Simply one of the best states capitols in the entire USA. The history within this building is enormous. The building is a throwback to Roman times and there are still parts of the orginal structure left. The building has many different levels of government and each room has statues and paintings within it that give insight into the rise of our heart country. A Must see for all. Give your self about three hours to take it all in. The eatery on the ground level is well priced and has good food options for everyone.
I was extremely pleasantly surprised by the Virginia State Capitol. I expected to thing it was cool but be relatively uninterested in the capitol, but I actually really enjoyed it. The architecture was beautiful, and on the inside there was so much history to be witnessed. There was also a sweet lady who gave us a great rundown of what has happened to, and within, the state capitol building. I was thoroughly impressed with the time I had here, and since it’s free I would definitely consider going again.
Nice place to go for a walk, sit and have lunch etc.The tours nice as well, staff and security are all very pleasant. The one receptionist in particular is such a sweet heart, make sure to ask her about when the queen visited.
Went on the guided free tour, and have to say i enjoyed it. A lot of history and historical facts were layed on us and it was good to go beyond what i had been taught years and years ago in school. Worth a walk through for young and old. A lot to see if u have a few hours to spend.
Gorgeous and tranquil place. I sat at the top of the steps for a good 30 minutes and took in the view. The grounds are beautiful and well kept. I’m looking forward to visiting again!
I came here during memorial day. So its no surprise that it was practically empty.Its a gorgeous building and the newish visitor center was so well done. With the actual building, its so well maintained and kept up. The floors were filled with different things. I would recommend that everyone take the actual tour but doing it with just friends is fine. I had a great time looking at everything at your own pace.The governors floor, fourth? Was awesome with all the official portraits of Kaine, McAuliffe, Mark Warner and the weirdo Bob McDonnell. Also one of Queen Elizabeth II of England and Prince Phillip.
The staff is very nice. The walk inside is accommodating to people with limited mobility. The walk to the state house from Public Parking is one street over. Va state house does not offer a Blue Book (that we know of). A guided tour is available or you can use a map.
Beautiful and quite unique among state capitols for not having a dome. It sits at a slightly higher elevation and actually looks like a regular town hall from the street level. As you come closer, however, it begins to reveal its actual size and grandeur. The view of downtown Richmond from the steps of the building is breathtaking.In addition to the building, theres green spaces, statues, a historic bell, and a fountain. We arrived by car and found street parking on East Main Street.For an equally breathtaking view of the State Capitol building from above, visit the observation deck at City Hall.
This place has some amazing facts...check it out
Beautiful building designed by Thomas Jefferson. So much history in this one location. Very knowledgeable and hospitable tour guides. Free tours on the hour. Loved seeing the original senate chambers and the statue of George Washington. The movie Lincoln was filmed here. Dont miss the Virginia Womens Monument outside.
Very clean and well kept area. Impressive
Free! I did the unguided tour. The new section flows into the original capital beautifully. A lot of interesting history to read.
A master piece of Palladian architecture courtesy of the US finest architect (self-taught!) and former President Thomas Jefferson. If you like this, you gotta visit Chiswick House in London too which provided the initial inspiration and was used to build his own house -Monticello
RICHMOND SEGWAY tour of of the Historic district. 2 hours of fun and interesting time. No experience needed. Guide gives lessons.
They have great tours and the guides are nice, they answered questions, and very informational. If you like learning about glorious American history I suggest coming here.
When an awesome place to visit so much history, so much beautiful artwork. My family night went through several rooms with a tour. I hope next time I can visit I can get the whole tour plus the gift shop was really.
“beautiful architecture...surrounded by fed buildings and banks.. right in heart of downtownit is one great white piece of beautiful architecture. situated at kinda hilly part of land make it look like a Greek monument.The tour is available to get inside and see how things work in Richmond ;) Capitol campus give you glance oof 10+ sculpture and overlook of fed buildings. Must visit in Richmond downtown.
Very clean City with time of history and places to visit. It has a very good vibe and felt like a cross between San Fransisco and Sacramento. The capital building is amazing and the scores it fruit wit stunning.
Fun time and educational. I skipped the tour and went on a Friday afternoon when it wasnt crowded. Employees were very helpful. The statues of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington are cool and the architecture (designed by Jefferson) is beautiful. Theres also a nice park with statues outside to walk around in.
Super pretty, the grounds are nice, friendly staff and theres a good deal of history. Its free and worth a quick visit while in town. You can sit in on sessions if youre lucky enough to get there when theyre going.
Great place to visit. Very historical. Amazing views. Great location to walk around Richmond and visit various locations. Beautiful architecture.
I finally took the guided tour on the weekend of Governor Northams classic car show. Our tour guide was great. She was upbeat and very well versed in the history. Did you know that we have the only statue George Washington posed for here in RVA? Lots of really neat stories and history here. Highly recommended for a visit.
The actual tour of the Capitol is interesting in itself, but our docent could have been teaching a history class. So much knowledge! The majority of the time is spent in a few chambers so there is not a lot of walking. The information imparted there was of utmost interest and importance. Of course there is s gift shop which contains a variety of treasures. Our first stop in Richmond definitely encouraged us to explore more.
