In addition to the general overview of the Capitol, the visitor's center offers a variety of special topic tours. These include a tour of the murals in the old Senate hallways, the history of votes for women and others.
I'd taken several of these offerings on prior visits, so was pleased to do the Heroes of Civil Rights on my recent return, my first since The Before Times.
As luck would have it, I was the only participant so got a wonderful one on one. My guide included the old Supreme Court chamber, with the curious cornstalk topped columns nearby (I'd asked to see them, as I'm a dedicated Atlas Obscura fan) as well as the stunning tobacco blossom column rotunda nearby. Unfortunately, the old marble bathtubs in the basement are now an IT storage room, but my guide confirmed they did exist.
We visited the old Senate chamber, where I learned about the scandalous goings on of long ago, and admired the beautiful design of the ornate setting.
The tour also took me through the Capitol rotunda and into statuary hall, where I got a glimpse of the new Amelia Earhart statue.
Tickets are free and available daily on a first come, first served basis. The visitor center website details the times and offerings. If you can stop by early in the day for tickets, then you can spend your day on the Hill seeing other sights with a spot assured.
As a former educator, I love these tours. They really are great. And, they are free!