What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 8am - 6am Sunday 8am - 6am

Congressional Cemetery

Home
United States
Washington D.C., DC
Congressional Cemetery

Grounds open dawn to dusk everyday, dog walking by members. Founded in 1807, the cemetery is the final resting place of such notables as John Philip Sousa, J.
(353)

Still an active cemetery with plots available, Congressional Cemetery has been owned by Christ Church since 1807 and has been operated by the nonprofit Historic Congressional Cemetery since 1976. Edgar Hoover, Vice President Elbridge Gerry, William Wirt, General Macomb and Push-ma-ta-ta. But as we say, you don't have to be rich and famous to be buried here, you just have to be dead. Located on Capitol Hill among 35 bucolic acres fronting the Anacostia River.

06/07/2026

Check out these upcoming events! These events are just a few of the ways to experience history, art, and community at the Cemetery this summer. Ranging from tours, to G**s & Graves, to our new community creativity workshop called Creative Crypt, there's something for everyone. Be sure to RSVP or purchase tickets where required and check our the link below for the full calendar.

https://congressionalcemetery.org/events/month/

06/06/2026

Many of our interred residents had a deep passion for creativity, which is evident on their memorials. You're invited to join this creative community and pursue your own projects at the Creative Crypt. The Creative Crypt is an extension of the writing group, Mausoleums and Manuscripts. It’s a two-hour work time for creative projects like writing, visual arts, fiber arts and more. Meet other creative people and make progress on your projects in the inspiring environment of HCC. It’s completely free join!

Creative Crypt will have two categories: silent workshops and chatty workshops.

Silent workshops are a quiet workspace with very limited talking. This time encourages you to get into a workflow in an environment with other creatives. Headphones are allowed.

Chatty workshops are just that – a time to chat and work. This is perfect for getting to know other creatives and getting feedback and advice on your work. These will workshop types will alternate, so check out the dates below. Come to either one or both workshops and bring those project to life in a creative community among Congressional Cemetery’s Crypts!

Visit the link below to learn more: https://congressionalcemetery.org/event/creative-crypt/2026-07-18/

06/05/2026

Celebrate Pride with Us at G**s & Graves: A Big Gay Festival!

📅 Sunday, June 14 | 11:00 AM–4:00 PM
📍 Historic Congressional Cemetery

G**s & Graves returns to Historic Congressional Cemetery for a Pride celebration rooted in history, remembrance, and community. Check out the graphic for the full event schedule.

As a National Historic Landmark and the final resting place of numerous LGBTQ+ activists and pioneers, Congressional Cemetery offers a uniquely meaningful setting to reflect on the struggles and achievements that have shaped LGBTQ+ life in Washington and across the nation. Today, it remains an active civic space where people gather to learn, connect, and celebrate.

Throughout the day, visitors can explore an outdoor market featuring LGBTQ+ and allied artists, makers, and small businesses, along with special programming focused on LGBTQ+ history and lived experiences. This year's festival includes a commemorative wreath-laying with activist Randy Wicker at the grave of Leonard Matlovich and the unveiling of new interpretive signage for the Cemetery's LGBTQ+ section.

Whether you're here to shop, learn, celebrate, or reflect, G**s & Graves is an event you won't want to miss.

Dogs allowed on leash!

Miriam Julianna
Randy Wicker
Rainbow history project
Charlemagne Chateau
Lillie Jay Harris
Diane D'Costa
DC Office of LGBTQ Affairs

06/04/2026

Congressional Cemetery is hosting the Summerween Comedy Show by the Just Kidding Comedy Collective! Halloween is coming early, and we invite guests to experience an evening of humor in a unique setting that only HCC can offer.

But don’t just take our word for it – here’s what the Just Kidding Comedy Collective has to say:

It’s hot ghoul summer! Do the fright thing and get into the Summerween spirit with a killer lineup of local comedians in the (air-conditioned!) Congressional Cemetery Chapel. Wear your spookiest summer style and come early to grab some boo(!)ze and explore the grounds – we’re dying to see you there.

– Headliner Griefcat () with Violet Gray (), Kade Wonders (.wonders), Jelani Wills (), Maddie Pickens (), and host Dana Fleitman ()!

Doors and bar open one hour before the start time. Come early and walk the cemetery with a self-guided tour, then grab a drink and an ice cream treat (no tricks, we promise!) The show run is about 90 minutes.

