washington dc tour money printing

Visiting the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing in Washington, DC

Check out where U.S. currency is made and take a tour with this unique free experience.

What and where is the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing?

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing , founded in 1862, produces Federal Reserve Notes (also known as paper money, or U.S. dollars) for the Federal Reserve, our country’s central bank (note that coins are made by the United States Mint). The Bureau also produces Treasury securities, military commissions and award certificates, ID cards, invitations and an additional range of security documents for government agencies, making it the largest producer of government security documents in the U.S.

The Bureau has two locations: one in Forth Worth, Tx. and the other in, you guessed it, Washington, DC. The official address is 301 14th Street SW, Washington, DC 20228. The facility features two adjacent buildings, with the facade of the main building facing Raoul Wallenburg Place SW, the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial.

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Take a tour of the "money factory"

Tickets, which are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, are required for the tour from March through November. The ticket booth is located at Raoul Wallenburg Place SW (formerly known as 15th Street) and opens at 8 a.m., Monday through Friday. The booth closes when all tickets have been distributed for the day.

Group tours for groups of 10 up to 30 people run every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. – noon. Limited reserved tour times are offered. To reserve a group tour, fill out the Group Reservation Request Form and e-mail it to [email protected] . You can learn more about group tours by calling 202-874-2330 or 1-866-874-2330.

Call 202-874-2330 for more information about the accessible entrance.

All visitors must pass through a security screening before entering the Bureau. Tour guides will direct visitors to enter the building when appropriate.

What will I see on the tour?

The 40-minute experience will enlighten you on all things related to U.S. currency. The tour begins with an introductory film that details the function of the Bureau and its importance. Along the way, you’ll witness millions of dollars being printed as you stroll through the gallery that overlooks the production floor.

The tour also includes exhibits that dive further into the production of our national currency. There’s also a gift shop, open from 8:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., that features currency products for sale.

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Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tours and Information

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tours

Please note that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is currently closed to tours.

What do you need to know? Admission is free. Tickets are not required to tour through February. The BEP is open to the public weekdays, Monday through Friday, and closed on weekends and federal holidays. Please see the schedule below for closure dates. The tour and visitor entrance is located at 14th Street, SW. For information regarding the tour, please call (202) 874-2330. Visitors must line up at the tour entrance and wait for tour guide direction to enter the building and are required to pass through a security screening. Tickets Required to Tour: March 2 through September 4, and November 23 - 27. The BEP requires visitors to obtain free same-day tickets to access the tour during the spring and summer months and the week of Thanksgiving. The ticket booth, located at 15th Street, SW, Raoul Wallenberg Place opens at 8:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, and closes when all tickets have been distributed for the day. Visitor lines form early at the ticket booth and are often distributed by 8:30 a.m., especially during the Cherry Blossom Festival (March 20 - April 12), Passover/Easter holidays (April 8 - 16), and days surrounding Federal holidays. Tickets are not required to visit the Visitor Center. Hours of Operation Public Tours Tour runs every 15 minutes 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (through March 20) 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (March 23 - September 4) Group Tours 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Advanced Reservations for Large Groups Only) Tour runs every 15 minutes Visitor Center & Gift Shop 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. through March 20 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. March 23 through September 4 The BEP is a federal government organization and adheres to closure, late arrival or early dismissal guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM determines the federal agency operating status for the Washington, DC area. For up-to-date opening and closing information, please telephone the Washington, DC Tour and Visitor Center locally at (202) 874-2330 or toll-free at (866) 874-2330 to speak directly with the tour scheduler during regular business hours. Please be advised that tour policies and hours are subject to change without public notification. How do I get scheduled for a tour? Click here to visit the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing's official page.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C.

Watch real money being printed

Watch real money being printed at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C. ! This is a fun tour for all ages. You will see how U. S. paper currency is printed, stacked, cut, and examined for defects.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing also prints White House invitations, Treasury securities, identification cards, naturalization certificates, and other special security documents.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing does not produce coins. Coins are produced by the United States Mint. (Although the headquarters to the Mint are in Washington, D.C., the production facilities are located in Philadelphia and Denver. Tours of the Mint are given in those cities.)

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was established in 1862. At that time, just six people separated and sealed notes by hand in the basement of the Treasury building. The Bureau moved to its current location just off of the National Mall in 1914. To keep up with the increase in demand, a second production location was set up in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1991.

301 14th Street SW (corner of 14th and C Streets) Washington, D.C. (202) 874-2330 and (866) 874-2330 (toll-free)

The closest Metro stop is the Smithsonian Station, Independence Avenue exit (12th & Independence, SW) on the Blue and Orange line trains. Parking is very limited in this area, and  public transportation  is highly recommended. 

