Events

Please Note

The cemetery is closed to dogs every Saturday from
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

The cemetery is closed to dogs every Saturday from
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Death Doula Days

Historic Congressional Cemetery 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, DC, United States

Our special drop in guest will be Leigh Pickering, who is responsible for the living parts of our favorite cemetery grounds: the gardens, the grass, the trees, and of course the bugs and bioorganisms that populate and pollinate the grounds and beyond. As always when we have a special guest for Q&A this is from 10:30am to 11:30am. You are welcome, of course, to arrive or leave any time during Death Doula Day office hours 10am until noon.

American Military History: Guided Docent Tour

Prior to the creation of Arlington National Cemetery, Congressional Cemetery was the preeminent national cemetery. And many veterans of America's earliest wars chose Congressional Cemetery as their final resting place. [...]

$5

Sunday Stroll Guided Tour

Join us for a guided tour of Congressional Cemetery! Over 65,000 people are interred at Congressional Cemetery, ranging from 1807 all the way until the present day. Their story is [...]

$5

Tombs & Tomes Book Club November (In Person)

Historic Congressional Cemetery 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, DC, United States

Tombs and Tomes is Congressional Cemetery's book club. We meet every other month in our historic Chapel (unless otherwise noted), and we discuss primarily non-fiction books. Our book selections have no rhyme and reason; however, our choices tend to stray towards the macabre, as is natural for a cemetery book club. Our very first meeting was in September 2013 and we chose to read Stiff, by Mary Roach (pictured here with Doug Graves, Congressional Cemetery's mascot and NOT a real skeleton!).

Tombs & Tomes Book Club November (Virtual)

Historic Congressional Cemetery 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, DC, United States

Tombs and Tomes is Congressional Cemetery's book club. We meet every other month in our historic Chapel (unless otherwise noted), and we discuss primarily non-fiction books. Our book selections have no rhyme and reason; however, our choices tend to stray towards the macabre, as is natural for a cemetery book club. Our very first meeting was in September 2013 and we chose to read Stiff, by Mary Roach (pictured here with Doug Graves, Congressional Cemetery's mascot and NOT a real skeleton!).

Death Doula Days

Historic Congressional Cemetery 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, DC, United States

No one likes to talk about dying, right? We do! Bring your curiosity, your courage, and a sense of humor as we sit around the table at the gatehouse (almost) every Saturday in 2023 to explore our worries and wonderment about mortality. Join our new death doula in residence for a weekly series of conversations and workshops about the end of life. Guests will include those who sit with the dying, care for our bodies, and help those we will leave behind. We will work on projects like organizing our digital lives, documenting our wishes, and telling our life stories. We will play games, do projects, hear musicians, meet artists, and hear from scholars who explore the end of life in their work. Our goal is to explore a 'death positive' way to think about our mortality. You never know who you’ll meet around the table, but each person who enters the room is a gift to the event. Cake and tea provided. Donations to our host, Historic Congressional Cemetery, are warmly encouraged. By facing our fear of death we aim to best enjoy every breath.

Death Doula Days

Historic Congressional Cemetery 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, DC, United States

Our special drop in guest will be A.J. Orlikoff, Congressional Cemetery’s own Director of Public Engagement, for a Q&A on military death. As always when we have a special guest for Q&A this is from 10:30am to 11:30am. You are welcome, of course, to arrive or leave any time during Death Doula Day office hours 10am until noon.

American Indian History Guided Tour

Since 1807, the various burials, internments, inurnments, and memorials at Congressional Cemetery have reflected the history of Washington DC and the United States. They provide a unique window into American [...]

$5

Sunday Stroll Guided Tour

Join us for a guided tour of Congressional Cemetery! Over 65,000 people are interred at Congressional Cemetery, ranging from 1807 all the way until the present day. Their story is [...]

$5
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