Location Information

Workshop Venue:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Main Campus
The Natcher Conference Center Auditorium (Building 45)
Ruth L. Kirschstein Auditorium
45 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD 20894

Know Before You Go:

Key points to remember for Non-NIH employees:

Please do not drive onto the NIH Campus. Visitor parking on campus is extremely limited. All visitors should park in lot MLP-11 and enter the campus at the Gateway Center.
NIH Security will take a long time, and they recommend you arrive at least 1 to 1.5 hours before the meeting begins.
All non-NIH employees must provide a government-issued ID such as a driver's license or passport.
- Non-US citizens must bring their passports and/or visas to access the campus. If you fail to bring these items, you will be denied entry. More information can be found here: https://security.nih.gov/FAQ/Pages/default.aspx.
Please print a copy of your registration confirmation and bring it with you. You may be asked to show an invitation at security.
- If asked what the purpose of your visit is, please tell them you are attending the NIDA Genetics Meeting at Natcher.
The Gateway Center is a short walk to the Natcher Building: Gateway Center, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 to Natcher Conference Center - Google Maps
If you encounter any issues with security, don't hesitate to get in touch with Susan Holbrook at 202-374-0554.
There is a cafeteria at the conference center. If the lines are long you can walk to Building 12 and there is a cafeteria there. The cafeteria will open at 8:30 a.m. each day.

Important information for all attendees:

Please check-in with our staff before the General Session begins to receive your meeting badge.
- Check-in will take place on the lower level of the Natcher Building, right in front of the Auditorium.
The conference center has free visitor Wi-Fi; you must accept the terms.
There will be no printed materials. The agenda and poster information are all available on the meeting website: https://apps1.seiservices.com/nida/GeneticsConsortium/Default.aspx
We highly suggest taking the Metro to/from the meeting. The Gateway Center is conveniently located right above the Red Line stop for the Medical Center.
- If you take a taxi or rideshare, please direct them to the Medical Center Metro Stop as your destination.
- Taxis or Rideshares are subject to security and cannot bring you onto campus; you must be dropped off and picked up outside the campus fencing.
- When leaving the meeting, we suggest exiting the campus at the Gateway Center and then placing your order for a Taxi or Rideshare.
- Barwood Taxi is the local taxi company in the area: https://barwoodtaxi.com.
If at all possible, we suggest leaving any luggage at your hotel. If you have to bring luggage with you, we will have a storage room to leave your luggage. Please leave any luggage or oversized items in Room D on lower level. We will have a sign in front of the room. Please note nobody will monitor this room, and leaving your luggage here is at your own risk. We suggest that if you leave your luggage, you label it with a distinctive tag with all your contact information, as many people have similar luggage. Please note: no food or beverage is allowed in Room D.
A friendly reminder to those of you presenting posters, the poster boards dimensions will be - 6' (1.83m) wide by 4' (1.22m) tall.

Getting to NIH Main Campus

You will access the NIH main campus via the Gateway Center at 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland. Visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transportation to get to campus.

Public Transit- Metro:
Visitors can take the Red Line Shady Grove Metrorail to the Medical Center Metro stop which is conveniently located outside the NIH visitor center. For information visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority "Metro" site.

Personal Vehicle- Parking:
If you drive a personal vehicle, we recommend parking in the primary visitor parking lot, MLP-11, a 342-space, multi-level underground parking garage outside of the NIH perimeter that does not require vehicle inspection. The cost to park in MLP-11 is $2 per hour for the first three hours, $12 maximum for the entire day. If you choose to use a visitor lot on campus instead your vehicle will be inspected. More information on visitor parking at NIH can be found here.

Security at the NIH Gateway Center:

Security screening is required for access to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus. Please allow 1 to 1½ hours extra to go through security after arriving on the NIH campus.

All visitors must provide a government-issued ID such as a driver's license or passport. Visitors under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
If you are not a United States Citizen or a Permanent Resident, you must bring your passport and/or VISA to enter the NIH Campus. All documents must be valid (i.e., an original document that has not expired).
All visitors should be prepared to submit to a personal inspection prior to entering the campus. These inspections may be conducted with a handheld monitoring device, a metal detector and by visible inspection. Additionally, your personal belongings may be inspected and passed through an x-ray machine.
Federal law prohibits the following items on Federal property: firearms, explosives, archery equipment, dangerous weapons, knives with blades over 2½ inches, alcoholic beverages, open containers of alcohol and marijuana (cannabis).
Visitor passes must be prominently displayed at all times while on the NIH campus.
Detailed information on Security at the NIH can be found here.

Lunch

The cafeteria at the Natcher Conference Center is now open. Due to staffing shortages, there may be long lines, if you would rather not wait in line, there are a few additional cafeterias available within a short walk. Please visit this page to learn more.

Getting to the Natcher Conference Center Auditorium (Building 45)

The Natcher Auditorium (Building 45) is approximately a half a mile walk from the Gateway Center security checkpoint. Visitors can download the NIHCC TakeMeThere App to view a virtual map with the auditorium’s location. The building’s main entrance is also one stop from the Gateway Center on the free NIH Campus Shuttle via the Campus Limited/Purple Line. Visit here for a live bus map and arrival times.