Tours and Hours

Tours last about 30 minutes and are offered every 15 minutes, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The facility is closed on weekends, federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Years. From April through August, hours are extended from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Because of heightened security, tour policies are subject to change. If the Department of Homeland Security level is elevated to Code Orange, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is closed to the public.

March through August—Free tickets are required for all tours during the peak season. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th Street). Tickets are not available in advance.

The ticket booth opens at 8:00 a.m., Monday through Friday. This is a very popular attraction, and lines form early. All of the tickets are usually gone by 9:00 a.m., so if you want to visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, you must plan ahead.

September through February—No tickets are required. You may line up at the Visitors’ Entrance on 14th Street.

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tours

This post will tell you all about how to tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington, D.C.

For years this was a common attraction that I took school groups to visit. They closed to the public in 2020 and only quietly reopened in the fall of 2023.

I love the BEP tours and museum and think it's one of the more fun options of things to do in DC with kids - as long as you go at the right time of time of day!

• How to get Tickets
• Plan Your Visit

About the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is one of only two places in America (the other is in Texas) where paper money is printed. Don't confuse this with the U.S. Mint ! There is no US Mint in DC.

The BEP is open for guided tours where you can see the process of how American currency is printed, secured from counterfeiting, and destroyed. 

Tickets for the tour are free , but you may need some determination to secure tickets during the peak tourism season.

WHAT IS ON THE TOUR

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing offers free 40-minute long tours.

Once through security, there are some small exhibits to peruse before they begin the tour with a short film. There are benches to sit and watch the introductory film.

You will then have a docent-led tour through the facility. The walk-through tour is in galleries above the factory floor. As it's a working federal building, you'll see the money actually being made - printed, cut, and counted as you work your way through.

The docent will explain what you are seeing and offer some fun facts about US currency and in some places guests say you can even smell the cold hard cash!

You'll learn a lot about the process but don't expect to get all the tips of the trade as photographs are not allowed on the tour.

When you finish the tour, the docent sends you to exit through the gift shop .

HOW TO GET TOUR TICKETS

Hours: Tours run Monday - Friday 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.

Closed: Federal Holidays and the end of year Dec. 22, 2023- Jan. 2 , 2024

As the BEP reopens, tickets are available on a walk up basis only OR by going through your congressperson.

With the exception of occasional busy weeks (like Thanksgiving or Presidents' Day Weekend) tickets are not required and you can just show up at the Visitors Entrance for admission. 

BEST TIME TO GO:

Reviews suggest avoiding lunchtime tickets - when the workers on the floor are on their lunch break and less will be going on for you to see.

WHEN TO LINE UP FOR TICKETS:

You can get same-day tickets at the ticket booth, located at Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th ST, SW) ( map ), - the ticket booth remains closed until March 2024. You can get tickets at the regular entrance on 14th Street.

Tickets opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes when all tickets have been distributed for the day. Queues during peak season begin to form before 8 am for the early tickets.

In peak season (March-June, and near holiday weekends) people begin lining up around 7:30 am for the 8 am ticket opening.

If you have a specific time that day that you want to get tickets for, you'll need to be near the front of the line. If you don't mind what time you get a tour, don't worry if you're not the first person.

Even on busy days, you may find tickets still available at 10:30 am but they tend to be the last tours of the day - around 5:30 pm.

TIP: The whole group does NOT need to be there to get tickets. You can send one person to get up to 4 tickets.

If you'll be in the area already, just stop by and see if they have any tickets.

You may arrange special advance reservation tickets through your Member of Congress.

A limited number of tours are available Monday through Friday at the following times (ET): 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m.

Please contact your local United States  Senator  or  Representative  for more information.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

In this section, we cover how to get to the tour entrance point, security and prohibited items, the cool gift shop , and suggest other things to do either before or after your walking tour . 

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tours and Visitor Center’s entrance is located at 14th Street near C Street, SW.

We recommend that you use this Google map link for directions from anywhere in Washington, DC.

The nearest Metro Station is Smithsonian (Blue/Orange/Silver lines).

From the Independence Ave exit, you just need to head straight out of the exit along Independence Ave SW until 14th Street.

Cross the street and turn left. The BEP entrance will be just past the Holocaust Memorial Museum on your right.

All DC hop-on-hop-off bus tours have stops very near the Bureau of Engraving tour entrance .

SECURITY CHECK

Just like most places in DC, you will have to enter through security. Be prepared to arrive 15 minutes prior to your ticketed time. Late arrivals will often not be admitted.

• No weapons or sharp objects.
• Cameras and Electronics are allowed but photography is prohibited inside the building.
• Strollers are allowed into the building but not on the tour.

