Inauguration Platform History

Fast Facts about the Platform

• The inaugural platform is constructed entirely from scratch for each inaugural ceremony.


• The platform will be more than 10,000 square feet—the same size as the platform used for the 2005 inaugural, which was the largest platform ever built for an inauguration.


• On inauguration day it will hold more than 1,600 people including:

The President and Vice-President-elects and their families

Members of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives

Cabinet members and nominees

Justices of the Supreme Court

The outgoing President and Vice President

Former presidents

The Joint Chiefs of Staff

Governors

The diplomatic corps

1. In addition, bleachers built above the platform, on the Upper WestTerrace will hold another 1,000 people including choirs and guests.


2. It is built entirely of lumber, to protect the surfaces of the Capitol.The platform is fully ADA compliant.


3. It is a stadium design, which maximizes the sightlines for the guests on the platform.


4. It is designed to blend architecturally with the U.S. Capitol.


5. Planning and design of the platform began more than a year ago

Tickets for Swearing-in

Tickets to the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony are distributed by both Senators and Represenatives of the 111th Congress. Click here to link to the official inaugural site.

The tickets are provided free of charge. Click here to learn more.

Tickets
Tickets to the 56th Inaugural Ceremonies will be provided free of charge and distributed through Members of the 111th Congress. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies does not provide tickets to the public. Members of the public interested in attending the Inaugural Ceremonies should contact their Member of Congress or U.S. Senators to request tickets.

The public should also be aware that no website or other ticket outlet actually has inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim. Tickets will not be distributed to Congressional offices until the week before the inauguration and will require in-person pick-up.

“Any website or ticket broker claiming that they have inaugural tickets is simply not telling the truth,” said Howard Gantman, Staff Director for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. “Tickets for the swearing-in of President-elect are all provided through members of Congress, and the President-elect and Vice President-elect through the Presidential Inaugural Committee. We urge the public to view any offers of tickets for sale with great skepticism.”

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