pentagon tour review

How to Tour the Pentagon

quickwhittravel

Updated July 7, 2020.

Did you know you can take a tour of the Pentagon? You can! It takes a little legwork from you and some advance planning, but it’s absolutely doable if it’s on your list of things to do in Washington, D.C.  My dad wanted to take a tour on his most recent trip to visit me, so we gave it a try! Here’s how to get a chance at a tour for yourself.

Know Before You Go

• Tours are FREE!
• You must request via the Pentagon’s website .
• Tours are available Monday-Thursday 10:00am-4:00pm; Friday Noon-4:00pm; not available on weekends or federal holidays.
• Tours are only available for groups of 60 people or fewer.
• The tour lasts about 45 minutes.
• Tours should be requested between 90 and 13 days in advance. Tours requested outside of this range will not be approved. And tours fill up, so waiting until 13 days before your trip is not a good idea!
• You must arrive 60 minutes before your scheduled tour time to get through security.
• You must Metro as there is no public parking at the Pentagon. Not sure about taking the Metro? Check out my post:  DC’s Metro System: A Guide .
• No photography  on the tour. I know, I was disappointed, too!
• In fact, you will have to  turn off your phone before the tour begins .
• Purses are acceptable but subject to search.
• To apply you will need each visitor’s first and last name , date of birth , social security number , and current city and state of residence .
• The one exception to the photography rule is in the waiting area after you pass through security. There are a couple of photo-ops, a small exhibit on each branch of the military, and a gift shop to keep you occupied while you’re waiting for your tour! You will not be allowed back in this area after the tour, so make sure you get these photos and souvenirs before your tour!

9/11 Pentagon Memorial

Another thing you can do if you arrive early to your tour and are not allowed inside yet is to visit the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial around the back, where the plane hit. It’s very moving and meaningful. Just follow the signs.

The Process

1. visit the pentagon website.

This will give you the most up-to-date information and get you started on requesting your tour. This is also where you can request your tour. Unlike tours of several other government buildings, you cannot request this tour through your Congressperson.

2. Review the Tour Guidelines and Security Information

This is essential. The Pentagon thinks security is kind of a big deal, as you may imagine. Please read Tour Guidelines and the Security Information very carefully as there is quite a lot to consider.

3. Click “Request a Tour” and Agree to the Terms of the Department of Defense

This message will pop up:

4. Enter Point of Contact (POC) Information

This message will come up telling you to continue after checking your e-mail. The e-mail will include an attachment outlining security measures. Please read it and the e-mail before clicking on the link to continue.

5. Enter Your Available Date Range and Group Size

Remember that the dates must be between 14-90 days, no more, no less.

6. Choose an Available Tour Time

If the dates you selected are available for tours, the tour times will show up here. I selected October 19-22, but only October 22 was available, and only three time slots on that day.

7. Review the Tour Guidelines and “Agree”

I know this is getting tiresome, but I highly recommend reading the guidelines each time they come up!

8. Enter Each Person’s Personal Information

You will have to enter each person’s information. The first will be the POC’s information, and you can select the box next to “attending the tour” to indicate whether or not the POC will be on the tour. On the next page you will be able to enter everyone else’s information. Be sure to have the following information on hand before you start the process:

• Dates of birth
• Social Security Numbers
• Current City and State of Residence for each person

Only the POC needs to provide an e-mail address and phone number.

7. The Waiting Game

Like most other tours of government buildings, you’ll have to wait for your answer! You will be notified by e-mail between 1-14 days before your requested tour date. I know it’s hard to make plans when you don’t know about the tours you want, but my best advice is to plan as if the tour (or tours) will happen, and be pleasantly surprised with extra free time if one or more of your tours don’t happen.

