iowa capitol building tour

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How Do I Visit the Iowa State Capitol?

The Iowa State Capitol and its golden dome have stood as a shining symbol of Iowa government and politics since its completion in 1886. The Capitol welcomed nearly 78,000 visitors from across the state, nation, and world last year. Formal and self-guided tours are available at no charge.  

The Iowa State Capitol is open Monday through Saturday for self guided tours or guided tours for groups of 10 or more.

Tours of the Capital

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (building locks at 4:45 p.m.)

Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

If you have ten or more people in your group you can call us, or complete a  Tour Request , for a guided tour. Smaller groups should call 515.281.5591. Tours can be scheduled Monday through Saturday.

Location - Address: 1007 East Grand Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50319

Video and pictorial tours of the capitol and capitol grounds.

You can visit the Capital virtually by looking at our video and pictorial tours of the Capital and Capital grounds.

Related Agency - Iowa Legislature

Address:  State Capitol, 1007 E Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50319

Phone:  (515) 281-5129

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Iowa state capitol visitor guide, capitol tours and resources, capitol complex events, parking map, driving directions, iowa legislature.

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Top Tips for an Iowa State Capitol Tour

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Have you been thinking about taking an Iowa State Capitol tour? It was on my list of things to do for quite some time! Now that I’ve done it, I can tell you it’s definitely worth your time to tour the Iowa Capitol building.

While I’ve known for a while (I’m talking years here) that we could tour the Iowa State Capitol building, we hadn’t made the time to do it. While we were at the Capitol for the march this weekend, I made a comment about how some weekend we need to make time to take a tour of the Capitol.

“Why not now?” my husband suggested.

Iowa State Capitol Tour with Kids

I wasn’t sure we’d be able to get a tour by just walking in last minute. I was surprised to learn that tours run regularly Monday through Saturday, and while they recommend scheduling a tour, they can often accommodate walk-ins. 

We went through security and were able to quickly join a guided tour that had started a few minutes prior. The front desk was incredibly helpful and let us join an in-progress tour as we didn’t want to wait a half hour for the next one (waiting and kids don’t always mix well). 

Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and adept at entertaining the mix of adults and kids in our group. I wasn’t sure how interested my kids would be in the tour, but they LOVED it! 

We all learned a lot about the Des Moines Capitol, from its history to the interior decor to funny stories about our state senators.

The one thing I enjoyed about doing this tour on a Saturday was that we had access to several rooms we wouldn’t have been allowed in during the weekdays. The library, for example, was my favorite room. 

If the House and/or the Senate were in session, our guide wouldn’t have been able to speak while we were in those rooms. That’s where we got all of the good stories – another benefit of a Saturday tour! 

However, I would like to go back during the week sometime so we could see the building while it’s bustling.

The Iowa Statehouse was built from 1871-1886 and displays magnificent 19th-century architecture. The gorgeous dome is gilded with 23-karat gold leaf. The highlight of our tour came at the very end when we had the option to go up into that amazing dome! 

Unfortunately, children need to be ages 6+ to climb up into the dome. Our youngest is 5 1/2  and our oldest is afraid of heights. There was nowhere for them to wait by themselves, so Hubs had to miss out while our middle child and I went. 

We loved looking down and being so close to the top, but the walk up the winding narrow staircase was a tad dizzying for me and a few others in our group.

Tips for Touring the Des Moines Capitol Building

Where is the Iowa State Capitol building? The Iowa Capitol building is located at 1007 E. Grand Avenue in Des Moines . 

Where do you park at the Iowa State Capitol? Complimentary parking is available in the Capitol Complex Parking Garage located at the corner of East Grand Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue. Metered parking is also available on the street surrounding the building.

What time are Iowa State Capitol tours? Tours are available Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and Saturday 8 am to 4 pm. Tours last approximately 75 to 90 minutes.

What is the cost to tour the Des Moines Capitol? Tours are free. You can book a tour by calling 515-281-5591. The tour guides and gift shop are located on the ground floor of the rotunda. For more info, visit: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/resources/tourCapitol  

I’m still shocked at how well the kids did with this tour and how much they learned. There’s also an option to do a self-tour of the building, but I highly recommend doing a guided tour because you get good, inside info.

Whether you live nearby or are planning to visit Iowa, I highly recommend making a plan to tour the Iowa State Capitol today!

