The building's second life: the Congress Bells, the Pavilion food court era, the hotel years from Trump International to Waldorf Astoria, and what visitors can and cannot see in 2026.
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The Building Today
Visiting the Old Post Office Clock Tower: What to Know in 2026
The National Park Service ran the Old Post Office tower for about 42 years until October 2025. In July 2026 it reopened under the hotel. What to expect, how to get in and alternatives. Continue reading →
From Trump International to Waldorf Astoria: The Hotel Years
How the Old Post Office became the Trump International Hotel in 2016, a Waldorf Astoria in 2022 and a privately owned building in 2026, told neutrally from lease to sale. Continue reading →
The Pavilion Years: Food Court, Stage and Shops, 1983–2014
From 1983 to 2014 the Old Post Office was the Pavilion, a food court and festival marketplace under the skylight with government offices above. What worked, what did not and why it closed. Continue reading →
The Congress Bells: Change Ringing in the Old Post Office Tower
Ten English bells, a Bicentennial gift from Britain's Ditchley Foundation, hang in the Old Post Office tower. How change ringing works and when Washington hears the Congress Bells. Continue reading →