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Visiting NEH

NEH Headquarters
NEH's offices are in the Old Post Office Building, which is located at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Tips for travel to NEH

METRO NEH is conveniently located near stops for all five Metro lines: Federal Triangle on the Blue and Orange lines, which is closest to the Old Post Office; Metro Center on the Red line; and Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter on the Green and Yellow lines. A map of the Metro system is available here. The Old Post Office is on the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue, between 11th and 12th Streets. Walking directions from each of the Metro stops:

  • Federal Triangle: Cross 12th Street to get to the Old Post Office;
  • Metro Center: Walk south three blocks (from any of the G Street exits) or two blocks (from the F Street exit) to Pennsylvania Avenue; and
  • Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter: Walk four blocks west from 7th Street to 11th Street, and cross to the south side of Pennsylvania Avenue.

AIR TRAVEL Airports: Washington, D.C., is served by three airports: Reagan National (the closest and most convenient of the three), Washington Dulles, and BWI-Thurgood Marshall (Baltimore-Washington International Airport). Ground Transportation: Each airport website provides general information about available ground transportation options. Detailed information on public transit to downtown Washington from each of these airports is provided below.

  • Reagan National: The airport has a Metrorail station, at which both Blue and Yellow line trains stop. The Yellow line trains offer a more direct route to downtown Washington. A map of the Metrorail system can be found here.
  • Washington Dulles: Dulles is served by Washington’s 5A Metrobus and the Virginia Regional Transit. You can also take a Washington Flyer bus from the airport to the West Falls Church Metro station on the Orange line.
  • BWI-Marshall: BWI-Marshall is served by Washington’s B30 Metrobus; information about the bus can be found here and here. You can also get to Washington from BWI-Marshall by train; the airport is served by both Amtrak and the MARC commuter line.

TRAIN Amtrak trains stop at Union Station, which is also a stop for Red line trains on Washington’s Metro system. OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING Entrances: There are three public entrances to the Old Post Office building. You will be required to pass through a metal detector to enter the building.

South entrance across from Federal Triangle Metro and crossing 12th StreetThe south entrance is in back of the building, or to the right end of the building if you are coming out of the Federal Triangle Metro and crossing 12th Street. At the south entrance you are on the pavilion (food court) level. A ramp inside the door provides access for wheelchairs. There is an elevator that you can take to the mezzanine level, or you can walk up a flight of stairs.
Main or north entrance on Pennsylvania AvenueThe main or north entrance, which doesn’t open until 9 a.m., is on Pennsylvania Avenue. If you enter through the north entrance, you will come into the building on the mezzanine level.
East entrance  on the 11th Street sideThe east entrance is on the 11th Street side of the building. If you enter through the east entrance from the small plaza, using either the steps or the ramp leading down to the public entrance, you will come into the building on the pavilion (food court) level and will need to walk up one flight of stairs to get to the mezzanine level of the building. If you need elevator access to the mezzanine level, turn to your left after you enter the building and walk to the far corner of the pavilion level. Signs there will guide you to the elevator, which is near the building’s south entrance.

Access to NEH office space Once you are on the mezzanine level you must report to either of the guard desks near the elevators to access the NEH office space, which is on the upper floors. There is one guard desk and a bank of elevators on the 11th Street or east side of the building. There is another guard desk and bank of elevators on the 12th Street or west side of the building. You will need to show your picture ID to the guard and sign the visitors’ log to be allowed onto the elevators that will take you to the NEH offices. If you are here to serve on a panel, the guard will already have your name and should let you go up immediately. If you are here for some reason other than to serve on a panel, the guard will need to phone the office that you are visiting, to secure permission to let you up to that office.