About the Author

Ashlen Sheaffer is a proud Des Moines resident who was born and raised here. Ashlen wears many hats: mom, wife, daycare provider at her in-home daycare, blogger and co-owner at The Kidsperts, children’s book author, and co-director and producer for the upcoming play Expressing Motherhood play. In her free time Ashlen enjoys exploring all Des Moines has to offer, road trips, and adventuring all with the kids in tow. Ashlen is super excited to be able to share some of her family’s adventuring with other Iowans and get other families out into the community.

Follow her:

Website:  www.thek i dsperts.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ashlen.kidspert

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/AshlenSheaffer

Instagram:  https://instagram.com/ashlen_at_the_kidsperts/

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The Iowa State Capitol Tour: All the Details

When you get the opportunity to walk in any State Capitol, you have to go for it. I mean, why not? It’s completely free. It’s filled with history, artwork, and it’s where decisions are made.

Walking in, a feeling takes over you of awe and respect. It doesn’t matter where your politics lie. The Iowa State Capitol Tour in Des Moines didn’t disappoint.

Last summer, I was on a quest to see the Iowa State Fair . It had gotten so much praise, I had to find out if it lived up to its hype. But one thing I didn’t expect was to be parking on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol.

When we wrapped up our fair fun, we decided we’d take a peek inside. It may have been the highlight of my day walking through the doors.

Types of Tours

There are two basic ways to tour the Capitol. With a Tour Guide or Solo. If you have the time, I highly recommend taking a guided tour. We did it at the MN State Capitol and they will unlock all kinds of different doors to legislative rooms.

The only downside to guided tours is that they usually take about an hour. They will customize the tour based on the group’s needs and show you what you are most interested in. But if the group includes more than just you, chances are you will end up doing the full tour.

The self guided tour is a great way to do the tour if you are shorter on time. Or are with people that may not be as great of listeners during a presentation.

For those that like to linger longer and take pictures, this is the way to go too. The only downside is that if the doors are shut, you probably can’t go in.

If you are planning on doing a self guided tour , download one of these maps, so you can use your cellphone and get the guided tour. Just remember your earbuds.

The Iowa State Capitol also a virtual tour available for those that cannot make it in person. You can get to it at https://www.legis.iowa.gov/resources/tourCapitol .

Our Iowa State Capitol Tour

Inside the Capitol, you can meet up at the Capitol Tour Guides desk and Capitol Gift Shop to start your official tour. The tours start every few minutes once they’ve gathered a group of people.

They run Monday – Friday from 8-5pm and Saturday from 9-4pm. Because of the impromptu nature of our visit and the tired state we were all in from walking around the fairground in 100-degree weather, we opted to do a self guided tour.

Designing the Capitol

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Capitol is how ornate it is. There is no bare wall in the place. Every banister, molding, and wall has some meticulously designed carvings.

The Grand Staircase connects the first and second floors and is constructed of several types of marble. Everything there is was designed to command respect. The art starts at the bottom and goes all the way up to the domed ceiling, the tiled floor.

The Capitol’s Size

The Capitol is not small by any means. From the outside, it appears huge. Even walking up the Grand Staircase, you know it’s got some size to it.

Once inside the main Rotunda, it’s got a coziness to it. Go one direction, and you’ve reached the Senate and the other size the House of Representatives.

On the main level, you’ll find the Supreme Court. But even though everything may seem grand and intimidating, it’s very compact. That is until you sit in the Senate or House.

Don’t Miss These Displays.

One of the favorites for kids to visit is the USS Iowa. It’s a complete replicate of the battleship USS Iowa that served during WWII up until 1990. The model is on loan from the U.S. Navy Department. The actual battleship has been residing in Las Angeles as a Museum .

For the girls, their favorite is the replicas of the Inaugural Gowns miniaturized on Dolls. The dresses first made an appearance as part of a biennial celebration in 1976.

It’s filled with over 40 porcelain dolls all with replicate dresses. It’s a fun look at fashion through time.

Other Things to Know

The tour is completely FREE. That is what I love about this country, all the government-related activities are Free.

The Iowa State Capitol is open Monday – Friday from 8-5pm and Saturdays from 9-4pm.

Where to Park for an Iowa State Capitol Tour

On a normal day, can park in a few of the public lots. Most of the lots are designated for legislative use, but they do have a few lots reserved for visitors. The closest to the main visitor’s entrance is Lot 6 on Walnut Street.

Though it may be easier to view their map because they have a lot of lots surrounding the building. They want all visitors to go through a secured entrance because there is a metal detector used. It’s nothing to stress you about. For directions on Google, click here: Directions.

