official pentagon tour

David B Gleason

Can I Tour the Pentagon?

The pentagon memorial is open to all visitors, and public tours inside the pentagon are available to us citizens with advance reservation..

Yes, but public tours inside the Pentagon are available to US citizens only with advance reservations. The Pentagon Memorial is open to all visitors.

How to tour the Pentagon

The Pentagon, located just outside Washington, DC in Arlington, Va., is the headquarters for the United States Department of Defense. It is open for official tours through the  Pentagon Tours program .

Pentagon tours must be reserved at least 14 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance. Tours are conducted Tuesdays and Thursdays (excluding federal holidays) at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tours fill up quickly and it is highly recommended that you book well in advance of your visit. You can make a tour request online . International visitors must request a tour through their home country’s embassy.

Individuals who have a Pentagon badge and escort privileges are permitted to give a self-guided tours to friends or family. If you are assigned to the Pentagon or if you are visiting a Pentagon staff member, contact the Pentagon Force Protection Agency at (703) 697-1001 to determine escort status.

Nighttime at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Virginia

Touring the Pentagon

Tours are 60 minutes and cover about 1.5 miles inside the Pentagon, which is one of the largest office buildings in the world. Tours include the history of the four branches of the military and the opportunity to see the indoor memorial near the Sept. 11 crash site and the Sept. 11 Memorial chapel, as well as the Hall of Heroes (featuring the names of all the Medal of Honor recipients) and a number of other military displays.

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Parking, security and accessibility

There is no public parking at The Pentagon. The Pentagon can be reached via its own dedicated Metro stop on the Blue and Yellow lines or you may choose to park at Pentagon City Mall and make the five-minute walk to the Pentagon via pedestrian tunnel. Once you’ve arrived, check in at the Pentagon Tours window near the Metro entrance.

Visitors must check-in at least 60 minutes prior to their scheduled tour to allow time for security. You will be asked to present your tour confirmation email and photo ID. All visitors will go through security scanners. All purses are subject to search. Large bags, including backpacks, shopping bags and camera bags are NOT permitted on the tour. Cell phone, cameras, recording devices and other electronic devices cannot be used on the tour and no photography is permitted inside the building.

Ramps are available for visitors with disabilities. Tour visitors in wheelchairs must bring someone who can assist them on the tour.  A signer will be added to tours to assist hearing impaired visitors provided that two weeks' notice is given. Special tours for visually impaired visitors can also be arranged with two weeks' notice.

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Pentagon Tours: Reservations, Parking, and Visiting Tips

The Pentagon, the headquarters of the Department of Defense, is one of the world's largest office buildings with about 6,500,000 sq ft. providing office space and amenities for more than 23,000 employees, both military and civilian. The building has five sides, five floors above ground, two basement levels, and a total of 17.5 miles of corridors. Guided tours are given by military personnel and are available by reservation only. Pentagon tours last for approximately one hour and provide an overview of the mission of the Department of Defense and the four branches of the military: Navy, Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps.

The outdoor Pentagon Memorial that commemorates the 9/11 attacks is open to the public with no reservations required. It is not included in the guided tour.

Arranging a Tour

To take a guided tour of the Pentagon, you must make a reservation in advance . Tours are conducted Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm and Fridays between 12 pm and 4 pm. Reservations must be booked from 14 to 90 days in advance. U.S. citizens can reserve a tour online, but foreign residents must contact their embassy to reserve a tour. All visitors must pass through a security scanning device and no photography will be allowed on the tour. You must arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled tour and bring along your confirmed reservation letter and photo identification.

Getting to the Pentagon

The Pentagon is located off of I-395 on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. The best way to get to the Pentagon is by Metrorail and the Visitor Center is located next to the Pentagon Metro Station.

There is no public parking at the Pentagon, but visitors may park at the Pentagon City Mall and walk to the entrance through a pedestrian tunnel. If you are not familiar with the area, it can be confusing, so be sure to leave plenty of time to find your way to the Visitor Center.

The tunnel is located across the street from Macy’s on the far side of the Reserved Parking Lot. Once through the tunnel, walk to the right until you see signs for the Metro Station and the Visitor Center. (When leaving, note that the tunnel is at the far end of parking Lane 7).

Major Points of Interest on the Pentagon Tour

The Pentagon is a building with a long and significant history with many points of interest you won't find anywhere else in Washington DC.