Check out the link below for more information, comedian bios, and tickets!
https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/congressionalcemetery/summerween-comedy-show #/

06/03/2026

“I wanted to thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I’d never had known I had a right to be me.” Leslie Feinberg

We are pleased to share the latest artwork on our Big Chair. "Roots" by DC-based artist C.S. Corbin (they/them). Corbin (picture 2) takes inspiration from transactivist and Marxist Leslie Feinberg to create a wildly colorful garden where native plants flourish among a gathering of chosen family. In this garden, "the right to be" echoes through the figures Corbin identifies as connected through “a beautiful, unspoken ancestral bond.” As the artist describes, community connectedness forms an expansive symbiotic root system of people growing and lifting each other up.

A special thank you to for designing and painting this incredible work. You can see it now at the cemetery and be sure to spend time with it during G**s & Graves: A Big Gay Festival happening on Sunday, June 14th.

06/02/2026

🌈 It's Pride Month, and there are many ways to show your pride at Congressional Cemetery!

* Get your photograph with our Big Chair, which is sporting a brand new Pride-inspired design by artist

* Attend our Speaker Series with Eric Marcus of the on Thursday, June 4th at 5:30 pm (remaining tickets are *very* limited. Link in our bio's Linktree).

* Race in the 5k Pride Run on Saturday, June 6th. The race starts at 9 am at the cemetery's Gay Corner. Registration ends Friday, June 5th at 11:59 pm.

* Learn from an expert about the cemetery's LGBTQ+ history on a docent-guided tour on Sunday, June 7th at 1 pm. (tickets on our website).

* Explore the grounds self-guided by our LGBTQ+ Community Walking Tour brochure.

* Attend the 2nd annual G**s & Graves: A Big Gay Festival on Sunday, June 14th from 11 am to 4 pm. Visitors can explore an outdoor market featuring LGBTQ+ and allied artists, makers, and small businesses, as well as programming in the historic chapel and the grounds focused on LGBTQ+ history and lived experience. This year’s festival will include a special commemorative wreath-laying with activist Randy Wicker at the grave of Leonard Matlovich, alongside the unveiling of new interpretive signage for the cemetery’s Gay Corner.

🌈

06/01/2026

Join Us for G**s & Graves: A Big Gay Festival — Celebrate Pride Where LGBTQ+ History Lives!

Sunday, June 14th at Historic Congressional Cemetery 11-4.

This June, step into Pride like never before, at the intersection of celebration, history, and community. G**s & Graves: A Big Gay Festival will bring color, creativity, and connection to one of DC’s most iconic resting places.

What to Expect:
A Vibrant LGBTQIA+ Maker Market featuring artists, makers, and small businesses offering handmade goods, art, tasty treats, and more.
Live Programming in Our Historic Chapel.
Pride History & Reflection: Learn about the lives and legacies of LGBTQ+ pioneers buried here at Gay Corner and explore how our stories continue to shape the future.

Whether you're coming to shop, listen, create, or reflect, this is a one-of-a-kind Pride experience you won’t want to miss. Everyone is welcome. Bring your friends, your family, and yes—your dogs (on leash, of course!)

05/30/2026

Earlier this week HCC staff photographed some lovely Black Hollyhocks. Planted by an Adopt-a-Plot volunteer, these flowers beckon the onlooker to pause a admire! Next time you visit, be sure to take time and enjoy the beautiful adopt-a-plot gardens.

05/29/2026

Tickets for Cinematery: National Treasure are on sale! 🔍

Are you ready for adventure at Congressional Cemetery? While we may not have any hidden masonic treasure in the cemetery (or so you think), we hope you'll still join us for a Cinematery screening of National Treasure, happening Friday, July 17th! Bring your family, friends, and partners in crime for this history filled adventure!

Be sure to look out for Cinematery: Jurassic Park, happening September 11th. Tickets are on sale. 🦕

Find tickets for National Treasure: https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/congressionalcemetery/cinematery-national-treasure

Find tickets for Jurassic Park: https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/congressionalcemetery/cinematery-jurassic-park

05/27/2026

Last week, the Congressional Cemetery Docent Corps visited a hidden gem in downtown DC, the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum. Site manager Madeleine Thompson led an inspiring and insightful tour of the building on 7th Street NW where Barton and others worked to identify 22,000 men who were missing at the close of the Civil War. Thank you to the Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office staff for welcoming our docents and sharing this important history.

Address

1801 E Street SE
Washington D.C., DC
20003

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	8am - 6am
Sunday	8am - 6am

Telephone

+12025430539

Website

https://www.congressionalcemetery.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Congressional Cemetery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.