Old Post Office Pavilion Tours and Tickets

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

• Washington DC "See the City" Guided Sightseeing Segway Tour

• Private Washington DC City Tour

• Night of Lincoln Assassination: From White House to Ford Theatre

• Small Group Washington DC Tour With Changing of the Guard

• Washington DC After Dark Nighttime Sightseeing Wonder Tour

There's no admission fee to visit the Old Post Office Pavilion or ride the elevator up the Clock Tower. However, there are plenty of tours available that will get you exploring with an expert guide. Sightseeing tours (some at night, when the city is lit up) start at US$49.

Yes, it opened in July. The tower closed in October 2025 amid a federal effort to sell the building, but it reopened after the property was acquired in June 2026. The landmark is typically open Wednesday through Saturday, but the hours are worth double-checking before your visit, given the recent ownership change.

The building now houses the Waldorf Astoria, along with the historic Clock Tower entrance tucked at the back. Inside the tower itself, you can visit a small museum on the building’s history and ride a glass elevator past the Congress Bells before reaching the observation deck, which offers some of the best views in the city.

Built in 1899 as a post office and federal building, the site later became a retail pavilion in a 1978 restoration. Its 270-foot (82-meter) Clock Tower houses the Congress Bells, a 1976 bicentennial gift from Britain, still rung on federal holidays. The Old Post Office Pavilion was managed by the National Park Service for 42 years, up until 2025.

No, entry is free to the Clock Tower at the Old Post Office Pavilion, and tickets aren't required—you'll just pass through the Waldorf Astoria and its security at the entrance. Current hours are limited to 9am–12pm, Wednesday through Saturday; however, since the tower's ownership and operations changed in 2026, it's worth checking the schedule before your visit.