• The Hall of Heroes: includes the names of all the recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government.
• Overlord Embroidery: 34 tapestries created by Sandra Lawrence depict the story of the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.
• Faces of the Fallen Memorial: an exhibit features individual portraits in honor of the service men and women killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• POW-MIA Corridor: the exhibit recognizes United States military personnel taken as prisoners of war (POWs) or listed as missing in action (MIA).
• Soldiers and Signers of the Constitution Corridor: numerous paintings in this corridor commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and portray the founding fathers of our nation.
• 9/11 Memorial and Chapel: commemorates those killed in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The indoor memorial displays the names of the 184 victims. The chapel provides space for prayer and remembrance.
• 9/11 Memorial Quilts: project initiated by Jeannie Ammermann to honor those killed on September 11, 2001 evolved into a multi-quilt project that drew volunteer quilters from all parts of the U.S.
• Pentagon Center Courtyard: 5.5 acres of outdoor space in the interior of the building includes food concessions and casual seating areas.

Visiting Tips

As you get ready for your tour, here are some tips to make sure the experience goes as smoothly as possible and you get the most out of it.

• Although, the Pentagon recommends you arrive 15 minutes before your tour, plan to arrive 30 minutes early to allow time to go through security.
• The best time to take the tour is mid-day when transportation to the Pentagon is less congested.
• The tour includes walking a distance of about one and a half miles through the Pentagon corridors and staircases, so wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
• Be sure to visit the Pentagon Memorial after your guided tour of the Pentagon. It won't be included in your tour.
• Enjoy a casual lunch at the Pentagon City Mall before or after your tour. The mall has one of the nicest food courts in the area and more than 170 specialty shops.

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Ultimate Guide to the Pentagon

One of the largest office buildings in the world, the Pentagon serves as the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense. A symbol of American military strength, the concrete and steel building is recognized around the world. Nearly 30,000 military and civilian personnel work inside the Pentagon each day. Covering approximately 6.5 million square feet, the building contains a food court and mini-shopping mall. Because of its size, the Pentagon has six ZIP codes. It uses the place identifier for Washington, DC even though the five-sided building is actually located in Arlington, Virginia .

The Building

The famous edifice has five rings, five floors above ground and two floors below ground. There are almost 18 miles of corridors. Despite its size, the layout of the hallways and interconnecting walkways enables an individual to reach any office in less than seven minutes. The rings are labeled “A” through “E” from the interior courtyard to the outside. Because the E-ring is the only one with exterior views, it is the location for offices of the most senior officials. The five-acre courtyard park is nicknamed Ground Zero. The term was inspired by the belief that the park would be a primary target for Soviet nuclear missiles during the Cold War. The Pentagon is twice the size of the Merchandise Mart in Chicago. The U.S. Capitol would fit in just one of the building’s five wings.

The Northern Mall Terrace façade features a portico that leads to a 600-foot-long terrace that is used for various official ceremonies. The portico of the River Entrance façade overlooks a lagoon and a landing point. The dock was once used by duty boats that transported service members across the Potomac River to Bolling Air Force Base. The main visitor entrance, the Concourse Entrance façade, is the location of the Pentagon Metro stop. The other two facades are known as the Helipad and South Parking entrances. The site of numerous anti-war protests over the years, the Pentagon was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

History of the Pentagon

During World War I, the War Department was housed in a variety of permanent and temporary buildings in and around Washington, DC. In the late 1930s, a new headquarters was constructed in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. This building soon proved inadequate. It is currently used by the State Department. With the rapid expansion of the War Department during World War II, Secretary of War Henry Stimson lobbied President Franklin Roosevelt for a large permanent office building. In 1941, it was agreed that a new large office building would be constructed in Arlington. The original site selected for construction was the pentagon-shaped Arlington Farms, a temporary housing complex for female civil servants operated by the Department of Agriculture.

When concerns arose that the new building might obstruct views of Washington, DC from Arlington National Cemetery, the construction site was moved to the former Hoover Field Airport. To keep costs down, the building’s pentagon-shape design plans were retained. The configuration was reminiscent of the star-shaped forts built during the gunpowder age. To reduce the amount of steel used, architects incorporated ramps rather than elevators in the building. Steel was in short supply and needed for the war effort. The exterior façade is adorned with Indiana limestone. Architectural, design and construction work were accomplished simultaneously, and the building was constructed in sections to save time. Colonel Leslie Groves who later oversaw the Manhattan Project as a general officer, supervised the work on the Pentagon. The building cost slightly more than $31.1 million to complete in 1943.

During construction, segregation laws in Virginia required separate rest room facilities for blacks and whites. As a result, the Pentagon has a higher ratio of rest rooms for its occupants than most similar size office buildings. It was the only public building in Arlington with segregated rest rooms until 1965. On Sept. 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 struck the western side of the Pentagon killing 189 people. Although approximately one-third of the building was damaged, the repairs were completed by the anniversary of the attack. The repairs were incorporated into a larger ongoing renovation program that was completed in 2011, which brought the Pentagon up to standards required for modern office buildings.