8. Check Your Tour Status Update 2-3 Business Days Prior to Your Requested Tour Date

Our requested tour date was Monday, October 22. On Thursday, October 18, we got an e-mail stating that our status had been updated. The e-mail  did not give a “yes” or “no” about our tour; we had to log in from a computer with our confirmation number (in the e-mail) and my e-mail address. It was a little confusing, but here is how you check your status update:

• Click the link in the e-mail.
• Click “Request a Tour.”
• Click “Check an Existing Tour.”
• Enter your confirmation number and e-mail address.
• Click “Submit,” and the next page will either show approval or disapporval.

9. Get Your ID in Order

Before you go to D.C., get your ID in order! You must show at least one form of photo identification for your Pentagon tour (and for many other tours in the D.C. area). Acceptable forms of ID are below:

• U.S. Passport
• U.S. Passport Card
• Driver’s license or identification card issued by a State or outlying possession of the United States, provided it contains a photograph and meets the REAL ID standards
• Identification card issued by Federal, State, or local government agencies, provided it contains a photograph
• U.S. Government PIV Card (CAC for DoD Personnel)
• DoD Affiliated Identification Cards (Retirees, Dependents, and Inactive Reservists)
• Native American Tribal Document
• U.S. Border Crossing Card
• Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form I-551 or I-551)
• Foreign passport with a temporary (I-551) stamp or temporary (I-551) printed notation on a machine readable immigrant visa
• Foreign passport

Visitors 17 years of age and under require no identification when accompanied by an adult with a DoD Building Pass or one of the above forms of identification.

10. Check the Pentagon Tours Operating Status  Before You Go

The Pentagon is the Department of Defense first and foremost. Next it is an office building. Farther on down the list it is a place the American public can visit. Since tours are on the list but not a top priority, tours may be off the table at any time. They may also be cancelled due to weather in the winter. Check the status of your tour before you leave you accommodation for the day.

Tour Highlights

Our tour was excellent! Our guides were personable and put us at ease

• Your tour will be led by a handsomely uniformed member of the military’s Honor Guard. Mothers, hold on to your daughters!
• The exhibits on the walls are exceptional, but you will not have much time to look at them very closely. Ask questions if something catches your eye! There are scale models of airplanes, works of art, artifacts, and more.
• The history of the Pentagon is much more interesting than you might think! You’ll get some background at the beginning of your tour, and some of the facts might surprise you!
• The outdoor Pentagon Memorial is quite moving and very nicely done, but there is also a memorial inside, where the plane hit. Your guide will explain it all to you in detail, but more importantly he will invite you to sign a book and write some encouraging words for the survivors and the families of those who died in the Pentagon attack. Each day or so, the book of notes is uploaded as a PDF to be read online.

Want to know about more tours in D.C.? Check out my post all about  D.C. Tours to Request in Advance !

Want more on D.C.? Check out my Washington, D.C. Page !

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One response to “how to tour the pentagon”.

[…] It’s true! You, too, can tour the largest office building in the world! You will have to undergo a background check, so this tour must be requested between 90-14 days before your requested date. Tour slots fill up quickly, so I do not recommend waiting until the last minute! Your step-by-step guide and what to expect are here: How to Tour the Pentagon. […]

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clock This article was published more than  5 years ago

A Pentagon tour? About as exciting as visiting an old shopping mall.

Like many a daydreaming Green Line rider, I’m forced to visit the Pentagon Metro stop a few times a month. Only when sunlight streams through the windows of the Yellow Line train I’ve boarded by accident do I realize my mistake. “Shoot!” I say, often out loud. “Not again!”

Last week, for the first time, I got off at that stop on purpose for a Pentagon tour. Anyone can sign up online for a tour, though it takes a month to process a request. Following the Pentagon website’s advice, I arrived an hour before my tour’s start time to clear security. Going through the airport-style scanners took me only about five minutes, so I spent the rest of that time perusing the Pentagon visitor center.

