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- Security
We encourage visitors to arrive at least ½ hour early to go through security to arrive at their destination on time.
All visitors must enter through the NIH Gateway Center. You will be asked to submit to a vehicle or personal inspection. Visitors over 15 years of age must provide a form of government-issued ID such as a driver's license or passport. Visitors under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Please be aware: Federal law prohibits the following items on Federal property: firearms, explosives, archery equipment, dangerous weapons, knives with blades over 2 ½ inches, alcoholic beverages and open containers of alcohol.
Visitors will be required to show one (1) form of identification (a government-issued photo ID—driver's license, passport, green card, etc.) and to state the purpose of their visit.
- Vehicles
For visitors arriving in vehicles, on motorcycles or bicycles, the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Station (Building 66A), provides multiple inspection lanes and allows visitors to go through inspection and get a visitor badge in one centralized, efficient process. Vehicles enter the Gateway Center complex through a new roadway, "NIH Gateway Drive," just south of the intersection of the previous visitor entrance at South Drive and Rockville Pike. Vehicles that choose to bypass parking in MLP-11 will go through inspection and enter campus at Center Drive near the National Library of Medicine. (See Gateway Map: http://www.ors.od.nih.gov/maps/Pages/Gateway-Center-Map.aspx)
- Parking and Visitor Badge
Please note: visitor parking is limited at NIH. Visitors are encouraged to use public transportation such as the Metrorail subway system which has a convenient stop (Medical Center) on the NIH campus. Visit the "Metro" site for information on fares and schedules http://www.wmata.com/.
The Gateway complex also includes MLP-11, a 342-space, multi-level underground parking garage. This 'visitor-only' lot will be the primary visitor parking for the NIH main campus. We strongly encourage all visitors to park in this garage as there will be limited visitor parking on campus, other than for patients and visitors to the Clinical Center. Vehicles parking in MLP-11 are outside of the perimeter security and will not go through vehicle inspection, reducing the amount of time it takes to get on campus.
Visitors parking in MLP-11 should proceed to the Gateway Center to get a visitor badge and either walk or take a shuttle bus to their destination.