New U.S. Capitol Visitor Center opened Dec 2, '08

The largest project in the Capitol's 212-year history, the 580,000 square-foot underground facility is designed to enhance the visitor's experience with new interactive features, orientation theaters and exhibits.

As visitors enter the massive underground facility, they'll catch a glimpse of the Capitol Dome through two skylights.

Timed tickets for tours of the Capitol, available by advance reservation or same-day, will be distributed on site.

While waiting for tours, visitors can browse galleries displaying artifacts from the Library of Congress and National Archives, touch a 10-foot model of the Capitol Dome and even watch live video feeds from the House and Senate.

Tours begin with a new 13-minute film exploring the history of the Capitol and Congress, shown in the facility's orientation theaters.

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The United States Capitol