Must See Exhibits

More than 100,000 people visit the Pentagon each year. A 60-minute guided tour highlights the history of the building and the Department of Defense. Covering approximately 1.5 miles, the guided tour includes the Hall of Heroes, which honors America’s Medal of Honor recipients, as well as an exhibit dedicated to prisoners of war and those missing in action. You will also see numerous portraits of the country’s founding fathers and a painting depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

While at the Pentagon, guests can also see the National 9-11 Pentagon Memorial. Situated on the west side of the building, the memorial is dedicated to those who lost their lives that fateful day. The 2-acre park features illuminated benches engraved with the names of the victims, memorial pools and a wall ranging from 3 inches to 71 inches in height to represent the ages of the youngest and oldest victims. There are also 85 paperbark maple trees. Open seven days a week, it is the only place on the Pentagon grounds where photography is permitted.

There is also a burial marker in nearby Arlington National Cemetery . It marks the grave of the 184 victims of the attack on the Pentagon. Located in Section 64, the five-sided granite marker lists the names of those who perished on the plane and inside the Pentagon.

The Pentagon parking lots are used as the staging point for a number of annual events. These include Rolling Thunder, a gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts showing support for America’s prisoners of war and missing in action, the Army Ten-Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon.

Know Before You Go

You must make reservations for the guided tour at least 14 but not more than 90 days in advance. Tours are offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. except on federal holidays. Visitors 18 and older require a valid government-issued photo ID. The tour starts at the visitor center just to the left, inside the Pentagon Metro entrance. Arrive at least an hour before your scheduled tour to pass through security. The Metro stop is on the Blue and Yellow lines. The Pentagon does not have public parking.

Nearby Attractions

Arlington National Cemetery is the location for the Tomb of the Unknowns and the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy along with numerous other monuments and memorials. It is also the burial ground for many famous Americans and war heroes, including Audie Murphy, Abner Doubleday and Joe Louis. There are monuments and memorials to the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia as well as Women in the Military Service, Pan Am Flight 103 and Spanish American War Nurses.

Formerly known as Columbia Island, Lady Bird Johnson Park includes scenic walking and driving paths, colorful plantings and blooming trees that provide vivid Spring and Fall foliage. There are overlooks and picnic areas as well. The park also features the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove and the Navy and Marine Memorial. The Mount Vernon Trail passes through the park.

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

Pentagon Guided Tours

How to visit the pentagon on a guided tour, with tips on how to get here, where to park, and other nearby attractions..

As the headquarters of the Department of Defense for the United States, you may not think the building is open to the public.

However, with advance planning and some background checks, you can take a Pentagon Tour for you and your family.

The tour itself is FREE but advanced reservations are required.

It is 60 minutes long and you must stay with the group the entire time.

You'll find that the guide almost always walks backward for the entire tour (so he or she can keep his eyes on you!).

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Tour Highlights

• Pentagon Memorial

How to Get a Pentagon Tour

Pentagon Tours must be requested in advance! You may request tickets from 14 days up to 90 days prior to the tour. .  

Tours are conducted for U.S. Citizens only on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm.

The tours are free of charge and last roughly an hour.

To submit your reservation request, you will need to provide the total number of persons, your requested date and start time, and the name and phone number of the person requesting the tour.

Reserve Pentagon tours here .

If you know someone who works at the Pentagon and they have a Pentagon badge, you can take a self-guided tour of the Pentagon with them.

How to Get to the Pentagon

The Pentagon is located in Arlington VA, across the Potomac River from downtown Washington, DC, and just to the south of Arlington National Cemetery.

( NOTE: Technically, the Pentagon is located within the District of Columbia)

We recommend using this link for directions to the Pentagon from anywhere in the DC area.

The best way to reach the Pentagon is by Metro (Washington DC's subway).

The Pentagon Metro Station services both the blue and yellow lines of the DC Metro.

The security check-in for Pentagon Tours is adjacent to the Metro station exit at the Pentagon Visitor Center.  

Be sure to read our post on how to use the DC Metro system .

There are also many bus lines that service the building. 

There is no public parking at the Pentagon. We highly recommend using public transportation.

If you need to drive, you can find cheap parking at a garage at 900 Army Navy Dr.

You can pay ahead of time online for a guaranteed space in this garage with SpotHero .

It is a 10-15 minute walk to the Pentagon by crossing through the parking lot and underneath the interstate (follow signs to the Pentagon Memorial to enter the access tunnel to get to the Pentagon Parking Lot).  

Click here for directions from the parking garage at the Pentagon City Mall to the Pentagon.

