National Archives Exclusive Guided Tour: Discover US History
4.9
279 Ratings
Washington

Explore the tumultuous past of the United States via artifacts safeguarded in the National Archives. Undertake this exclusive 1.5 to 2 hour guided museum journey delving into the documents and correspondences that have contributed to the formation of this comparatively nascent but profoundly impactful global authority.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The National Archives Museum - Enter the neoclassical building that acts as a temple to American history. Once inside, your expert guide will take you through the National Archives Rotunda to learn about the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution while observing the original documents. These papers, alongside the Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers, are all signed by the prominent statesmen and founding fathers like Alexander Hamilton. Moving to the Public Vaults Exhibits, you’ll come face to face with letters from George Washington and John F. Kennedy. You’ll even see the Emancipation Proclamation, which, in 1863, led to the abolishment of slavery. Finally, in the Rubenstein Gallery, you’ll examine more historical documents like the Magna Carta of 1297, written well before the United States was even conceived, yet pivotal in influencing the other documents that you’ll experience in the Archives. By the end, you will have witnessed firsthand the humble documentation that created the world’s most powerful country.
What's Included
  • Exclusive Tour Guide
  • 1.5 - 2 Hour Duration
  • Wheelchair Accessible
  • Expert Guided Museum Tour
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
  • A maximum of 8 people permitted per tour allowed
  • Notes: National Archives and other attractions or museums in DC 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
4.9
(279 Ratings)
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Ramonleda
Mar 23, 2024
Great tour of the archives - The tour of the national archives with Maribeth was great. She was very knowledgeable and explained everything in detail to us. We very much enjoyed our tour with her.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Angstspork
Mar 21, 2024
Great family tour - We opted for the Archive tour to help bring the documents to life for our family. Donna was very knowledgeable and did an amazing job telling the story of how the ‘big 3’ came into being.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heathertn4921je
Mar 20, 2024
Great tour, worth the cost and Annemarie rocks! - My family and I had Annemarie on our tour of the National Archives and she was absolutely fantastic! We had such a great time with her and we all learned so much. You can tell this isn’t a job for her, it’s a passion that she enjoys sharing. We really did skip the line which was worth it in itself but Annemarie is what made it a spectacular experience. Highly recommend any tour with her!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Velezjm
Mar 19, 2024
Awesome, fun, and educational - Absolutely fantastic tour with a wonderful tour guide! Annemarie was friendly, accommodating, and fun. We learned a lot, plus my husband was able to talk about the thesis he wrote on the Magna Carta. Highly recommend this tour! Side note: it was a hoot to learn that there are typos in the original documents! It made me feel so much better about my poor typing skills.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maria
Mar 16, 2024
Brenda was the Best! - Brenda was an asset before amd during the tour. She helped prepare me for challenges transiting in to the city and helped me navigate them after arrival. She was knowledgeable and passionate about what she shared. She was very engaging with our entire group, patient and kind. Highly recommend her for this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dawn_l
Mar 15, 2024
National Archives with Christina - Christina was great! She was easy to listen to, thorough, attentive to our needs, knowledgeable, kind, and able to hold our teenage son’s attention. Without her, we would have missed a lot of important details. We would highly recommend her…and this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Lauren
Mar 14, 2024
Excellent tour of Archives - Donna our tour guide was excellent! We went busy spring break week and she helped us cut through the crowds and provided historical context to everything we saw to really give it life. Highlight of our week!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dyan_h
Mar 14, 2024
Fascinating Tour! - Maribeth was an excellent tour guide! She made the tour interesting and relatable for everyone, including our 10-year old son. We would highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to visit the National Archives.
Review provided by Viator
Brian_m
Mar 14, 2024
Amazing and Educational Tour with fun “Easter Eggs” - Annemarie gave our family such an amazing tour. Meeting up with her was a breeze, she was very friendly, and I enjoyed how she immediately interacted with my 10-year-old daughter and got her excited for the tour. Annemarie whisked us away to a members-only entrance and escorted us through the front of the line at security before beginning the tour right up at the Declaration of Independence. Her pace was perfect (not too fast and not too slow) and she was more than patient to answer questions or to let us interject with something on our mind. One aspect that was fun was Annemarie’s surprise tidbits as we toured where she pointed out little “Easter eggs” regarding the building, an exhibit, art work, or other items. I was very impressed with her knowledge, I learned a lot on the tour, and we left with my daughter being way excited to learn about our country’s history later in school. Bravo to Annemarie and we would absolutely tour with her and the company in the future!
Review provided by Viator
Kariwg7749tu
Mar 13, 2024
The National Archives were Amazing! - This was truly amazing! My mind was blown with the knowledge of Richard! We learned so much about our founding documents and the building that they are housed! I would definitely do this tour and any tour with Richard!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 8 guests
1 Adult
April 2024
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