A lobby-like area, the visitor center includes five large kiosks, one for each branch of the U.S. military. Though they once promoted the missions of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force, the kiosks currently serve as a showcase for broken screens — I counted 10 in all. I also found two working screens showing unnarrated footage of soldiers and airplanes, and one broadcasting someone’s Windows desktop background.

Other points of interest in the visitor center include a replica Department of Defense podium where tourists can pretend to give press briefings, and signs in six languages explaining that the tour is offered only in English and that you may not bring a translator or even have a side conversation in a foreign tongue. (The Pentagon website disagrees with these signs, saying a tour group can bring along an approved translator.)

As the tour began, a young, uniformed soldier piled rules on top of rules. “Photos and videos are strictly prohibited,” he said. In fact, if we were caught with our phones out, “that might be the last time you see them.”

Had I accidentally signed up for boot camp? It felt that way, especially when two uniformed military members bookended my group and marched us out of the visitor center in tight formation.

As we entered the main building and passed beneath a “Welcome to the Pentagon” sign, I felt a shiver of excitement. This was the real, actual Pentagon! Like in the movies! That thrill, however, evaporated the moment we stepped inside.

“Did everyone picture the Pentagon looking like this inside their head?” said our guide. “Me either.”

I know I was surprised. The Defense Department, currently burning through a $700 billion budget, has a headquarters that looks, in part, like a dated shopping mall. It’s a suspicious mismatch, like a family living in a dilapidated house to avoid attracting attention to their expensive jewelry or massive nuclear arsenal.

With 26,000 employees, the Pentagon is like a small city, with many stores and eateries, its own post office and DMV, and four Starbucks, our guide said. “Starbuckses? Starbucks? I’m not sure what the plural of Starbucks is,” he added.

That got a wan laugh, but his next joke — one that was about military acronyms — went right over our heads.

“Sorry,” the soldier apologized. “It’s in the script.”

What script? I later discovered that Pentagon guides are required to memorize 33 pages of information and recite it more or less verbatim. (They are also required to throw in at least two fun facts, submitted and approved in advance.)

After transiting the mall area, we walked through many featureless office hallways while listening to our guide recite the history of the building and the military with the same, brain-numbing cadence developed by flight attendants to lull demanding passengers to sleep. The last thing I heard before blinkering out of consciousness was the preposition-intensive mission of the U.S. Navy: “operating on, under, above and from the sea.” (Beside, beyond and between must have been taken by the Coast Guard.)

I started paying attention again when we entered a chapel devoted to the people who died during the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon. A small room bathed in eerie green light, it contains panels etched with the names of the dead, and a book for writing condolences to their families. A few tourists wrote notes while the rest of us loitered around, feeling sad. As we left the chapel, the guide pointed out the walls that were destroyed by the aircraft, and noted that they’d been carefully rebuilt so there’d be no visible seam or scar.

As the tour came to a close, our guide told us a final fun fact. During the Cold War, he said, Soviet spy satellites noticed a structure at the center of the Pentagon courtyard attracting large numbers of people. The Russians thought it was the entrance to an underground bunker, he said, but it was actually a hot dog stand. “It was rumored that a lot of their nuclear arsenal was aimed at that building,” the soldier added with a laugh.

That didn’t exactly strike me as funny, especially after seeing the 9/11 memorial, but I chuckled politely and then escaped gratefully back into civilian life.

Pro tip: Put the phone away, or you might never see it again.

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Pentagon Tours: Reservations, Parking, and Visiting Tips

The Pentagon, the headquarters of the Department of Defense, is one of the world's largest office buildings with about 6,500,000 sq ft. providing office space and amenities for more than 23,000 employees, both military and civilian. The building has five sides, five floors above ground, two basement levels, and a total of 17.5 miles of corridors. Guided tours are given by military personnel and are available by reservation only. Pentagon tours last for approximately one hour and provide an overview of the mission of the Department of Defense and the four branches of the military: Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps.

The outdoor Pentagon Memorial that commemorates the 9/11 attacks is open to the public with no reservations required. It is not included in the guided tour.