Want to purchase a (fake) $100,000 bill? Or a bill from the year you were born?

Then you need to visit the gift shop at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is located at the end of the tour! 

You can visit the gift shop without tickets or going on a tour!

The entrance is located at the back of the building on Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th Street NW). You'll see an imposing set of stairs and the entrance between the columns. Simply let the security officer know that you just want to visit the gift shop.  

It is an easy walk from the Smithsonian Metro Station. Exit from the Independence Ave side and walk straight until 15th Street and turn left.

THINGS TO DO NEARBY

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a popular attraction and located is close to the National Mall.

We have a number of suggestions for things to do nearby.

Take a Walking Tour!

Our National Mall and National Mall & Tidal Basin Walking tours start just down the street from where you exit the BEP on 15th Street.

We will often have a tour to coincide with your visit to the Bureau.

If you end up with an afternoon reservation for BEP, note that our National Mall and Tidal Basin tour ends just around the Tidal Basin, about a 10-15 minute walk to get to the entrance!

Visit the US Holocaust Memorial Memorial

It's right next door! Read our post on how to get Tickets to the Holocaust Museum

Grab a Bite to Eat:

There is a cafe outside the USHMM on the 15th Street (Group Entrance) side. This is the same side you exit the BEP from.

You will have to go through security to get into the cafe but you do not need tickets or reservations to the museum to visit the cafe as they are separate buildings.

The cafe has both hot and cold food and is open 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.

A hidden gem when it comes to cafeterias in DC is the Department of Agriculture.

Now, we understand that going to a federal building's office cafeteria might not be high on your list but this one is an exception.

The food is great and not too expensive and you'll see some amazing WWII era art along the way. All you need to enter the building is a photo ID and you'll get a visitor's badge.

Lunch is 11 am - 3 pm and the entrance is on C Street SW about a block from the USHMM.

REVIEWS OF THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING TOUR

• Recommended for families with kids and anyone interested in money
• NOT recommended for those with limited time

Visitors have consistently given BEP tours a good rating.  Many guests say it's an interesting experience but only if you have extra time. It doesn't seem to be at the top of anyone's list.

It is a very popular experience for younger visitors.

Families with kids usually give it 5 out of 5 stars - it's a short tour so good for those with short attention spans and you get to walk through the factory to see the machines making the money which is always a highlight for children.

Most negative experiences stem from people who had to wait a long time for tickets and then didn't think the tour was worth the wait.

A common tip is to walk by the ticket booth if you're in the area and if there are tickets available, go in then rather than planning your trip around the visit.

If you're taking our National Mall and Tidal Basin tour, you have to walk by the ticket booth to get back to the Metro station so you can check in!

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How to Tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, D.C.

quickwhittravel

Updated July 7, 2020.

Who likes money?! Then you need to visit the “money factory” in D.C. It’s the Bureau of Engraving and Printing —not to be confused with the Treasury Department ! It’s a pretty fun tour for both kids and adults, so plan to include a visit to the Bureau on your next trip to Washington, D.C.!

Know Before You Go

• Tickets are required from March-December; no tickets required in January or February!
• The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is closed for two weeks per year from Christmas until the second week of January.
• You will have to go through security, including a metal detector
• The tour lasts about 40 minutes .
• No photos are allowed on the tour ; if you are seen taking photos or if you even have your phone out for any reason, the tour guide will have to call security to search for photos on your phone and/or camera, and you may be escorted out. I know that sounds like overkill, but there you go!

Getting There

Address: 300 14th street, sw washington, d.c. 20228, pro tip: take the metro.

The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Station on the Orange, Blue, and Silver Lines. Take either exit and walk in the direction of 14th Street (the same direction as the Washington Monument). Turn left on 14th Street and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is next to the Holocaust Museum.

Read on: Your Guide to DC’s Metro System

Hours and tour times.

• The BEP is open for tours Monday-Friday from 8:30am-2:00pm (Visitor Center and Gift Shop open until 2:45pm) from January-March and September-December.
• During the spring and summer from the last week of March-August the BEP is open Monday-Friday longer hours from 8:30am-6:00pm!
• The BEP is closed on weekends and federal holidays. Get the full list of those dates on their website: MoneyFactory.com !

Note! This is not the same as the U.S. Treasury Department Tour. Click here to find out how to tour the U.S. Treasury Department!

Getting tickets.

Tickets are always FREE, but there are a few ways to get tickets to this family-friendly tour:

Daily Walk-up Tickets

Timed tickets are distributed each day on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:00am at the ticket booth on 14th Street. If you’re visiting in January or February, you won’t need to worry about getting a ticket—that is the slowest and best time to be taking tours in D.C.! All other times, plan to be at the BEP by 8:00am to make sure you get your tickets.

