The Octagon Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience The Octagon. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• DC Ghosts Ultimate Dead of Night Haunted Ghost Tour

• Residences of the Presidentses: Lafayette Square and Foggy Bottom

• Hidden Halls of Power: Secret History of the White House & DC

Admission to The Octagon is US$10 for adults and US$5 for seniors, DC residents, college students, teachers, and military personnel; it’s free for kids under 18. Guided tours are included with admission if you time it right—they’re offered at 11am and 2pm and run about 45–50 minutes long.

Despite the name, the house actually has six sides, not eight, making “Octagon” something of a historical misnomer that still puzzles first-time visitors touring the property. It’s simply a nickname given to the house by the family—there were 15 kids—and it probably had something to do with the irregularly shaped lot, too.

That’s the million-dollar question. Many will tell you absolutely, yes—The Octagon has a reputation as one of the most haunted buildings in all of Washington DC. People report seeing apparitions, smelling scents associated with ghosts (like lilacs for Dolley Madison), and hearing inexplicable sounds at all hours. Official tours, however, focus mainly on its history.

Yes, you should buy tickets in advance for The Octagon. They’re highly flexible—you can visit anytime on your selected date, or you can even change the date by simply asking at the front desk when you arrive. At the time of purchase, you’ll select either self-guided or guided tours, and guided tours are limited to 25 participants.

The Octagon (also called the Octagon House or Octagon Museum) is best known as one of the few private residences that served as the White House—in this case, after the 1814 Burning of Washington—hosting President Madison. It was designed by William Thornton, the first architect of the US Capitol, and it’s considered one of the country's oldest museums dedicated to architecture and design. (It’s also considered one of DC’s most haunted buildings.)