Arranging a Tour

To take a guided tour of the Pentagon, you must make a reservation in advance . Tours are conducted Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm and Fridays between 12 pm and 4 pm. Reservations must be booked from 14 to 90 days in advance. U.S. citizens can reserve a tour online, but foreign residents must contact their embassy to reserve a tour. All visitors must pass through a security scanning device and no photography will be allowed on the tour. You must arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tour and bring along your confirmed reservation letter and photo identification.

Getting to the Pentagon

The Pentagon is located off of I-395 on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. The best way to get to the Pentagon is by Metrorail and the Visitor Center is located next to the Pentagon Metro Station.

There is no public parking at the Pentagon, but visitors may park at the Pentagon City Mall and walk to the entrance through a pedestrian tunnel. If you are not familiar with the area, it can be confusing, so be sure to leave plenty of time to find your way to the Visitor Center.

The tunnel is located across the street from Macy’s on the far side of the Reserved Parking Lot. Once through the tunnel, walk to the right until you see signs for the Metro Station and the Visitor Center. (When leaving, note that the tunnel is at the far end of parking Lane 7).

Major Points of Interest on the Pentagon Tour

The Pentagon is a building with a long and significant history with many points of interest you won't find anywhere else in Washington DC.

• The Hall of Heroes: includes the names of all the recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government.
• Overlord Embroidery: 34 tapestries created by Sandra Lawrence depict the story of the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
• Faces of the Fallen Memorial: an exhibit features individual portraits in honor of the service men and women killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• POW-MIA Corridor: the exhibit recognizes United States military personnel taken as prisoners of war (POWs) or listed as missing in action (MIA).
• Soldiers and Signers of the Constitution Corridor: numerous paintings in this corridor commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and portray the founding fathers of our nation.
• 9/11 Memorial and Chapel: commemorates those killed in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The indoor memorial displays the names of the 184 victims. The chapel provides space for prayer and remembrance.
• 9/11 Memorial Quilts: project initiated by Jeannie Ammermann to honor those killed on September 11, 2001 evolved into a multi-quilt project that drew volunteer quilters from all parts of the U.S.
• Pentagon Center Courtyard: 5.5 acres of outdoor space in the interior of the building includes food concessions and casual seating areas.

Visiting Tips

As you get ready for your tour, here are some tips to make sure the experience goes as smoothly as possible and you get the most out of it.

• Although, the Pentagon recommends you arrive 15 minutes before your tour, plan to arrive 30 minutes early to allow time to go through security.
• The best time to take the tour is mid-day when transportation to the Pentagon is less congested.
• The tour includes walking a distance of about one and a half miles through the Pentagon corridors and staircases, so wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
• Be sure to visit the Pentagon Memorial after your guided tour of the Pentagon. It won't be included in your tour.
• Enjoy a casual lunch at the Pentagon City Mall before or after your tour. The mall has one of the nicest food courts in the area and more than 170 specialty shops.

Related Articles

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David B Gleason

Can I Tour the Pentagon?

The pentagon memorial is open to all visitors, and public tours inside the pentagon are available to us citizens with advance reservation..

Yes, but public tours inside the Pentagon are available to US citizens only with advance reservations. The Pentagon Memorial is open to all visitors.

How to tour the Pentagon

The Pentagon, located just outside Washington, DC in Arlington, Va., is the headquarters for the United States Department of Defense. It is open for official tours through the  Pentagon Tours program .

Pentagon tours must be reserved at least 14 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance. Tours are conducted Tuesdays and Thursdays (excluding federal holidays) at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tours fill up quickly and it is highly recommended that you book well in advance of your visit. You can make a tour request online . International visitors must request a tour through their home country’s embassy.