Tips for your visit

• There are a few prohibited items, like … but nothing out of the ordinary.
• If you have a group of 10 or more, schedule a tour in advance. That way they can have staff on hand and you will have a more enjoyable time.

If you want to learn more about the Iowa State Capitol building and its tours check out their website: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/resources/tourCapitol . They have all kinds of resources on their history and different things to see and do there.

Other Things to Do Around the Iowa State Capitol

Other attractions to visit.

If you decide to visit during August, hit up the Iowa State Fair. But beyond that, there is a lot of things you can see and do in the area. Like walking the Capitol grounds and seeing some o the art.

There is also the American Enterprise Art Park in downtown Des Moines and the Pappa John Sculpture Park. Visit Catch Des Moines for more great ideas. You can also pick up a copy of Iowa Off the Beaten Path by Lori Erickson .

Where to Eat Nearby

Zombie Burger and Drink Lab , Smokey D’s BBQ and Tacopocalypse , both featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives are all highly recommend.

Zombie Burger and Drink Lab and Tacopocalypse is are just a few minutes’ drives, where Smokey D’s is a little longer, but totally worth it if you love BBQ.

If you only have an Hour

Really the tour should only take about an hour but if you are short on time, make sure you look around in the first-floor lobby and see some of the amazing artwork and the dome.

Grab a pamphlet from the visitor’s center and enjoy a peek at the history.

Minnesota native and Midwest travel expert Jennifer provides insider tips and budget-friendly trip ideas for families looking to explore the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Through her travel blog DayTripper28, she draws on first-hand experience to recommend the best hidden gems, outdoor adventures, road trips, and weekend getaways around Minnesota and the Midwest. With her passion for uncovering local flavors and culture along the backroads, Jennifer shares affordable itineraries for creating memorable experiences across the region.

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A Day Trip to the Des Moines, Iowa State Capitol Building

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After a busy spring day at school packed with all sorts of meetings, travel, and chaos my husband and I looked at each other and declared it was past time to schedule a hooky day. We scheduled a personal day off to spend together and decided to explore the Iowa State Capitol building in Des Moines – the state capitol of Iowa.

For more information about tours, directions, etc. you can visit the Iowa Legislature page .

WARNING – LOTS of photos ahead of the Iowa state capitol building inside and out! It’s just stunning! It’s the whole reason I wanted to visit the capitol building – just to take photographs and explore!

I’ve driven past this stunning building multiple times but never had the chance to take a photo of it. That gorgeous dome is covered in 23K gold. It’s even more stunning in person and you can see it from far away while traveling through the city. If you take a special tour you can go almost all the way up in the dome.

Inside the Iowa State Capitol Building:

This marble grand staircase inside the capitol building is absolutely grandiose. Although my husband takes the students at school every year for tours we decided since we wanted to maximize our day out that we would just wander around inside the capitol building until we were done.

Unfortunately that means we did not get to go up inside the dome since our friends in the Senate were off for the day so hopefully I’ll get a chance to go back and do that sometime.

As you can imagine just like any state capitol building the Iowa capitol building is beautiful. The architecture and detail everywhere is worth taking your time walking through to appreciate.

Des Moines is a fascinating city to explore and it’s capitol building is PACKED with history – everything from showcases of the current governor’s keepsakes to models of the USS Iowa – including it’s ship bell! (Did you know that Iowa residents get to board and visit the USS Iowa for FREE? It’s stationed in California!)

So I’m not going to lie – it was really easy to get lost here! It didn’t seem that you could just go up the stairs and see everything on that floor – there were different stairwells for various sections of that floor just like in the University of Iowa.

This was an interesting feature of history – every governor’s wife gets a doll made fashioned to her style at the time. It was neat to view the various fashions over the decades. A little creepy maybe? A nice nod though to hidden women in history!

Law Library in the Iowa State Capitol Building:

AH-HAH! T.H.I.S. The Des Moines capitol building law library – that’s exactly why I wanted to visit the capitol building in the first place! I saw a photo of the library on Pinterest a while back and the ornate decor immediately caught my interest. These library stairs are something special – even if you can’t go all the way up.

The library is packed floor to ceiling with all sorts of nooks, crannies, and original furniture. In fact the glass lamps are original with the building – they wired everything to transform the gas lights to electric and kept the original globes.