*Be sure you always stay in the crosswalk and designated sidewalks as many areas of the grounds are secure!*

Security Check-in at the Pentagon

All tours begin and end at the security checkpoint just outside the Pentagon Metro entrance.

It is well-signed and the guards are very friendly in assisting you to find the correct entrance.  

What time should you arrive for the Pentagon tour?

Arrive 60 minutes prior to your scheduled time to allow for the entire group to pass through security.

What ID do you need for the Pentagon tour?

You will need to bring with you a copy of the confirmation of your tour.

Additionally, anyone in your party who is 18 years or older will need one form of proper identification which must be current and contain a photograph.

Proper forms of ID include the following:

• U.S. Passport
• U.S. Passport Card
• Driver's license or identification card issued by a State or outlying possession of the United States provided it contains a photograph and meets the REAL ID standards
• An identification card issued by Federal, State, or local government agencies, provided it contains a photograph
• U.S. Government PIV Card (CAC for DoD Personnel)
• DoD Affiliated Identification Cards (Retirees, Dependents, and Inactive Reservists)
• Native American Tribal Document
• U.S. Border Crossing Card
• Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form I-551 or I-551)
• Foreign passport with a temporary (I-551) stamp or temporary (I-551) printed notation on a machine-readable immigrant visa
• Foreign passport

Visitors 17 years of age or younger who are accompanied by an adult do not need identification.

Prohibited Items

• Large bags such as backpacks, camera bags, and suitcases are not allowed.
• No weapons or sharp objects permitted
• All purses are subject to search but are allowed
• Small electronic devices like cell phones, tablets, GPS devices, storage devices like flash drives, laptops, and smartwatches are not allowed.
• Photography is prohibited on Pentagon property, both inside and outside the building (with the exception of the Pentagon Memorial ).

There are no storage lockers, so be sure not to arrive with any of the prohibited items. Read the full list of prohibited items .

There is a small box where you can store small devices like phones but laptops will not fit.

Checking in for Pentagon Tours:

Once you are through the security scanners, you still have to check in! After you clear security turn left and find the Pentagon Tour Window to check in your group.

Groups that do not check in at the tour window forfeit their tour.

Pentagon Visitor Center

You will wait for your tour at the Pentagon Visitors Center.

Visitors are not permitted back into the visitors center once the tour has finished so now would be the time to visit the gift shop and restrooms.

Here you can take photos at the only place photos are permitted inside the building - at the replica Press Briefing Room podium.

Food is not permitted while on tour and the tour guide will not pause the tour for any guest to eat.

You may coordinate with Pentagon personnel who will escort you to an area where your group may eat before or after the tour.

All tours will cover the history and interesting facts pertaining to four branches of the military (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps).

You may also have the opportunity to visit the indoor September 11th memorial adjacent to the crash site as well as the 9/11 Memorial Chapel.

Some tours will also visit the Hall of Heroes where all of the names of the recipients of the Medal of Honor are listed as well as an actual Medal of Honor medallion.

Tour itineraries and commentary topics are subject to change at any time.

There are no stops when you are on the tour and the tour is almost always in a walking motion.

The Pentagon Memorial

After your tour, we encourage you to walk around the building following signs to the National September 11th Pentagon Memorial to visit this thought-provoking site before you exit the grounds.

The memorial, which honors the 184 victims who died in the Pentagon or on American Airlines flight 77, is approximately 15 minutes by foot from the Pentagon Metro station where you will exit the building after the tour.

Keep in mind that photos are prohibited until you arrive at the memorial.

The memorial is open 24 hours a day and bathrooms are present though sporadically they are not open.  

Read more about the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.

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Building on the “reset” – the vice president’s visit to moscow.

Vice President Joe Biden speaks to the American Chamber of Commerce and Russian students at Moscow State University, in Moscow, Russia, March 10, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Today, before a packed auditorium at Moscow State University, Vice President Biden delivered a powerful speech to U.S. and Russian students and business leaders. Echoing messages conveyed during his earlier meetings with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin over the course of his three-day visit, Vice President Biden hailed the successful “reset” of U.S.-Russian relations and reiterated his call for broader economic cooperation between the two countries.

Vice President Joe Biden, talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Gorky Dacha outside Moscow, Russia, March 9, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Vice President Joe Biden greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at the Russian White House, in Moscow, Russia, March 10, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Issuing the strongest support yet for Russia’s entry into the World Trade Organization, the Vice President said,“it’s better for Americans and better for Russians to be able to trade with each other under predictable and transparent rules.”

On the issue of human rights and the status of democracy and the rule of law in Russia – a topic discussed at length in meetings with Russian civil society and political opposition leaders earlier today, the Vice President said:  “History showsthat in industrialized societies, economic modernization and political modernization must go hand and hand.”

Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Ambassador John Beyrle talk with civil society leaders at the U.S. Ambassador's residence in Moscow, Russia, March 10, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Yesterday, the Vice President and Dr. Biden visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden. As a military honor guard looked on, the Vice President observed a moment of silence in recognition of the Russian soldiers who died in World War II and ceremonially placed a wreath that read “To those who fell in the fight against fascism, from the American people.”

Vice President Joe Biden observes a moment of silence during a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Kremlin Walls in Moscow, Russia, March 9, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Later, the Vice President attended a signing ceremony for the sale of Boeing 777 jets to Aeroflot – which will support more than 10,000 jobs at home - in the impressive building of the Moscow School of Management at Skolkovo, an area that Moscow hopes to develop into the Russian equivalent of Silicon Valley. Afterwards, he and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov led a roundtable discussion with Russian and American business leaders. The Vice President added that beyond negotiations between our governments, the U.S. is also relying on the growing connections between Russian and American business leaders and leaders in civil society to build a comprehensive relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

Vice President Joe Biden, and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov watch as Boeing Russia CEO Sergey Kravchenko and Aeroflot General Director Vitaly Saveliev sign an agreement for Aeroflot to purchase Boeing Jets at Skolkovo School of Management in Moscow, Russia, March 9, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Vice President Joe Biden holds a roundtable discussion with American and Russian business leaders and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov at Skolkovo School of Management in Moscow, Russia, March 9, 2011. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

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Theatres in Moscow

Cultural life of Moscow city is various and rich! Operas, ballets, symphonic concerts... Russian composers have created some of the most beautiful classical music. Russian classical music is very popular in Moscow. It is performed in many beautiful historical venues. Do not forget to include a visit to a concert hall in your itinerary when you are planning your stay in Moscow! And do it in advance.

There are almost no restrictions on dress code in Russian theatres. Visitors may wear jeans and sports shoes, they may have a backpack with them. Only shorts are not allowed.

A typical feature of Russian theatre – visitors are bringing a lot of flowers which they present to their favorite performers after the show.

Here are some practical advices where to go and how to buy tickets.

The Bolshoi Theatre

The Bolshoi Theatre is the oldest, the most famous and popular opera and ballet theatre in Russia. The word “Bolshoi” means “big” in Russian. You can buy a ticket online in advance, 2-3 months before the date of performance on the official website . Prices for famous ballets are high: 6-8 thousand rubles for a seat in stalls. Tickets to operas are cheaper: you can get a good seat for 4-5 thousand rubles. Tickets are cheaper for daytime performances and performances on the New Stage. The New Stage is situated in the light-green building to the left of the Bolshoi's main building. The quality of operas and ballets shown on the New Stage is excellent too. However, you should pay attention that many seats of the Bolshoi’s Old and New Stages have limited visibility . If you want to see the Bolshoi’s Old Stage but all tickets are sold out, you can order a tour of the theatre. You can book such a tour on the official website.

If you want, following Russian tradition, to give flowers to the performers at the end of the show, in the Bolshoi flowers should be presented via special staff who collects these flowers in advance.

In August the Bolshoi is closed.

The Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre

This theatre is noteworthy. On one hand, it offers brilliant classical opera and ballet performances. On the other hand, it is an experimental venue for modern artists. You can check the program and buy tickets online here http://stanmus.com/ . If you are opera lover, get a ticket to see superstar Hibla Gerzmava . The theatre has a very beautiful historic building and a stage with a good view from every seat. Tickets are twice cheaper than in the Bolshoi.

The Novaya Opera

“Novaya” means “New” in Russian. This opera house was founded in 1991 by a famous conductor Eugene Kolobov. Its repertoire has several directions: Russian and Western classics, original shows and divertissements, and operas of the 20th and 21st centuries. It is very popular with Muscovites for excellent quality of performances, a comfortable hall, a beautiful Art Nouveau building and a historic park Hermitage, which is situated right next to it. You can buy tickets online here http://www.novayaopera.ru/en .

Galina Vishnevskaya Opera Center

The Opera Center has become one of the best theatrical venues in Moscow. It was founded in 2002 by great diva Galina Vishnevskaya. Nowadays its artistic director is Olga Rostropovich, daughter of Galina Vishnevskaya and her husband Mstislav Rostropovich, great cellist and conductor. Not only best young opera singers perform here, but also world music stars do; chamber and symphonic concerts, theatrical productions and musical festivals take place here. You can see what is on the program here http://opera-centre.ru/theatre . Unfortunately “booking tickets online” is available in Russian only. If you need help, you can contact us at and we can book a ticket for you. 