Individuals who have a Pentagon badge and escort privileges are permitted to give a self-guided tours to friends or family. If you are assigned to the Pentagon or if you are visiting a Pentagon staff member, contact the Pentagon Force Protection Agency at (703) 697-1001 to determine escort status.

Nighttime at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Virginia

Touring the Pentagon

Tours are 60 minutes and cover about 1.5 miles inside the Pentagon, which is one of the largest office buildings in the world. Tours include the history of the four branches of the military and the opportunity to see the indoor memorial near the Sept. 11 crash site and the Sept. 11 Memorial chapel, as well as the Hall of Heroes (featuring the names of all the Medal of Honor recipients) and a number of other military displays.

@daily__ary

Parking, security and accessibility

There is no public parking at The Pentagon. The Pentagon can be reached via its own dedicated Metro stop on the Blue and Yellow lines or you may choose to park at Pentagon City Mall and make the five-minute walk to the Pentagon via pedestrian tunnel. Once you’ve arrived, check in at the Pentagon Tours window near the Metro entrance.

Visitors must check-in at least 60 minutes prior to their scheduled tour to allow time for security. You will be asked to present your tour confirmation email and photo ID. All visitors will go through security scanners. All purses are subject to search. Large bags, including backpacks, shopping bags and camera bags are NOT permitted on the tour. Cell phone, cameras, recording devices and other electronic devices cannot be used on the tour and no photography is permitted inside the building.

Ramps are available for visitors with disabilities. Tour visitors in wheelchairs must bring someone who can assist them on the tour.  A signer will be added to tours to assist hearing impaired visitors provided that two weeks' notice is given. Special tours for visually impaired visitors can also be arranged with two weeks' notice.

There are so many great tours and sightseeing opportunities in Washington, DC. Discover  your next tour adventure .

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The Pentagon — located across the river from Washington, D.C. in Arlington, Virginia — is more than a power center assigned to the defense of the nation. It’s a small city in itself. About 23,000 military and civilian employees work here, walking 17.5 miles of corridors, drinking 4,500 cups of coffee, and making more than 200,000 telephone calls. The World War II-era building is one of the world’s largest, with three times the floor space of the Empire State Building.

So, other than smartly dressed officers, what’s there to see at the Pentagon? Once you make a reservation through the office of your Congressional representative, our nation’s finest will escort you on a 60-minute tour that highlights significant moments in military history. Visitors can view the September 11 crash site and memorial; the Hall of Heroes, which lists all recipients of the Medal of Honor; and a display on the role of Native Americans in the U.S. military. Three sections of the dismantled Berlin Wall are also on view.

Make sure you’ve got your walking shoes on; the tour covers 1.5 miles at a brisk pace.

Travel Tips

If you’re not part of a formal group of at least five people, you’ll need to call or write your Congressional representative to request a Pentagon tour. Visit  www.house.gov or  www.senate.gov to find contact information for your local Representative or Senator. Non-U.S. citizens must contact their embassy in Washington, D.C.

Group tours are available for groups of five or more people affiliated with an educational institution, government agency, church, scout troop, or military unit. Reservations for group tours must be made at least two weeks in advance. See web site for details.

For more, visit:  https://pentagontours.osd.mil/overview.jsp

September 5, 2023 at 3:54 pm

I’ve always wanted to visit.

September 3, 2023 at 9:08 pm

Do I have to do the website for a tour or get in touch with my rep if it’s only 2 people. It let me put in info but then I read the website for requests are only for groups of 5 or more

April 6, 2016 at 10:17 am

Can we carry backpacks on the tour or is there a place to secure them during the tour? Our family will be traveling the East Coast in June and will really have no place for our backpacks.

June 3, 2013 at 1:16 am

My wife, stepson and I were not able to get a tour scheduled. Is it possible to visit the Pentagon outside and if so what points of interest are available for sightseeing and/or pictures?

June 3, 2013 at 5:06 pm

All visits to the Pentagon require a reservation for a tour. Also, there is no public parking at the Pentagon. See https://pentagontours.osd.mil/ for more information.

