You can pay your respects on September 23–24.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in repose at the Supreme Court before burial next week at Arlington National Cemetery. A private ceremony is planned for inside the court building. After the ceremony, there will be public viewing outdoors at the top of the court’s front steps. This allows for visitors to pay respects amid social distancing guidelines.

The public is invited to pay respects from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Wednesday (September 23) and from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Thursday (September 24). Be prepared to wear face masks and follow COVID-19 regulations. 

A black wool crepe is draped over the entrance to the courtroom and the place on the bench formerly occupied by Ginsburg. This tradition dates back to at least 1873. Flags on the court's front plaza will be flown at half-staff for 30 days.

The casket will be placed on the Lincoln Catafalque, a wooden platform that was constructed in 1856 to hold Lincoln’s casket at the U.S Capitol Rotunda. It has been loaned to the Court by the U.S. Congress for the ceremony. A 2016 portrait of Justice Ginsburg by Constance P. Beaty will also be on display in the Great Hall.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg graduated from law school in 1959 as one of the only women in her class. She worked as a litigator and jurist for more than 34 years before becoming the second woman to sit on the Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton on June 14, 1993, and has served more than 27 years as an Associate Justice. Born March 15, 1933, Ginsburg died September 18, 2020, from complications due to pancreatic cancer.

Are you planning to pay your respects? What do you think are Justice Ginsburg’s greatest achievements over her long career? Let us know in the comments.