A great way to learn the history of Virginia and a beautiful building.
This was another great location to stop and see while in Richmond.
If you like history, politics and arts, do this free tour We spent 90 minutes with Mr. Mitchell our guide, they do have elevators for those with ADA issues. Children 5th grade or older who have some knowledge of history would appreciate. Nice and reasonable gift shoppe by State Library. Cold AC. Beautiful building and statues.
Amazing place to stop and spend some time. Beautifully cared for grounds with plenty of benches and walkways to enjoy the monuments and old buildings. Really cool to have such old stuff in pristine condition right in the heart of a modern downtown area!
Enjoyed the accessibility to walk around the capitol grounds while taking in artisan landscape & monumental sculptures. Parking is a bit tricky; however there is 2hr parking located in the vicinity of E. Cary St & 12th/13th St. The area is well-maintained & located by U.S. Court of Appeals.
A beautiful building rich with history.
I went late in the day (4:30 PM). Had plenty of time to run around and there was relatively no one else there.
What a great place to visit and walk around. We were driving around on Sunday and decided to check out the grounds. Found the entrance and found our way into the Capital. What a great place of history.
Built in 1788, designed by Thomas Jefferson, based on Roman architecture in France, its design is the basis for the US Capitol
Would love to visit again. The steps up to the capital building are so neat and beautiful. Gorgeous Capitol building.
My family and I went on a tour of the Virginia State Capitol on a Saturday afternoon and highly recommend it. The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The tour included the old Senate and House chambers as well as the current House chamber and rotunda. Even the security guards were helpful and friendly. And its also free.
The capitol is always a great stop, its a mini park with a touch of history. Plenty of statues with plaques to learn from. They hold tours for the mayors house. Plenty of places to sit with water fountains to boot. If this is something your thinking of seeing but not sure it is worth your time then I would suggest you give it a shot.
Beautiful building! Becky, tour guide was excellent! She was very informative with the history and pleasant!
Definitely worth a trip. Tons of history and a very beautiful place.
Incredible group of people visited the Capital grounds on January 20, 2020. Constantly jostled because of the crowd but always heard an excuse me or sorry. The one star is for the Governors dangerous plan of coral fencing and having no exit strategy. He put those in attendance in unnecessary danger. The area could not have been cleared if an event transpired.
We had the opportunity to visit and tour the Virginia Capitol building at the same time that a class of grade 5 students were touring. The tour guide was great with the students and knowledgeable. She also acknowledged the adults that were not with the school group and took care to include us. The students were great. They asked all types of questions that we probably would not have asked but liked having the answers to. This state capitol building is definitely one of the best capitol buildings that we have visited. The inside is elegant and stately and is still in use. The grounds had statues and buildings to admire. Well worth the visit.
A great experience and walk through time. Great museum entrance below with beautiful grounds to walk surrounding the capitol building itself.
A must see for anyone visiting Richmond. Fascinating history and the building is remarkable in design and content. The free tour is highly recommended, delivered by people who clearly know their subject and are passionate about passing their knowledge on.
Nice place to visit
Go on a Sunday when the road side parking are free and available.A nice walk around is very inspiring and historic!
Absolutely gorgeous. The tour was very informative!
Beautiful place to visit
Our history is laid out for all Virginians & foreign visitors.
A great tour by a knowledgeable docent.
This place was pretty cool with all the amazing history that has happened here. Take the free tour or walk around yourself. We did the tour and it was great.
Beautiful building designed by Thomas Jefferson with more than 200 years of history. The lady at the main desk inside the capitol was absolutely delightful!
Beautiful Building, very informative tour guide. Very welcoming. Had a great time and learned a thing or two.
Wonderful restoration. Great tours. The entrance to the Visitors Entrance is on the street level, below the front on the Capital. Dont climb up, or you will just have to walk down.
Really appreciate the historian who accomodated us. Weĺl preserved culture.
Must visit, if you came in Richmond. But, on my opinion ....looks too easy for capital of VA :(
Look wise its much beautiful then White house..
Excellent historical landmark to visit. Especially when General Assembly is in session.
Love this place! Visited this location while in Richmond and most say what a awesome building.
We only had 20 minutes here before it closed. Great architecture as well as Virginia History. While the signs are confusing (there are none) stating street parking is free on the weekend. Capitol Staff told us it was free to park on the street on the weekend. Worth a tour. You will have to go through a security check point to tour the Capitol Building.
If you enjoy History, be sure to visit the Capitol building and take a tour. It has been at the centre of American political life and 6 Presidents were Virginians: Virginians first, Americans second, which may explain some imbalances in contemporary American culture. Take your time, if you can, and enjoy the experience.
Great tour. Very informative. Finding the entrance is tricky. You enter on Bank Street at the street level. It is not well marked.
Great place to visit and get the understanding of history when you take the tour.
Visited the Capital to view the unveiling of 7 statues of women from Virginias history. Virginia Estelle Randolph was my mother-in-laws cousin and one of the statues was of her. Proud to be present at the unveiling.
Beautiful capital tour. A lot of details fm the guide and plenty of history. Highly recommended for history buffs.