December 7, 2011 at 3:49 pm

Any information regarding the Army/Navy Spirit Rally on Friday, 12/9/2011 would be appreciated. May civilian parents of cadets attend, if the rally is outside the Pentagon building? I understand that we will not be able to enter the Pentagon for this event. Thank you and God Bless.

December 7, 2011 at 8:41 pm

I cannot find any details on who is allowed at the event. However, I am aware that it is scheduled for Friday morning at 11:15 a.m. Other game details can be found here .

July 8, 2011 at 7:24 pm

Hi, I am a little confused. Some things written above seem to indicate the Pentagon offers public tours M-F btn 9 and 3. Other comments indicate I can’t tour without having gone through Canada’s Embassy in Washington DC. It will just be my husband and I wanting a tour, so we are not part of a group. Please let me know exactly what I need to do in order to get a tour of the Pentagon. Thank you, Michelle

July 8, 2011 at 7:58 pm

According to the Pentagon web site, all tours require a reservation. If you are not a part of a group, you can make a reservation on the Pentagon web site tours page. U.S. Residents can also reserve a tour by contacting their Congressional or Senate Representative.

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Pentagon Guided Tours

As the headquarters of the Department of Defense for the United States, you may not think the building is open to the public.

However, with advance planning and some background checks, you can take a Pentagon Tour for you and your family.

The tour itself is FREE but advanced reservations are required.

It is 60 minutes long and you must stay with the group the entire time.

You'll find that the guide almost always walks backward for the entire tour (so he or she can keep his eyes on you!).

Pentagon Tours must be requested in advance! You may request tickets from 14 days up to 90 days prior to the tour. .  

Tours are conducted for U.S. Citizens only on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm.

The tours are free of charge and last roughly an hour.

To submit your reservation request, you will need to provide the total number of persons, your requested date and start time, and the name and phone number of the person requesting the tour.

Reserve Pentagon tours here .

If you know someone who works at the Pentagon and they have a Pentagon badge, you can take a self-guided tour of the Pentagon with them.

How to Get to the Pentagon

The Pentagon is located in Arlington VA, across the Potomac River from downtown Washington, DC, and just to the south of Arlington National Cemetery.

( NOTE: Technically, the Pentagon is located within the District of Columbia)

We recommend using this link for directions to the Pentagon from anywhere in the DC area.

The best way to reach the Pentagon is by Metro (Washington DC's subway).

The Pentagon Metro Station services both the blue and yellow lines of the DC Metro.

The security check-in for Pentagon Tours is adjacent to the Metro station exit at the Pentagon Visitor Center.  

Be sure to read our post on how to use the DC Metro system .

There are also many bus lines that service the building. 

There is no public parking at the Pentagon. We highly recommend using public transportation.

If you need to drive, you can find cheap parking at a garage at 900 Army Navy Dr.

You can pay ahead of time online for a guaranteed space in this garage with SpotHero .

It is a 10-15 minute walk to the Pentagon by crossing through the parking lot and underneath the interstate (follow signs to the Pentagon Memorial to enter the access tunnel to get to the Pentagon Parking Lot).  

Click here for directions from the parking garage at the Pentagon City Mall to the Pentagon.

*Be sure you always stay in the crosswalk and designated sidewalks as many areas of the grounds are secure!*

Security Check-in at the Pentagon

All tours begin and end at the security checkpoint just outside the Pentagon Metro entrance.

It is well-signed and the guards are very friendly in assisting you to find the correct entrance.  

What time should you arrive for the Pentagon tour?

Arrive 60 minutes prior to your scheduled time to allow for the entire group to pass through security.

What ID do you need for the Pentagon tour?

You will need to bring with you a copy of the confirmation of your tour.

Additionally, anyone in your party who is 18 years or older will need one form of proper identification which must be current and contain a photograph.