Advance Congressional Tickets

If you’re visiting in the spring, summer, or the week of Thanksgiving (the three busiest times of year), you may want to consider requesting a tour via your state’s Congresspeople. The tour is the exact same, but you can get tickets in advance this way to avoid standing in line. Click here for information about requesting a tour from your Congresspeople.

Group Tickets

If you’re coming with a large group (from 10 to 110 people), click here for a group tour request form ! Large group tours are offered from 11:00am-12:30pm daily and run every 15 minutes. Group tours may be requested up to 6 months in advance.

Related: D.C. Tours to Request in Advance

Highlights of the tour.

As I mentioned before, this is a fun tour for kids and grown-ups alike! When you get your ticket and go in for your tour, you’ll watch a short introductory video about how they make the money, and then your tour guide will show you the rest. Some of my favorite highlights are:

• Hearing about the security features and the paper it’s made of that no one else can legally possess!
• Watching the machines make the money. You will be taken to a viewing area above the “money factory,” and you’ll be able to see the machines as they work. They’re super fast!
• Hearing about all the details and checkpoints that go into making sure each bill is as close to perfect as possible.
• Learning what happens to the imperfect money–you’ll have to take the tour or visit the gift shop to see!
• Visiting the gift shop and visitor center after the tour. Don’t skip it! You can take photos in the visitor center and gift shop, and there are some very interesting things on display!

Read next: D.C. Tours You Never Knew You Could Take

Need more D.C. highlights, insider tips, and restaurant recommendations? Check out my Washington, D.C. Page !

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4 responses to “how to tour the bureau of engraving and printing, d.c.”.

You can even get money at the souvenir shop! Just go up to the cashier, hand them a $100 bill and ask for change!

That’s true!

[…] and federal holidays. This is a fun store to visit, especially if you’ve already taken the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tour or the Treasury Department […]

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How to Tour the Bureau Of Engraving And Printing in Washington DC

The United States currency is one of the most complicated pieces of paper to print. It has more safeguards in it to prevent counterfeiting than is disclosed to the public.

But did you know you can watch it all being printed on a free tour at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington DC? I’m sharing all the details on their tours and what to expect when you visit.

How to get your tickets

Tickets are free and tours run Monday-Friday 9am-6pm. Tickets for this tour can only be picked up the day of your tour only. Unless you are coming in with a large party, they are on a first come first serve basis.

They open up the ticket booth 8 am and start handing out tickets until they run out. People will start lining up for tickets around 7:30.

When you get up to the booth, you can select what time you want to tickets for and request the number of tickets needed. They have a list of tour times still available on the window. Not every needed to be present at the booth.

Ticket holders can enter the gift shop about 30 minutes prior to the tour time. This allows everyone to get through security. It is similar to the airport with medal detectors, Xrays and works.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing website requires tickets through the summer season. Make sure to confirm on their web page when it’s needed as it changes all the time. Because of the nature of the facility, there is no self-guided tour. They also close on federal holidays.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tour

The tour takes you above the production floor. Everyone is gathered in a long hallway with windows on each side.

Depending on the space and the crowd, you may be two people deep. In most cases, there is action on both sides of the room.

It all depends on how much printing is happening that day. There are three different stops along the way, showing the process from start to finish.

The process all starts with pre-cut sheets of paper. The paper enters the presses and receives layers of different specialty inks imprinted on them. Once the primary printing takes place, the sheets get stacked onto pallets and left to dry in a different room.

After a designated amount of time, they continue on to a second pass the employee’s pickup sheets of currency and rolls, drop and fluff up the sheets to get air in between each sheet.

This way when they go through the presses again, there will not stick and jam the machines. At one point, a printer was holding up over $200,000 in $5 bills and then used the top sheet to wipe the sweat from her brow.

After the last layer is put down, all of the money is cut into its standard size and warped up into bricks, each containing 4 sleeves of 1000 bills. When they are printing $20, that’s $80,000 in bricks.

What is most surprising is that it only takes a handful of bureau employees on the printing room floor to create millions of dollars.

How United States Currency Is Printed?

In the Washington DC location, they print $1’s, $2’s, $5’s, $10’s, and $20’s. All the bills created are replacing old currency that’s moved out of circulation.

Things like $2 bills are only made every few years because they don’t get circulated as much. But the rumor is, if you buy something at the food stand near the Jefferson Memorial , you’ll get change back in $2’s.

The Tour Restrictions

The printing of United States paper currency is one of the most guarded secrets and for good reason. You are walking into one of the most secure buildings that and hold up to 600 million dollars at any one time. Their security is no laughing matter.

There is no photography on the tour. Thankfully they let guest bring their cameras and phones with them. Otherwise, you’d have to find someplace in DC to ditch them.

