Closed to Dogs
2026-06-20 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-06-27 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-04 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-11 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-18 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-25 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-08-01 11:00 - 15:00, 2026-08-08 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) and 16 more dates | Historic Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, DC, 20003, United States
Congressional Cemetery is closed to all dogs each Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for family grave site visits as well as during:
Funerals | Private & community events | Federal holidays

Introductory Tour
2026-06-27 11:00 - 12:30
Purchase Tickets Here!
Join us for a guided introductory tour of Congressional Cemetery! Over 67,000 people are interred at Congressional Cemetery, ranging from 1807 all the way until the present day. Their stories are American history in microcosm, all in 35 acres of the nation’s capital. Come and experience their extraordinary lives in a one of kind portal into the past. On this tour of approximately 90 minutes, one of our trained docents who will share the stories of some of Congressional’s interred residents while walking the beautiful and scenic cemetery grounds.

Tickets are only $5 and all proceeds go to benefitting our non-profit mission of historical preservation and education. This is a non-refundable donation.

Please come prepared with comfortable and weather-appropriate clothing and shoes, as the tours often stray from the main paths. Tours are rain or shine. Visitors may meet docents at the front gate of the cemetery located at the corner of E St. and Potomac Ave.

The cemetery is closed to dogs on Saturdays from 11am – 3pm.
Purchase Tickets Here!

Death Cafe at Congressional Cemetery
2026-07-09 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-08-06 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-09-03 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-10-01 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-11-05 18:00 - 19:30
We welcome you to join us at one of our monthly Death Cafes at Historic Congressional Cemetery.
As an active burial ground, Historic Congressional Cemetery is well acquainted with death, but just what is a Death Cafe?
Death Cafe is a global movement to encourage discussion about the often-taboo subject of death. These are intimate informal gatherings where we discuss death while eating cake and drinking tea to remind us of comfort and sweetness even in difficult times. There is no agenda other than providing a space for an open-ended conversation.
Please join us to explore these topics in the spirit of curiosity and wonder. These gatherings are not meant to offer or replace grief counseling. In the interest of privacy and being present, we ask that these conversations remain in the room and there be no recording, note-taking, or personal details shared afterward.
Follow this link for more about Death Cafe history and concept.
Our Death Doula in Residence, Laura Lyster-Mensh, facilitates our death cafes and represents the cemetery for these evenings with a range of guest co-facilitators from the community.
Congressional Cemetery offers these unique conversations free of charge, and offers tea and sweets in the tradition of death cafes around the world. We do ask that you consider bringing a food or beverage item to share, or a suggested $5 donation, to help cover event costs.
Due to space limitations and to allow us to offer an intimate conversation, please reserve a chair in advance for the dates you will be joining us. We release reservations three months before the scheduled date. To be on the waitlist for any unavailable dates, use the form on this page or contact Laura by email.
Questions? Email Laura at deathdoula@congressionalcemetery.org
Interested? RSVP to reserve your seat HERE!