Tchaikovsky Concert Hall and The Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory

These are two major concert halls for symphonic music in Moscow. Both feature excellent acoustics, impressive interior, various repertoire and best performers. You can check the program here http://meloman.ru/calendar/ . You need just to switch to English. Booking tickets online is available only for owners of Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian phone numbers. If you need help, you can contact us and we can book a ticket for you. 

Moscow International Performing Arts Center (MIPAC)

This modern and elegant concert hall houses performances of national and foreign symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, solo instrumentalists, opera singers, ballet dancers, theatre companies, jazz bands, variety and traditional ensembles. Actually, it has three concert halls placed on three different levels and having separate entrances. The President of MIPAC is People’s Artist of the USSR Vladimir Spivakov, conductor of “Virtuosy Moskvy” orchestra. You can see pictures of the concert halls here http://www.mmdm.ru/en/content/halls . The program is impressive in its variety but is not translated into English. You can contact us at and we can find a performance for you.

New US-Backed Defense ‘Squad’ to Counter China in Indo-Pacific

(Bloomberg) -- Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met Thursday with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines as the US deepens ties with an emerging regional group that Pentagon officials have privately nicknamed, the “Squad.” 

The quadrilateral grouping is one of a number of regional partnerships that Washington has used to push back against China’s assertiveness in Asia. There is also the “Quad” comprised of the US, Australia, India and Japan and “Aukus,” a defense pact among Australia, the UK and the US.

“We’ve gathered here because we share a vision for peace, stability and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific,” Austin said during a joint press briefing in Hawaii with his three counterparts. “We’ve chartered an ambitious course to advance that vision together.” 

The defense chiefs of the “Squad” met for the first time in June 2023 on the sidelines of the Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore. 

In April, the four nations conducted joint maritime patrols within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial claims in the South China Sea. Speaking after the talks on Friday, Austin announced the four-country group would look at undertaking more maritime exercises, as well as providing greater security assistance to the Philippines.

Austin said the US had been clear to all nations, including China, that the recent behavior in the South China Sea was “irresponsible” and “disregards international law.”

China views the US’s multilateral groupings as part of Washington’s attempts to contain China. A story in the state-run Global Times this week warned that the grouping risked “exacerbating regional risks.”

A US official who requested anonymity to discuss the “Squad” said the grouping aims to counter coercion and aggression across Asia, as well as to ensure that defense capabilities among their militaries are increasingly inter-operable, allowing them to work more efficiently together in the event of conflict.

The official said the quadrilateral group aims to conduct more joint patrols in the coming months and years and that these patrols will add more capabilities over time.

--With assistance from Jennifer Jacobs, Andreo Calonzo, Philip J. Heijmans and Yi Wei Wong.

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Soojin announces second mini-album, ‘Rizz’

The five-track release will be led by the single 'Mona Lisa'

South Korean singer Soojin has unveiled details for her upcoming second mini-album, ‘Rizz’.

• READ MORE: Soojin – ‘AGASSY’ review: a captivating love letter to herself

Soojin has released the tracklist to her upcoming second mini-album ‘Rizz’, which will feature six tracks, led by the single ‘Mona Lisa’. Other upcoming tracks include ‘Rizz Me Up’, ‘Lime’, ‘헤엄’, ‘Drop Top’ and ‘Summer Daze’. The mini-album will be released on May 23 at 6pm KST.

According to XSportsNews , the upcoming title track ‘Mona Lisa’ will be a “mysterious-sounding” track featuring electric guitars and synths over a bouncy Afrobeats rhythm. Its lyrics will be about the desire to captivate other with a “subtle gaze and charm” like the Mona Lisa.

Additionally, opening track ‘Rizz Me Up’ is a tempo-driven UK Garage number expressing attraction to another, while closing track ‘Summer Daze’ will reportedly be in English.

수진 (SOOJIN) 2nd EP [RIZZ] Track List ❤‍🔥 Release 2024.05.23 THU 6PM (KST) #수진 #SOOJIN #RIZZ #MONALISA pic.twitter.com/nqqLQPLpSp — SOOJIN OFFICIAL (@BRD_SOOJIN) May 2, 2024

News of Soojin’s return was first confirmed by BRD Entertainment in April. At the time, the agency shared that it will “showcase a different side of Soojin while maintaining her unique allure”.

Soojin’s upcoming release will come about half a year after she made her solo debut with the mini-album ‘AGASSY’ in November 2023 , led by a single of the same name. The singer also recently completed the first leg of her fan concert tour ‘Flowering’ in Hong Kong, Sydney and Melbourne.