If you are spotted taking any pictures or touching your phone, you will be escorted off the property immediately. You may lose your camera or face further consequences. It’s for that reason, I’m not showing any pictures of the process.

The Visitor Center and Gift Shop

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s gift shops give you the chance to buy some limited quantity bills, like $1 bills with the serial code starting with 777.

They have other specialty bills too that are considered lucky. They also have novelties like bags of shredded bills. You can also take home uncut currency sheets.

The tour meets and ends in the gift shop, so don’t feel like you have to buy something right away.

Tips for your visit to the Bureau of Engraving And Printing

Get your ticket for early in the day if possible. As far as the Mall goes, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a couple of blocks away.

The only thing nearby was the Holocaust Museum and the paddle boats on the Tidal Basin. Trying to get a snack nearby was a 30-minute walk to get there and back. It was the only downside to getting the first tour of the day.

Since you can’t take pictures, just have fun with it. Instead of focusing on capturing the moment, just enjoy watching more money than you’ve ever seen fly by your face.

I don’t care how much money you have in the bank; this will probably be the only time you’ll get to see that much money in one place.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. This is something I have learned now that I’m no longer in my 20’s . The tour guides know so much about the process.

If you are looking for a fun read about the lengths people have gone to counterfeit our currency, The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter by Jason Kersten is a great read. It’s a true story about a counterfeiter that never felt like he had enough.

Would I do it again?

Going to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is one of those things that everyone should experience once in their life if nothing more to say you’ve seen millions of dollars.

But on my visit, I learned something kind of interesting; printing money is not much different than printing the mail. If you loved watching Mr. Rogers how it’s made clips, you’ll have a blast on this tour! I did.

Also check out some of the other free tours in Washington DC, like Tips for Visiting the Library of Congress in Washington DC or An Unforgettable Self Guided Bike Tour Of DC Monuments at Night .

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Minnesota native and Midwest travel expert Jennifer provides insider tips and budget-friendly trip ideas for families looking to explore the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Through her travel blog DayTripper28, she draws on first-hand experience to recommend the best hidden gems, outdoor adventures, road trips, and weekend getaways around Minnesota and the Midwest. With her passion for uncovering local flavors and culture along the backroads, Jennifer shares affordable itineraries for creating memorable experiences across the region.

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A Guide to Visiting the Bureau of Engraving & Printing in D.C.

by Holly Scudero

October 31, 2018

Bureau of Engraving and Printing 14th Street Southwest Washington, DC It’s hard to miss the Bureau of Engraving & Printing , boldly labeled on 14th Street SW in Washington, D.C. But what you might not know is that there's a visitor center inside, where the public can take free tours and learn (and see!) how our paper currency is designed and printed. Sound cool? It is. Read on for what your family can expect during their 40-minute tour. Hint: It involves millions of dollars.

View one million dollars

Pre-tour, you'll have time to look around the large entry hall. Don't miss the impressive stack of ten-dollar notes worth one million dollars. You can also get an up-close look at how engraved printing plates actually print money, while colorful displays along the walls detail the history of printed money, both in the United States and around the world.

Learn about the history of money

First up on your tour: A short video that outlines how paper money is designed and printed. Next, friendly guides will lead groups through walkways where you can see various steps of the process from above. You’ll learn about the paper--not actually paper at all, but a blend of linen and cotton--the colors, the security features, and how money gets that printed money feel. This facility prints bills in denominations of $1, $5, and $20, 24 hours a day, five days a week (a separate facility in Texas prints other denominations). Millions of dollars are printed here every day! The entire tour takes 45 minutes to one hour.

Various displays in the building explain even more about paper currency in the United States, with plenty of examples. The tall glass cases allow families to get an up-close view of money! Little ones will be wowed by an antique “Spider” printing press.

See how tall you are in $100 bills

Most of the BEP consists of signs, pictures and exhibits to look at, but not touch. There is, though, one interactive area in the gift shop area. Here, your entire family can see how their height matches up against proverbial stacks of $100 notes, and determine exactly how much money their height might be worth. For the record, my six-year-old’s height is worth a little under $1.1 million.

Visit the gift shop

Now that you’ve learned about how money is printed, you are invited to spend some! The gift shop is full of fun trinkets, toys, and souvenirs to take home. Hats, shirts, toy balls, magnets, keychains, lapel pins, postcards and more can be found here, each with the BEP’s logo or pictures of various denominations of paper currency. Keep your eyes open for small souvenirs that contain finely shredded paper money--these bills either did not pass the quality control process, or they’re old, worn bills that have been removed from circulation.

Tips for your visit

• Metered street parking can be found along Independence Avenue and on some nearby side streets. The closest parking lot is at the southeast corner of 14th & D Streets.