A beautiful creation that couldnt be replicated today.
The place is well kept. Beautiful place to sit, realize, walk, or enjoy the weather.
Lovely grounds and inside the capitol has some great history.
Ive been to NC, SC, GA, and NY state capital buildings.VA is the best and most beautiful, tasteful, grand, elegant, and modern capital building I have seen. Its gorgeous, regal, elegant, and serving. Even when they updated it and cut into the hill, they did so in a way that the original architect would have approved of. This is how you build a state capital. Its funny, because it represent Virginia which isnt really noteworthy nationally. But wow. Good job.
Fantastic! I wish everyone would take the tour and learn the history of our great country. Especially the ones who dont respect or flag...
It was a very rainy day and so we got the capitol almost to ourselves. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The Capitol itself was very clean and we were able to go inside many rooms and see the beautiful decor and painting. The small gift shop was good although they didnt have any refrigerator magnets which I was looking for.
Since this is my home area I occassionally like to visit here beautiful architure historic landmark
Gorgeous landmark, great location for learning AND Beautiful photos!
Good place to visit to witness where history is made.
Great historical place, well manicured gardens and a beautiful building with historical significance. We spent over an hour in the mid summer day, you have a lot of reasons to be proud Virginia, unlike the state of Californication, keep up the good work, we will be back.
Nice... But I was expecting much more because Virginia was the capital of the confederation... More history needed.
Was nice and quiet when I visited.
The architect was Thomas Jefferson for the Capitol building. Stunning details.
Omg. Must see. Can watch legislation from balcony. First woman speaker in 400 years. Starting Jan 8. Hey for woman
Both the grounds and the Capitol tour are great. The former has a decent amount of pleasant seating areas and meaningful monuments. Very clean and litter-free, of course.The hourly guided tours are very educational and the tour guide I had was very accommodating for those who had special needs or had to leave early. Whether you are an American or a foreign tourist I recommend that you come.This place was designed to impress, and it has been designed and refurbished well.
Very Cool! I was ignorant to all the history that has happened in Virginia and specifically Richmond! We arrived at about 9:40 on Saturday morning in Feb, it was cold and there were only 4 other people there. We were offered to take the tour and said yes when she said it was free! Our tour only had us and the other 4 people which was nice. Our tour guide was very nice. She was very knowledgeable. It took about an hour. In all of the different rooms there are chairs available so dont worry about standing. All the rooms are available to be seen without a tour with the exception of the Senate and House chambers which the guides have the keys for. Very cool building with lots of history. The outside is just as pretty as the inside. Definitely a must see if you are in Richmond!
We visited this area after the capital closed. It is a beautiful place just to walk around after dinner. The building itself is very aesthetic and is surrounded by paths. If you follow the paths, youll see monuments and fountains. Everything was very clean and seemed safe.
Beautiful and historical... The home to the oldest legislative body in the new world! (400 years+)
Very beautiful structure and a good guided tour which is free and a must when you visit this place. People also come for graduation photography here
Very much enjoyed this self guided tour. We latched on to the end of another tour and learned so much. Its a must visit for all ages!
This was so wonderful great your and the fact that its free, makes this even more awesome..a great way to learn the judicial system up close.. Take your kids your your spouse and its even great for grandparents. Great way to spend the day
Very cool, great free tour, like being in the middle of history.
I mean it’s a statue and stairs and a solid view, but not that big of a deal. Check out Libby park instead
Our field trips tour guide was great! Mock session was very fun and I think the kids learned a lot from a hands in experience at the Capitol.
Wonderful tour - very informative. Free
Pretty nice but no handicap access couldnt enter anything with my child since stroller couldnt go anywhere without carrying it
Nice tour. If you are in the area go
What a dump!
Truly a great (and free) place to see some or our early history. The docent was wonderful (whitty) and got the group involved. The way they did the underground portion of the addition was ingenious. Well worth the 1-2 hours.
We were suprised with the excellent (free) tour we took here. The tour guide was very well informed and the architecture and decor offered much insight into the history of the building which was designed by Thomas Jefferson. There are many original artifacts to see which enhance the tour. The tour took about an hour but you may spend another half hour looking at the exhibits at the entrance. A definite must see on your visit to Richmond.
I live nearby so Ive walked the grounds plenty of times. If you go in the spring the tulips are especially pretty. This trip I decided to take a visiting family member on the free tour of the building itself. The entrance is where 10th hits Bank Street. The tour guide we had was fantastic. The inside was marvelous and we learned a great deal about the history of the building. I would definitely recommend to travelers and locals alike.
Beautiful place to take a stroll and admire downtown Richmond!
Very old and Gold Building nice to visit.
Mark is a tremendous guide! Great history & civics lesson through a tour.
I enjoy doing the guided tour. This was my third time.
Do the tour.. the people are so knowledgeable and friendly. When i went to the other historical sites i knew how it was all connected by the knowledge shared with me here. Cant wait to revisit and say hello.
Visited the Virginia State Capitol yesterday and it by far was one of the most impressive sites in Richmond. Designed by Thomas Jefferson with even his original model on display. The Washington statue is the only one known and done from a life mask of George Washington himself while alive.