washington state capitol

This is truly incredible for a state capitol. It feels as though it should be located in Washington DC instead!

OK so I work on campus so I probably take a lot for granted, parking is a nightmare during session, but you can't beat the view from the law enforcement memorial on a crisp, clear winter day, the spring flowers always look pretty. Too bad they can't keep up the sunken gardens anymore.

Enjoyed our tour of the Capitol and the docent was very informative!! Parking was confusing but FREE for the holiday just across the street.

I was at the capitol to visit my reps. While there I was given a mini tour of the building. It is beautiful. I loved the architecture. I'm a big fan of old buildings and this one didn't disappoint. I will go back and do the guided tour and get more of the history but for the brief visit I had it was great.

The kids had yet to visit their home state’s capitol building so we remedied that today as a detour from our stay in Seattle this weekend. Hourly guided tours are offered, but we “self-guided” ourselves through the bottom three floors. Impressive architecture and history/memorial displays. The gift shop had lots to offer from souvenirs to clothes to northwest food items to books. Afterward, the beautiful Saturday afternoon weather (upper 50s) beckoned us down the path to Capitol Lake and Capitol Lake Park and a bit further north for some lunch at a café. The gal at the visitor center highly recommended the farmers market, but we didn’t make it there.

I have been to most of the Capitals in the States. Washington state capital is the most beautiful inside and out. The breath taking views from the reflection lake below are a photographers dream. Inside is beautiful and the short tour gives Washington State's history "in a nut shell".Going to the park below is a nice place for a picnic and a walk around the lake.

Sure, it's a tour of a capitol building but this tour is really interesting. The buildings and artwork are something to behold. You really get a great and fun lesson on our state capitol and if you have the time, get a tour of the Governors Mansion too. It's a beautiful home with great stories that go along with it. The grand tour is a great way to spend a morning, then your in a neighborhood with lots of great restaurants or a short walk downtown (You can't get lost) opens you up to more great restaurants, shops and our state famous Farmers Market. Which starting April 1st, is open Thurs-Sunday 10am-3pm. If you have a day, take the tour, have a great lunch and wander around town. You'll like it.

The Capitol is a great place to bring visitors for a guided tour or just step inside and enjoy the simple, elegant beauty of the building. The guides are friendly and knowledgeable but there are printed information pamphlets if you prefer to just walk through the public areas on your own. The Tiffany lighting fixtures are exquisite. The bronze doors are a marvel. The marble, mostly from Alaska, is stately. Walk across the way to view the Supreme Court building, built about the same time. The large trees on the grounds are also amazing. This is a wonderful stop for tourists and residents. If you time it right, you can include a tour of the Governor's mansion, next door to the Capitol building.

If you want to be awed by the past, engaged by the present and hope-filled for the future then you cannot miss a tour of the WA State Capitol AND the new tour offered at the Temple of Justice! All this quality experience at no cost! And I strongly recommend planning your outing to include lunch at the deli on the ground floor of the Capitol, with govt officials.

We took several pictures as we drove around and visited this historical area. The buildings are a great sight, especially the old capital building. If you love old buildings and their art, don't miss this area. It's a great stop.

The Capitol campus is awesome, the architecture is beautiful, and everyone we encountered was incredibly kind and knowledgeable. We brought our four young children and they had a blast.

Whether you're interested in Washington State history or the architecture, bring your camera! The tour is only an hour and you can end in the museum. Look out for special events at the Capitol.

We liked looking around the Capitol building. There are not a lot of plaques to inform, so either get a guide or pick up some of the material that is near the entrance on the lower level. BTW, the gift shop on the lower level is quite impressive. I'm not usually a gift shop fan, but this one had a large variety of high quality books on local history, nature, science, etc. as well as high quality souvenirs, educational gifts, etc. Worth a stop.

Tour takes about 1 hour, lots of interesting facts and historical stories form our tour guide - the tour is free.

The Capitol is one of my favorite places to take out of town guests! We live in Olympia and visit often. The Washington State Capitol Campus is beautiful. The Legislative Building, which is the center piece of the campus, has the tallest self-supporting masonry dome in the U.S. at 287 feet (87 m.) tall. The interior marble is gorgeous light gray and pink from Alaska, France, Germany and Italy. Tiffany lamps and Roman firepots surround the Rotunda. Suspended above the Rotunda is an amazing 25 foot tall,10,000 lb (4,500 kg) Tiffany chandelier. In addition to the beautiful architecture, guests enjoy seeing the legislative chambers and officials' offices. The elegant Reception Room displays a huge solid wood table crafted from a single tree. Interesting historical displays can be seen in the Secretary of States Office. If you visit during the legislative session, take a few moments to sit in the gallery and hear floor debates in the House or Senate. Visitors can take a very informative, free guided tour through the Legislative Building. You can find info at www.des.wa.gov. Guests also enjoy seeing the Veterans' Memorials, Tivoli Fountain, the Governor's Mansion and campus gardens. There is a beautiful view overlooking the southern tip of Puget Sound from the bluff on the north side of the Justice Building. On a clear day you may be lucky enough to see the Olympic Mountains. If you happen to be looking for a spectacular (and economical) wedding venue, I can recommend the Capitol Rotunda from personal experience. Weddings are held in the Rotunda or on the grounds. The facility management team was experienced, easy to work with and very helpful. There are many steps leading up to and inside of the Legislative Building, however, there is handicap access by entering on the side of the building and taking an elevator. Enjoy!