• By Metro, take the Blue or Orange Line to Smithsonian Station. Exit on Independence Avenue and go west (straight ahead) before turning left on 14th Street SW.

• The area is also accessible by Metrobus, Tourmobile’s Old Town Trolley “Orange Loop" and DC Circulator buses.

• The BEP is a secured building; all visitors will go through a security screening upon entering. Please note that while cameras and phones can be brought inside the building, taking pictures during the tour itself is prohibited by federal law.

• The building is stroller-friendly, but they cannot be brought on the tour. Be sure to bring a baby or toddler carrier!

• Bathrooms on the main floor, next to the video-viewing area, are spacious and have a changing table.

• The Ross Administrative Center for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, located next door to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, has a cafe featuring a variety of family-friendly meal and snack options.

Hours & Admission

Location: Bureau of Engraving and Printing, 14th Street SW (near C Street), Washington, D.C.

Hours: Monday-Friday (public tours 9am-2pm;  group tours  11am-12:30pm; gift shop 8:30am-2:45pm); closed weekends and federal holidays

Admission: Free, but tickets are required through November 2018 and beginning again in March 2019. The ticket booth is located at Raoul Wallenburg Place SW (formerly 15th Street); it opens at 8am and closes when all tickets for the day have been distributed. Visitors must line up at the tour and visitor entrance (near the ticket booth) before their ticket time. 

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Visiting the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing in Washington, DC

Check out where U.S. currency is made and take a tour with this unique free experience.

What and where is the U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing?

The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing , founded in 1862, produces Federal Reserve Notes (also known as paper money, or U.S. dollars) for the Federal Reserve, our country’s central bank (note that coins are made by the United States Mint). The Bureau also produces Treasury securities, military commissions and award certificates, ID cards, invitations and an additional range of security documents for government agencies, making it the largest producer of government security documents in the U.S.

The Bureau has two locations: one in Forth Worth, Tx. and the other in, you guessed it, Washington, DC. The official address is 301 14th Street SW, Washington, DC 20228. The facility features two adjacent buildings, with the facade of the main building facing Raoul Wallenburg Place SW, the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial.

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Take a tour of the "money factory"

Tickets, which are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, are required for the tour from March through November. The ticket booth is located at Raoul Wallenburg Place SW (formerly known as 15th Street) and opens at 8 a.m., Monday through Friday. The booth closes when all tickets have been distributed for the day.

Group tours for groups of 10 up to 30 people run every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. – noon. Limited reserved tour times are offered. To reserve a group tour, fill out the Group Reservation Request Form and e-mail it to [email protected] . You can learn more about group tours by calling 202-874-2330 or 1-866-874-2330.

Call 202-874-2330 for more information about the accessible entrance.

All visitors must pass through a security screening before entering the Bureau. Tour guides will direct visitors to enter the building when appropriate.

What will I see on the tour?

The 40-minute experience will enlighten you on all things related to U.S. currency. The tour begins with an introductory film that details the function of the Bureau and its importance. Along the way, you’ll witness millions of dollars being printed as you stroll through the gallery that overlooks the production floor.

The tour also includes exhibits that dive further into the production of our national currency. There’s also a gift shop, open from 8:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., that features currency products for sale.

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Bureau Of Engraving And Printing

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• Smithsonian • 5 min walk

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Bureau Of Engraving And Printing, Washington DC

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Call Toll-Free : 888.796.8763

Call Toll-Free 888.796.8763

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Bureau of Engraving & Printing

Bureau of Engraving and Printing

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing located in Washington DC offers a fascinating look into the world of money. On a tour  you will not only learn more about our currency, you can watch it being printed right before you eyes!

Located next to the Holocaust Museum, it is convenient to visit the museum. Tours are most common during the morning and early afternoon throughout most of the year. However, during the early spring and summer months tours are available until 6 pm. The Visitor’s Center is open until 7:00 pm except during weekends and Federal Holidays.

At the Visitor’s Center you will find several exhibits and you can even purchase currency products!

Link: www.moneyfactory.gov/washingtondctours.html

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Bureau of Engraving and Printing

You don’t have to be a student of Karl Marx to be fascinated with the mystery of money, that abstract representation of human activity you can carry in your pocket. And it seems all the more mystical after a visit to one of the few places in the world where you can see money being made in the literal sense — the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

During the Bureau’s 45-minute tour, you’ll see millions of dollars’ worth of ones, fives, tens, twenties, fifties, and hundreds rolling off the presses.  (The Bureau prints about $700 million in notes every day.)  You’ll learn about all the security features designed to foil counterfeiters—the cotton/linen paper, the special inks, the watermarks, the embedded metallic security thread—and you can measure yourself against a ruler that tells you how many $100 bills it would take to match your height.  Five feet ten inches is worth about $1.6 million.