Proper forms of ID include the following:

• U.S. Passport
• U.S. Passport Card
• Driver's license or identification card issued by a State or outlying possession of the United States provided it contains a photograph and meets the REAL ID standards
• An identification card issued by Federal, State, or local government agencies, provided it contains a photograph
• U.S. Government PIV Card (CAC for DoD Personnel)
• DoD Affiliated Identification Cards (Retirees, Dependents, and Inactive Reservists)
• Native American Tribal Document
• U.S. Border Crossing Card
• Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form I-551 or I-551)
• Foreign passport with a temporary (I-551) stamp or temporary (I-551) printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa
• Foreign passport

Visitors 17 years of age or younger who are accompanied by an adult do not need identification.

Prohibited Items

• Large bags such as backpacks, camera bags, and suitcases are not allowed.
• No weapons or sharp objects permitted
• All purses are subject to search but are allowed
• Small electronic devices like cell phones, tablets, GPS devices, storage devices like flash drives, laptops, and smartwatches are not allowed.
• Photography is prohibited on Pentagon property, both inside and outside the building (with the exception of the Pentagon Memorial ).

There are no storage lockers, so be sure not to arrive with any of the prohibited items. Read the full list of prohibited items .

There is a small box where you can store small devices like phones but laptops will not fit.

Checking in for Pentagon Tours:

Once you are through the security scanners, you still have to check in! After you clear security turn left and find the Pentagon Tour Window to check in your group.

Groups that do not check in at the tour window forfeit their tour.

Pentagon Visitor Center

You will wait for your tour at the Pentagon Visitors Center.

Visitors are not permitted back into the visitors center once the tour has finished so now would be the time to visit the gift shop and restrooms.

Here you can take photos at the only place photos are permitted inside the building - at the replica Press Briefing Room podium.

Food is not permitted while on tour and the tour guide will not pause the tour for any guest to eat.

You may coordinate with Pentagon personnel who will escort you to an area where your group may eat before or after the tour.

Tour Highlights

All tours will cover the history and interesting facts pertaining to four branches of the military (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps).

You may also have the opportunity to visit the indoor September 11th memorial adjacent to the crash site as well as the 9/11 Memorial Chapel.

Some tours will also visit the Hall of Heroes where all of the names of the recipients of the Medal of Honor are listed as well as an actual Medal of Honor medallion.

Tour itineraries and commentary topics are subject to change at any time.

There are no stops when you are on the tour and the tour is almost always in a walking motion.

The Pentagon Memorial

After your tour, we encourage you to walk around the building following signs to the National September 11th Pentagon Memorial to visit this thought-provoking site before you exit the grounds.

The memorial, which honors the 184 victims who died in the Pentagon or on American Airlines flight 77, is approximately 15 minutes by foot from the Pentagon Metro station where you will exit the building after the tour.

Keep in mind that photos are prohibited until you arrive at the memorial.

The memorial is open 24 hours a day and bathrooms are present though sporadically they are not open.  

Read more about the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.

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Pentagon Tours Tour Details

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Eligibility

To reserve a Pentagon Tour, you must be an adult (18 years or older) and a United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States under 22 U.S.C. 6010

Each member of your tour group who is an adult on the day of the tour must be a United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States under 22 U.S.C. 6010.

Before the tour, all adult tour members must register as Pentagon Visitors and be cleared by the Pentagon Force Protection Agency to enter the Pentagon for the tour.

OPM Operating Status

During inclement weather or other special circumstances, the Pentagon Tours Office adheres to guidance posted by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Be sure to check the Pentagon Tours Operating Status the day of your tour before coming to the Pentagon. Click here to check the OPM Operating Status .

There is no public parking at the Pentagon. Public parking is available at the Pentagon City mall. The use of public transportation is highly encouraged. Click here for more information about getting here.

