While the Court is in session, oral arguments can be heard Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a first come, first-served basis. There is an hour recess at noon. These talks last approximately 20 minutes. Originally established to house Congressional documents and resource material, the Library now serves as a national depository for publications and historical material which can be used by libraries, scholars and citizens throughout the country. Tour tickets are available at the Information Desk in the lobby of the Madison Building up to 15 minutes before tour.
People can also research their family history in the research room.
The Smithsonian Institution, comprised of 15 museums and the National Zoo, is dedicated to public education, national service and scholarship in the arts, sciences and history. There are 2 orientation theaters located in the Smithsonian headquarters which give a twenty minute overview of all the Smithsonian has to offer. The National Gallery of Art houses one of the world's finest collections illustrating Western achievements in painting, sculpture, and the graphics arts from the Middle Ages to the present. In the galleries, visitors will find the most comprehensive survey of Italian painting and sculpture in the Western hemisphere. The collections are rich in French, Dutch, German, Flemish, British, American, Spanish, and Twentieth Century art.