Clocktower & Museum at the Old Post Office

The Old Post Office Clock Tower stands 270 feet (82 meters) tall and houses an observation deck on the 12th floor, offering views of the Capitol, White House, Washington Monument, and Lincoln Memorial across the cityscape below.

Completed in 1899 from a design by architect Willoughby J. Edbrooke, the building served as the headquarters for the U.S. Postal Department until 1914 and later hosted various federal offices before undergoing restoration in 1983.

The tower contains 10 change ringing bells cast at London's Whitechapel Foundry and gifted by Britain in 1976, which are rung by volunteers during holidays and special ceremonies throughout the year.

The National Park Service operates the tower with free admission daily from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and visitors access the observation deck via two elevators after passing through security checks at the entrance.

The building once housed the Dead Letters Museum, displaying undeliverable mail items including strands of President Garfield's assassin's hair and Benjamin Franklin's account books from the postal service era.

Location: Washington

Address: 1100 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 09:00-16:30

Website: https://nps.gov/nama/planyourvisit/opot.htm

GPS coordinates: 38.89370,-77.02778

Latest update: December 1, 2025 13:22