my camera, but I will remember it and hopefully will return.
Just being surrounded by all those books and all of that history was stimulating. I guess it was sort of a spiritual experience for me.
I hope I will have time some day to go back and make use of some of the rare materials.
The Library of Congress is a dream come true. It's one of the most beautiful and rich buildings in which I have ever stepped foot. It's like the Vatican but much better because you can walk all around and actually become a member and have library privileges...but you cannot take materials out of the library. However, they will hold your materials for you so you don't have to have them retrieved every time.
This national library has much more than books. For instance, it has a giant baseball card collection, and many other types of collections that are meaningful to our country's history and patrimony. I recommend the tour!
Every inch of this library is covered with art, most of it having symbolic significance to learning, world history, and culture in general. It's a magnificent building and I'm proud to have it represent our country and to be open to the public for visitation and use.
P.S. - it's right by the Supreme court behind the U.S. Capitol building, if memory serves me.
Simply amazing. Five stars doesn't do it justice, and I'm sure that anything I were to write about it wouldn't either, so I'll stop here.
You know when you use a search engine.. google, etc?
The results that come back....
these are those results in tangible form
a bad analogy, but a whopper of a mind number... the history of US words... and books.
Amazing. Definitely worth the trip while visiting DC. I wouldn't miss it.
Never in a million years would I have anticipated that I'd say this, but "I like going to this library." Any building that can make me say that deserves 5-stars. More than that, actually.
The US Library of Congress is one hell of a badass building. The outside is pretty impressive itself, but pales in comparison to the interior. The walls and ceilings and so ornate, you'd think Donald Trump lived in the place. With it's beautiful columns and unique painting and sculptures, it's truly magnificent to look at and hang out in - when I was visiting it with some relatives from out of town, I just sat on a step and stared at all the beauty that is this building while they looked around at what I'd already seen.
Might just be my favorite building interior in this magnificent town.
This is a must see for history and book lovers alike. One of my favorite places in DC, this gem is worth at least one visit. Take the guided tour because you will learn so much about this beautiful place. The historical aspect of this place alone will stun you, but the beauty of it will awe you. You do not get to enter the library itself, but you will get a glimpse of it from a glassed-off balcony. Very cool.
TIP: Once you enter, you will find a line for the metal detectors. Do not attempt to take any pictures of ANYTHING before you go through this metal detector. I tried to take a picture of my husband waiting in line and was firmly reprimanded. I felt like an idiot since there were no signs anywhere forbidding photos in line. Just an FYI.
TIP: Be careful going up and down the lovely stairs here. They are VERY slippery. I nearly broke my arm when I took a dive as I was going down a staircase. I felt like an idiot, but it did not make me love this place any less. Gorgeous!
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my visit to the Library of Congress! A must-see for American history and book lovers alike. It's like a museum tribute to books and learning and history and arts and science all in one, which is all the more amazing considering that it is still a working library and congressional research center. There certainly are fewer exhibits than you will find in any Smithsonian, but the ones that are there are very interesting.
I highly recommend the guided tour, otherwise, I think you totally miss out on all of the cool background of what the Library does, its history, and the details of the architecture and design. Public tours are scheduled every hour or two apart and last around 45 minutes, which seemed like the perfect amount of time to highlight the interesting highlights without getting boring. We also had a great guide which helped a lot.
Another option is to book a constituent tour ahead of time by contacting your Congressman, though I'm not sure it would be worth it (it sounds like the main benefit is a smaller, though not completely private, group). We took the last public tour of the day, departing at 3:30, and showed up only a few minutes before it was scheduled to start and had no problem getting in.
It took me 4 trips to Washington D.C. to finally make it to a tour of this amazing building and piece of history, and I am so glad that I went here!
When you come here be sure to come get a tour because a) they are free and b) you learn so much about how this building and collection was created and about the art and architecture choices used throughout this building. Education has never been so interesting!
When you walk into the main entrance, you will see two main stairways decorated by little cherubs each of which is holding a different item like a fish to represent sailors and fisherman, or some food to represent chefs....they have a cherub for each of the main professions to symbolize all of the jobs that create the United States. I never knew that much detail went into planning and decorating a building like this, and throughout the tour you learn even more tidbits of information about the history--like how Thomas Jefferson sold his private book collection to this library after its big fire to help rebuild the collection (granted he was in debt so this was a great option for him!!!)
You can see the famous guttenberg bible up close and personal, and yes on the tour, even if you don't have a library of congress library card (which I went and registered for after my tour!!!), you get a glance of the main reading room which was made famous most recently in National Treasure which is all my friend Adriana could think about--finding the book of secrets!!!! ha ha
The Library of Congress receives 22,000 items a day to be added to its collection and keeps 10,000 of that 22,000 (a great trivia fact I learned on my tour here!!!) so you can imagine how many thousands and thousands of items they have here!! It is truly magical and so incredibly beautiful and a place I think most people don't make time to come and visit. So break the tourist mold and come here!!! You will learn a few things! I promise!!!!
The largest collection of books in the world.
A must-see!
The main reading room is pure heaven and the rare map collection is beyond words.
My words alone cannot describe a place so beautiful.
Free tours!
They really do give great tours. One leaves almost every hour. My favorite thing on the tour is the marble angels with their different trades. There's the farmer angel, the school angel, the industrial angel... etc.
You can get a free reading pass (it takes about an hour to process) and have access to the main reading room and all the other reading rooms and all the books! I highly recommend that... you can sit under the dome and pretend to be Woodward and/or Bernstein.