Checking In

Plan to arrive at the Pentagon Visitor Entrance 60 minutes before your scheduled tour to allow time for your group to process through building security. Present a copy of your tour confirmation email and identification for each group member to the Pentagon Police personnel.

Once you have cleared security, proceed into the building and turn left to find the Pentagon Tours window, which is located inside the Pentagon Visitors Center in the visitor waiting area. The check-in for all tours is at the Pentagon Tours window. Your tour may be canceled if your group has not checked in at the Pentagon Tours window prior to your scheduled tour time. Please note that guests will not be allowed back into the Visitors Center after the tour.

All guests will exit the building following the tour. Please arrive early if you would like to purchase souvenirs or take photos at the replica Press Briefing Room podium.

Visitors With Disabilities

Ramp access is available. Tour visitors using wheelchairs must be accompanied by someone who will assist them. The Pentagon Tours program does not provide wheelchairs or other personal mobility devices. With two weeks' notice, a sign language interpreter will be added to tours as needed to assist hearing impaired visitors. Special tours for visually impaired visitors may also be arranged with two weeks' notice.

Tour Length and Difficulty

The Pentagon Tour is about 60 minutes in duration, with a walking distance of about one and a half miles through Pentagon corridors and staircases. Visitors taking part in a Pentagon tour should wear comfortable clothing and shoes.

Language Requirements

The Pentagon Tour is presented in English. However, translation is permitted for tour groups that bring approved translators with them.

Food and Beverage

Food and beverages are not permitted on the tour.

Smoking and the use of tobacco products are not permitted during tours.

Self-Guided Brochure

Whether taking an official tour or not, this Self-Guided Tour brochure offers information about the Pentagon and its educational displays.

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Oasis are Definitely, Maybe back at number one

Oasis may have angered fans with price of their concert tickets, but the appetite for their music is undiminished.

The band's debut album, Definitely Maybe, has returned to the top of the UK album charts, a week after their reunion shows were announced.

The record, which debuted at number one when it was first released in 1994, is back in the same position, thanks to a 30th anniversary edition that includes several outtakes and unreleased demos.

Two more Oasis albums re-entered the Top 10, with their greatest hits compilation Time Flies at number three; and their 1995 classic (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? at number four.

The Official Charts Company said sales of Definitely Maybe had risen by 408% week-on-week.

Fifty per cent of its sales were on vinyl - and the album also tops the official vinyl chart this week.

It is the first time the band have topped the countdown since 2010, when Time Flies was first released.

Renewed interest in the band also propelled their 1995 single Live Forever to a new heights. Originally peaking at number 10 on its release, the song made it to number eight on this week's chart.

Sabrina Carpenter claimed the number one single with Taste - helped along by the song's gory, hack-and-slash music video, co-starring Jenna Ortega.

For the second week in a row, the US singer has secured the top three positions in the singles chart, with her former chart-toppers Please Please Please and Espresso at numbers two and three respectively.

The former Disney star has now racked up 14 weeks at number one so far this year.

Espresso was also crowned as the UK's song of the summer, having sold 800,000 copies between June and August, including 92.2m streams.

Her album, Short 'n' Sweet was at number two; while Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' new release Wild God debuted at five.

Ticket criticism

Oasis's chart victory comes after a week in which the band were heavily criticised for introducing "dynamic pricing" on tickets for their 2025 reunion tour.

The system meant that some fans ended up paying £355 for tickets with a face value of £148, after prices were inflated in line with demand.

In a statement, the band claimed to have had no knowledge that the system would be implemented - although Ticketmaster, which organised the sale, says artists and promoters are in control of setting prices.

On Thursday, the Competition and Markets Authority said it would investigate the Oasis ticket sale , to discover whether Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law.

Oasis new dates and everything you need to know about the reunion

Uk competition watchdog launches oasis tickets probe, oasis hit out at ticketmaster's dynamic pricing after backlash, ⁠oasis ticket row: how ticketmaster's owner has grip on uk live music scene.