Finally, on the way out you can have your mind blown again by paying $33 for a sheet of 16 uncut $1 notes, among many other items for sale. For more, visit  www.moneyfactory.gov .

Travel Tips

During peak season, from March through August, the Bureau requires a free ticket to take its tours.  The ticket booth opens at 8 a.m. and most days all of the tickets are gone by 8:30 a.m.. So get there early. In really busy times, like the first two weeks of April, the line forms as early as 5:30 a.m. The US Bureau of Engraving and Printing is served by Metrorail, Metrobus, the DC Circulator, and the Old Town Trolley.

Nearby Attractions Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington Monument Jefferson Memorial

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Bureau of Engraving and Printing Tour

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing Factory in Downtown DC is one tour you will really wish gave away free samples at the end! Watching how our US currency is created is an educational experience for both parents and kids alike.

Tours of the “money factory” begin in the Visitor’s Center with a short film about the process of making US money and how that has changed over time. There are displays on the walls of this area with information about all of the protections built in to our current dollars to avoid counterfeiting. The most popular display in the lobby here is the glass case containing one million dollars in ten dollar notes! Once the film is over and you begin to tour the actual money printing areas you must park any strollers that you have brought along. The corridors are tight and there are several staircases to maneuver along the way.

The guided tour takes you through the process of making money step by step. On the day of our visit they were printing $100 bills. We saw the paper come out of the printer with the background colors, the front and back printing process, the cutting of the printed bills and the sorting and packaging into bundles. Along the way we were able to see how many times the currency is checked for defects or misprints. Seeing that many $100 bills in one place was amazing!

Taking a page straight from Disney, the half hour tour ends in the gift shop. There are many money themed items are for sale including wallets, balls, pencils, and toys. Stickers of the $100 bill are available for 25 cents and erasers with the same image are $1.00. You can also view uncut sheets of bills for sale here and measure yourself along the wall to see how tall you are in 100 dollar bills.

To fully enjoy the experience of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing kids should be old enough to understand a bit about the value of a dollar and why seeing so many in one place is unique. To get the most out of your tour I would recommend introducing the word “currency” to your children before you go as they used it more often than the word money in both the tour and the film. Overall a visit here is best suited for kids in elementary school and up.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is closed on weekends, Federal Holidays and the week between Christmas and New Years Day. Scour your school calendar for a mid week teacher prep day for the perfect time for a visit! Tours are most popular during Spring Break/Cherry Blossom time of year and tickets during these weeks often run out by 8:30am. Tickets in summer also go fast but often are still available until 10 or 11am.

To get there by metro, exit at the Smithsonian station on the blue and orange line and follow signs to Independence Ave/Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The closest free parking is along the Independence Avenue side of the Mall. Restrooms and baby changing stations are available in the Visitor’s Center.

Find a day off and head over with your kids for this educational tour in Downtown DC.

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How to make the most of Passport DC’s free embassy tours

Over the next two weekends, dozens of embassies will open their doors to the public for free. Here’s how to travel the world without leaving D.C.

Dozens of countries from Armenia to Zambia are hosting open houses Saturday during the annual Around the World Embassy Tour , one of those “only in Washington” events you’ll tell friends and relatives about. How often do you get invited into an embassy to explore its art collection, sample traditional cuisine, and watch free music and dance performances, let alone play cornhole in the Norwegian Embassy’s garden? Here’s a guide to planning for a successful day of globe-trotting without leaving D.C. Also, many of these tips are just as helpful on May 11, when the European Union hosts its annual E.U. Open House embassy tours.