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Prior to her solo debut, Soojin was a member of K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE from 2018 to 2021. Her last release with the act was their fourth mini-album ‘I Burn’, which had featured the single ‘Hwa’.

In other K-pop news, PENTAGON member and soloist Kino has released his debut EP titled ‘If this is love, I want a refund’. The five-track record is led by the single ‘Broke My Heart’ , which features American singer, rapper and songwriter Lay Bankz.

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Ukraine pulls US-provided Abrams tanks from the front lines over Russian drone threats

FILE - Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth looks over the latest version of the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank as she tours the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, Feb. 16, 2023, in Lima, Ohio. Two U.S. officials say Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia. This is in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukraine has sidelined U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks for now in its fight against Russia, in part because Russian drone warfare has made it too difficult for them to operate without detection or coming under attack, two U.S. military officials told The Associated Press.

The U.S. agreed to send 31 Abrams to Ukraine in January 2023 after an aggressive monthslong campaign by Kyiv arguing that the tanks, which cost about $10 million apiece, were vital to its ability to breach Russian lines.

But the battlefield has changed substantially since then, notably by the ubiquitous use of Russian surveillance drones and hunter-killer drones . Those weapons have made it more difficult for Ukraine to protect the tanks when they are quickly detected and hunted by Russian drones or rounds.

Five of the 31 tanks have already been lost to Russian attacks.

The proliferation of drones on the Ukrainian battlefield means “there isn’t open ground that you can just drive across without fear of detection,” a senior defense official told reporters Thursday.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide an update on U.S. weapons support for Ukraine before Friday’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.

For now, the tanks have been moved from the front lines, and the U.S. will work with the Ukrainians to reset tactics, said Joint Chiefs of Staff Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady and a third defense official who confirmed the move on the condition of anonymity.

“When you think about the way the fight has evolved, massed armor in an environment where unmanned aerial systems are ubiquitous can be at risk,” Grady told the AP in an interview this week, adding that tanks are still important.

“Now, there is a way to do it,” he said. “We’ll work with our Ukrainian partners, and other partners on the ground, to help them think through how they might use that, in that kind of changed environment now, where everything is seen immediately.”

News of the sidelined tanks comes as the U.S. marks the two-year anniversary of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition of about 50 countries that meets monthly to assess Ukraine’s battlefield needs and identify where to find needed ammunition, weapons or maintenance to keep Ukraine’s troops equipped.

Recent aid packages, including the $1 billion military assistance package signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, also reflect a wider reset for Ukrainian forces in the evolving fight .

The U.S. is expected to announce Friday that it also will provide about $6 billion in long-term military aid to Ukraine, U.S. officials said, adding that it will include much sought after munitions for Patriot air defense systems. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public.

The $1 billion package emphasized counter-drone capabilities, including .50-caliber rounds specifically modified to counter drone systems; additional air defenses and ammunition; and a host of alternative, and cheaper, vehicles, including Humvees, Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles.

The U.S. also confirmed for the first time that it is providing long-range ballistic missiles known as ATACMs, which allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian-occupied areas without having to advance and be further exposed to either drone detection or fortified Russian defenses.

While drones are a significant threat, the Ukrainians also have not adopted tactics that could have made the tanks more effective, one of the U.S. defense officials said.

After announcing it would provide Ukraine the Abrams tanks in January 2023, the U.S. began training Ukrainians at Grafenwoehr Army base in Germany that spring on how to maintain and operate them. They also taught the Ukrainians how to use them in combined arms warfare — where the tanks operate as part of a system of advancing armored forces, coordinating movements with overhead offensive fires, infantry troops and air assets.

As the spring progressed and Ukraine’s highly anticipated counteroffensive stalled, shifting from tank training in Germany to getting Abrams on the battlefield was seen as an imperative to breach fortified Russian lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on his Telegram channel in September that the Abrams had arrived in Ukraine.

Since then, however, Ukraine has only employed them in a limited fashion and has not made combined arms warfare part of its operations, the defense official said.

During its recent withdrawal from Avdiivka , a city in eastern Ukraine that was the focus of intense fighting for months, several tanks were lost to Russian attacks, the official said.

A long delay by Congress in passing new funding for Ukraine meant its forces had to ration ammunition , and in some cases they were only able to shoot back once for every five or more times they were targeted by Russian forces.

In Avdiivka, Ukrainian forces were badly outgunned and fighting back against Russian glide bombs and hunter-killer drones with whatever ammunition they had left.

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https://www.barrons.com/news/blinken-urges-hamas-to-agree-truce-to-help-gazans-e3a0e20a

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Blinken Urges Hamas To Agree Truce To Help Gazans

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the press at the port of Ashdod in southern Israel on May 1, 2024

Top US diplomat Antony Blinken has urged Hamas to accept a Gaza truce plan despite an Israeli warning that the army will keep fighting the Palestinian militant group after any ceasefire.

