Library of Congress — Thomas Jefferson Building
Step inside the Thomas Jefferson Building and prepare to have your jaw drop: the gilded Main Reading Room, soaring 160 feet to its painted dome, is one of the most breathtaking interiors in America. Best of all, it costs nothing to enter.
A Library Unlike Any Other
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and serves as the research arm of the U.S. Congress — but its Thomas Jefferson Building is equally a palace of art. Mosaic floors, allegorical murals, and carved marble compete for your attention at every turn.
Don't miss Thomas Jefferson's personal book collection, which formed the seed of the entire institution, displayed in a dedicated gallery on the ground floor. It's a genuinely moving piece of American intellectual history.
Getting Into the Main Reading Room
Visitors can now walk the floor of the grand Main Reading Room during limited daily windows — Tuesday through Friday, 10:30–11:30 a.m. and 2–3 p.m. — a privilege once reserved solely for credentialed researchers. Free walkthrough tickets are distributed in the Great Hall on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thursday evenings are a hidden treat: the building stays open until 8 p.m. for 'Live at the Library,' with drinks available in the Great Hall and all exhibitions open late. Reserve your free timed-entry pass online before you arrive.
Plan Your Visit
The Jefferson Building sits at 10 First Street SE, a two-minute walk from the U.S. Capitol. Timed-entry passes for the Great Hall and exhibitions are free and bookable on the Library's website.
Photography is welcome throughout the building, but flash is prohibited inside the Main Reading Room. Arrive early on weekends — lines for walkthrough tickets form quickly.
Library of Congress — Thomas Jefferson Building on video
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