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The U.S. Capitol is set to reopen to the public with limited tours starting on Monday, March 28.
Visitors to Washington, D.C. haven’t been welcomed into the national landmark since the capitol closed its doors to the public two years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a memo sent to lawmakers on Wednesday, House Sergeant-at-Arms William J. Walker and Capitol attending physician Brian P. Monahan described a phased reopening plan that requires visitors to register in advance for limited guided tours.
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For the first phase, the U.S. Capitol will allow member-led and staff-led tours with a maximum of 15 guests per tour guide. School group tours for students enrolled in K-12 will also be allowed to visit on a limited basis as well.
Tour reservations are required for select time slots before entry can be granted. Reservations must be submitted through the Capitol’s online Congressional Tour Scheduler.
Construction of the U.S. Capitol Building began on Sept. 18, 1793. It is the meeting place of Congress and the legislative branch. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The tours will take place Monday to Friday and tour guides will only take visitors down approved tour routes.
So far, the Capitol Visitor Center’s gift shop will be open during phase one, but the House Gallery will remain closed.
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Dome tours are expected to resume on April 25 with a maximum tour limit of eight guests per member tour guide.
Phase two of the Capitol’s reopening is tentatively set for May 30, which aims to make the Capitol Visitor Center accessible to a limited number of guests along with "other areas" like the Capitol Visitor Center Restaurant.
The Capitol’s phased reopening to the public is a collaborative effort between Congressional leadership, the U.S. Capitol Police Board, the attending physician, Capitol Visitor Services and the U.S. Capitol Police, according to the "Resumption of Limited Capitol Tours" memo.
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"We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we work together to resume public tours of the Capitol for the American people in a way that protects the health and safety of visitors and institutional staff alike," the joint memo states.
Tours will be monitored by Visitor Services in case modifications are needed.
The Capitol is following the CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels guideline for coronavirus health and safety response.
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Under non-pandemic conditions, the U.S. Capitol typically welcomes three to five million visitors per year, according to internal data from the national landmark. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
At this time, the community level is set to green, which means the risk level is "low" for vaccinated parties. Masking is not required during these circumstances, but it’s highly recommended when the community level enters yellow or green territory, or if a person is immunocompromised or unvaccinated.
To learn more about the CDC’s community levels, click here.
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