Mediators have proposed a truce deal that would halt fighting for 40 days and exchange dozens of hostages for many more Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has said it will respond "within a very short period" to the proposal.

"Hamas needs to say yes and needs to get this done," Blinken said Wednesday while in Israel on his seventh Middle East crisis tour since the war broke out in October.

He later added: "If Hamas actually purports to care about the Palestinian people and wants to see an immediate alleviation of their suffering, it should take this deal."

Blinken spoke after visiting the Nir Oz kibbutz, which Hamas attacked on October 7, as well as Israel's Kerem Shalom border crossing with Gaza and Ashdod port, which Israel says will be used for aid shipments.

A Palestinian man walks through a destroyed neighbourhood in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on April 22, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AFP late Wednesday that the movement's position on the truce proposal was "negative" for the time being, but that discussions were still underway.

The group's aim remains an "end to this war", senior Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi told AFP -- a goal at odds with the stated position of Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu has vowed to send Israeli ground forces into Gaza's far-southern city of Rafah, despite major concerns over the fate of some 1.5 million civilians sheltering there.

"We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there with or without a deal," Netanyahu said this week.

UN chief Antonio Guterres warned that an Israeli assault on Rafah would "be an unbearable escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee".

A Palestinian child sits next to a man driving a damaged car in Deir el-Blaha in the central Gazas Strip

Netanyahu made his threat at a time of tensions between the traditional allies as the Gaza war has sparked global anger and weeks of pro-Palestinian demonstrations on US university campuses.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that any Rafah operation must "include a credible plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians and maintain the flow of humanitarian aid", the Pentagon said Wednesday.

Talks on a potential truce and hostage release deal to pause the bloodiest ever Gaza war have been held in Cairo, involving US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Israeli soldiers sit atop an infantry fighting vehicle near the border with the Gaza Strip on April 30, 2024

Hamas official Hindi, speaking by phone from an undisclosed location, said there is "great interest from Hamas and all Palestinian resistance factions to end this insane war on the Palestinian people, which has consumed everything".

"But it will not be at any cost," he added, stressing that the group "cannot under any circumstances raise the white flag or surrender to the conditions of the Israeli enemy".

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called on all sides to "show the necessary flexibility" to achieve a deal "that stops the bloodshed of Palestinians", during a visit to Cairo by his French counterpart Stephane Sejourne.

Analysts doubted that Hamas would sign up to another temporary ceasefire, knowing that Israeli troops could resume their onslaught as soon as it is over.

A girl stands behind barbed wire at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on April 30, 2024

"I'm pessimistic about the option of Hamas agreeing to a deal that doesn't have a permanent ceasefire baked into it," said Mairav Zonszein, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations said Israel's proposal contained "real concessions" including a period of "sustainable calm" following an initial pause in fighting.

The war started with Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The militants also took about 250 hostages. Israel estimates that 129 captives remain in Gaza, but the military says 34 of them are dead.

Israel's massive retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,568 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

A youth walks with a bucket of water from a tanker cistern in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 30, 2024

Widespread bombing has left Gaza filled with "more rubble than Ukraine", a UN agency said, warning that clearance efforts will be hampered by unexploded ordnance and toxic asbestos.

Israel also imposed a siege on Gaza's 2.4 million people that has sharply restricted access to food, drinking water, medicines, fuel and power.

UN agencies have warned that without urgent intervention, famine looms in Gaza, and the United States has also strongly urged Israel to speed up aid deliveries.

"The progress is real, but given the immense need in Gaza, it needs to be accelerated. It needs to be sustained," said Blinken as he visited the port of Ashdod, reopened to aid after US appeals.

Blinken saw off a Jordanian aid convoy that was heading to the newly reopened Erez crossing between Israel and Gaza, and later the US-based charity World Central Kitchen said it had resumed work in Gaza.

The Israeli army confirmed that "for the first time since the beginning of the war, the Erez crossing has been opened for the entry of humanitarian aid".

Israel has faced mounting international pressure over its conduct of the war, with Colombia on Wednesday announcing that it was cutting diplomatic ties -- a move Israel said was a "reward" for Hamas.

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Children Take on the Pentagon for a Day

More than 8,000 children joined their parents and others for a series of special events and entertainment during "Bring a Child to Work Day" at the Pentagon.

The day began in the Pentagon Courtyard with speeches from senior Defense Department officials and a little bit of singing, break dancing, magic tricks and military performances. 

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Spotlight: Month of the Military Child Spotlight: Month of the Military Child:  https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Month-of-the-Military-Child/

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