• Because the event is popular, lines are common, and they get longer at some of the better-known locations, such as the Korean Cultural Center at the South Korean Embassy, or the embassies of the United Kingdom, Jamaica and Thailand. If there’s a particular embassy you must visit, get there before doors open at 10 a.m. to improve your chances of getting in.
• If you’re trying to visit a variety of embassies, pick a particular neighborhood to explore — maybe Massachusetts Avenue near Scott Circle, the string of embassies on Massachusetts northwest of Sheridan Circle, or the embassies dotted among the streets of Kalorama — and research the participants within a few blocks. That way, if you get tired of waiting outside one embassy, you can head to another, preferably smaller, destination nearby. Also, as veteran Around the World-ers will tell you, the embassies clustered around International Drive and International Court in Van Ness — China, Bangladesh, Egypt, etc. — are closer together and can be easier to get into than the ones on Embassy Row.
• You don’t even have to go indoors to get a taste of a country: Some embassies offer outdoor live music, dance performances or, in the case of China, lion dances to entertain the crowds waiting to enter their buildings.
• If you go to a busy neighborhood, try starting at the embassies that are farthest from the Metro station — people have a tendency to stop and get in line at the first embassy they pass. Walk past them, then work your way back.
• For serious explorers, this is a good weekend to skip brunch. Participating embassies and cultural centers are open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and lines get longer as the day goes on. An early start will help you make it to the most locations — getting to five or six is a solid day of sightseeing.
• Even if you plan well, you might be able to avoid lines at only a handful of embassies. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a phone charger and a book, just in case.
• Carry cash or a credit card. While many embassies offer free samples of food or drinks, some also charge. Last year, the Embassy of Barbados handed out free sweets and had a chef preparing traditional Barbadian dishes as a teaser for the upcoming Barbados Food and Rum Festival. Everyone sitting on a chair in the embassy’s front garden watching the cooking demo got a two-bite hors d’oeuvre. But in the parking lot behind the embassy, there was a party raging: The ambassador was hanging out next to a DJ spinning upbeat carnival songs; a bar served potent rum punches ($6 each) and beer ($4); and a team of cooks was dishing up flying fish with rice and beans, oxtail platters, barbecued pig tails, and macaroni pie (main dishes $15-$35 with sides, smaller plates $1-$10). While the Barbados Association of Washington did have a credit card reader, that’s not true of every embassy we’ve been to.
• Some embassies have marketplaces with art or textiles from native artisans. The Embassy of Kenya transformed the forecourt of its building into a showcase of baskets, clothing and jewelry; Ukraine House, the Ukrainian cultural center, had traditional Ukrainian fashions, nesting dolls and accessories for sale on tables in its garden.
• Related: Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, grab the first free tote bag you see, because you’ll pick up plenty of tchotchkes, pamphlets and other gifts throughout the day.
• Don’t be shy about asking what you’re in line for. The Dominican Republic hosted a veritable street party last year, with a DJ on its front porch and people dancing in the road. Depending on which way you approached the building, though, there were two very different lines: One was to access the indoor embassy tour, and the other was to purchase food and a rum tasting. You don’t want to get to the front of the line to find out you’ve spent 20 minutes waiting for the wrong thing.
• Bigger isn’t always better. Some of the more popular embassies can be so crowded that you don’t really feel like you’re learning anything about the country. At an off-the-beaten-path embassy, such as the Embassy of Gabon, you have a better chance of getting face time with a staffer who can talk about the cultural uses of elaborate masks on display, or explain how national parks cover more than 10 percent of the country. (That’s about three times the percentage in the United States.)

The Around the World Embassy Tour is part of the month-long Passport DC program, and souvenir passports are available from booths near the Dupont Circle and Van Ness Metro stations; at the Mexican Cultural Institute ; and at the International City Food Festival , held at the Square food hall. Visitors can collect stamps while visiting embassies and cultural centers, though there’s no reward for filling the book.

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Peter Oosterhuis, Ryder Cup stalwart and CBS announcer, dies at 75

The Associated Press

May 2, 2024, 3:58 PM

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Peter Oosterhuis, a two-time winner of the European Tour money title who later brought his distinguished British voice to CBS golf telecasts as an analyst, died Thursday. He was 75.

The PGA Tour announced his death without listing a cause, though Oosterhuis had retired from broadcasting in 2014 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Oosterhuis won seven times on the European Tour, twice at the French Open, and his lone PGA Tour victory was the Canadian Open in 1981 when he beat Jack Nicklaus, Andy North and Bruce Lietzke by one shot.

Often overlooked was his stellar play in the Ryder Cup. Oosterhuis played on six consecutive teams and compiled 14-11-3 record, remarkable considering this was the 1970s during an era of U.S. dominance. Oosterhuis played on six losing teams and still had a winning record.

He went 6-2-1 in singles, twice beating Arnold Palmer and once Johnny Miller.

Oosterhuis twice won the Order of Merit when the European Tour was formed in 1972. He was twice a runner-up in the British Open, and he had the 54-hole lead in the 1973 Masters until closing with a 74 to tie for third behind Tommy Aaron.

That inspired him to spend more time on the PGA Tour — rare in those days for European players to play primarily in America — and his best year was in 1981 when he finished 28th on the money list with $115,862.

The Englishman worked for Sky Sports, and then worked for Golf Channel covering the European tour before spending 15 years with CBS.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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March 25, 2024 U.S. Treasury Department Announces Appointment of Patty Collins as Director of t... Read more about U.S. Treasury Department Announces Appointment of Patty Collins as Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

October 2, 2023 The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) resumes the Public Sales Program, Oct... Read more about The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) resumes the Public Sales Program, October 1, 2023.

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