This is one of the few places the United States has that can compete with almost every large building in Europe.
Wow. Wow. Wow. I took my brother here- my 21 year-old-not-interested-in-anything-and-everything -is-lame- brother and he LOVED it! I haven't been here since freshman year of college 7 years ago and don't remember getting the goosebumps that this art and architecture gave me.
The marble itself is worth learning about- some from North Africa, some from Tennessee, some from Italy. The mosaic of Minerva (goddess of knowledge but prepared with a helmet and spear to defend that knowledge against evil) is bad ass!
If you want a place that will take your breath away, teach you about architecture and aesthetics, and make you feel so small yet privileged to be there, then this is the place for you. I highly recommend the tour and pay attention to the photography rules- flash, no flash, no photography at all, etc.
PS when waiting for the tour to start they file you into this dungeon-like holding room with benches that makes you feel like you''re an illegal immigrant awaiting a visit from INS.
I'll admit it. I'm a nerd. A book nerd, as a matter of fact. I've been to the Library of Congress as both a tourist and a researcher. I'll comment a little on both.
First, the tourist side of things. The exhibits here are quite interesting, but aren't as awe-inspiring as some of those available around the mall. For a real bibliophile or history buff, however, this is a can't miss set of galleries. Especially worthwhile is Thomas Jefferson's library that created the core of the Library's early collection after much of the original library was lost in a fire - f'ing British. Walking around Jefferson's library, for American bibliophiles, has to be an experience comparable to when seven year old kids first get a glimpse of the Air and Space Museum.
As for being a researcher at the Library of Congres, the possibilities are nearly endless. Want to see a collection of old museum exhibition catalogues? Sure. Interested in learning about your family history? Check. Trying to pinpoint the exact topic of your dissertation? You got it. The collections are endless and you can get a feel for them online, through the library's website.
The stacks are closed, however, so you have to learn the system of filling out paper request slips for the library gnomes, who secretly run between buildings, gathering and re-shelving various materials. (The library gnomes were a gift from the French shortly after the Revolution)
In order to access the collections, you'll need a reader card. Plan on coming in at least 30 minutes early in order to have your mugshot taken and to complete the paperwork. Your card will be good for two years.
Also, plan on getting lost at least twice attempting to find exits and bathrooms, everything behind the scenes is an absolute maze. Finally, if you plan to come to do research, plan on it taking 45-90 minutes to get your books from the aforementioned stack gnomes.
The interior of the Library of Congress Jefferson Building is absolutely one of the most amazing buildings in Washington, D.C. It's really the only building interior that rivals European architecture. The entrance lobby area, entering from 1st St SE, is all done with mosaic tile and is quite incredible. The exterior isn't bad, but not my favorite.
Oh yah, and there's a heck of a lot of books!
Get yourself a reading card and you can use the library to do all the reading and research you want.
What to say. World largest library and it stands up to its reputation. Very good collection of books and a must visit place for the kids.
Like walking into a world of books, quite amazing, they give photo id cards from the library, cool.
I didn't really have any expectations going into this building. I had scheduled a tour through my representative and the tour-guide was the cutest old man, which totally made my day! It was snowing outside so it was nice to come inside and while this building could be seen as institutional, there is something about libraries that makes me feel warm and comfortable.
This is an amazing building and the architecture alone is worth a visit. The gift shop is pretty good too.
I had a Library of Congress tour schedule thru my Congressman but didn't go on it. They also offer Public Tours for everyone else who don't book ahead like I did.
We just walked around on our own.
Highlights:
Great Hall
Gutenberg Bible - first book printed using movable metal type.
Main Reading Room - we only could see it from above, you need a user card to go inside it.
Neptune Fountain is outside the building - worth seeing.
Worth it! Intentionally set aside time to go to the Library of Congress because it is off the beaten path. Took my time and tried to take everything in that I could!
One of the most beautiful edifices in our nation. Just my opinion, but I'm right.
pretty cool, make your self a free photo id for the official US LOC. it takes only 5 min and u get a hard plastic card with your photo on it. and then u can enter this beautiful library.
I definitely agree with Robyn that the LOC is heaven for anyone who loves books, researching, or fabulous spaces. If you've never been (or are just a tourist) you should really take the tour because you learn a lot about the history of the building and it's role in Washington, DC. After that you should get your research card (for free!) which provides you access to, get this, every single book ever published. Really. You can reserve yourself a shelf so you can have your materials waiting for you when you come and research. This is a fabulous place to study and read and we are lucky to have it here in DC!
I love the LOC. I always take visitors here because I think it's such a beautiful building. It's also one of the lesser known DC attractions for tourists (do you sense a trend? :) so you can pretty much walk in and get a tour - or walk around yourself. It is an awesome space. I highly recommend the tour - you'll learn a lot of interesting facts and they point out a lot of interesting things that you might not catch just walking around on your own. Take it from me - I've taken the tour at least 4 times.
This was by far my favorite place in DC. The mosaic tiling was amazingly beautiful. Let's get reader's cards!
The LOF offers amazingly beautiful reading rooms, a shelf of books with my name on it, photos and prints, moving pictures, rare books, journals and newspapers... All this is made accessible by the most knowledgeable, helpful, and intelligent librarians ever existing on this planet, no wonder the library offers me, an unquenchable researcher, a total orgasmic treat..
the building is pretty my mom works there but you have to be 14 to enter