Unfortunately you are only allowed to walk around on the main floor but thankfully they do allow you to climb part of the stairs to get a better view of the library.

I wish I had brought my zoom lens because we could see amazing tattered books high on the 3rd floor that looked ancient. I can only imagine the age of the books in this treasure trove.

I’m so glad I had the chance to drool at the library for a little bit! It even had an old card catalog stationed by the desk!

Here’s an inside shot of the rotunda – I was fascinated by the top squares you see there – every single square had an individual light that was lit up inside.

Strangely enough I found this to be the most beautiful spot in the state capitol building. We were walking around behind this set of stairs to look out the window over the city and as I glanced up I was hit by the colorful ornateness. (ok – probably not a word but it sums up the feeling!)

In the bottom of the capitol building, which is actually the main hallway you walk through after going through the metal detectors is a small gift shop and display with historical items from the original building between large sections of the building in 1904.

The few items there are fascinating (especially the library door hinges!) and the gift shop is CHEAP CHEAP! If you ever wanted an Iowa souvenir that’s the place to go!

We stopped in for a quick bite to eat at Zombie Burger (our fav!), watched the National Parks movie at the science museum IMAX, and popped in to explore at West End Salvage (freaking AMAZING!!!).

Although we didn’t have time to do everything in such a short time some of our other favorite Des Moines area spots to explore are at Big Creek State Park , Jester State Park , the Des Moines Botanical Garden , of course Blank Park Zoo and the Iowa Science Center . If you’re into history Living History Farms and the Jordan House are both great places to schedule a stop.

About Crystal

I'm the product of a family who never travelled and now I can't get enough! Please leave a comment or send me a message with some of your favorite lesser known places to visit - my bucket list in the USA is always expanding! My passion for travel motivated me to drag along my husband and 3 kids until now they are as eager as I am to hit the road! What should we visit near you?

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February 23, 2017 at 6:34 pm

I gew up in Illinois but lived in Az since ’73. Love the midwest but the West is the best. Visit the Chiricahuas in SE Az. Time your hike thru the wonderland of rock formation to be at one of the W overlooks at sunset. Exquisite. Drive up Kitt Pk (70 mi SW of Tucson) take the daytime telescope tour. Make a res for that night to attend the dark sky viewing using their telescopes. Also possible above Tucson at the Mt Lemon observatory. Visit the ICBM museum just S of Tucson, and the huge airplane museum in S Tucson. Take a raft trip thru the Grand Canyon. $$$ but worth every penny. A week long min. Contact Hatch River Trips (among others) located in Marble Canyon. Stay at Marble Cnyn Lodge. Visit Page, Az. Visit Chaco Canyon on the Navajo rez. Attend the rug weaver auction at Crown Pt, NM. Best prices. Stay @ Thunderbird Lodge in Chinle, Az. In the morning take the 8 hr 6by6 truck ride thru both fingers of Canyon de Chelly (y Canyon del Muerto) the Navajo ancestral home. Drive over Washington Pass (W to E) in the Chuska Mtns on the Nav rez. The view over the badlands is superb on a clear day. At the bottom turn N to Shiprock, Farmington and Mesa Verde, or S to Gallup. Take the narrow gage train from Durango, Co to Silverton. Spend the night in Silverton, or try the Strater Hotel in Durango. See Mesa Verde and the restored kiva in Cortez, Co. Stay in Winslow at the restored hotel (famous woman designer named???). In A.M. drive up to the oldest continuously inhabited village in the US @ the Hopi 2nd mesa. Oraibi? Take the guided walking tour. Bring $100 bucks cash for good buys on Kachinas, pottery and to pay the guide. These folks are very poor. Visit Taos via the road from Raton, then to Santa Fe. Drive over Taos Canyon. Raft the Taos box. Take the tram ride up the mtn in Albuquerque at sunset. Eat dinner at the High Finance steak house perched on the cliff above Albuquerque. You can see the lights of Santa Fe 60 miles away on the N side. Drive S of I-40 to Acoma (between Albq and Grants, NM) Take the walking tour of this amazing cliff top pueblo. Read the history, esp the Pueblo revolt of 1680. Walk the original carved stone steps down off this mesa instead of the tram ride back to the visiter center. Requires comfy shoes, marginal phys condition, tolerance to heights but nothing like a Grand Canyon hike. Wonderful views. As always on the rez, be very aware of camera shyness when photographing individuals!! This just scratches the surface.

March 6, 2017 at 3:29 pm

WOW! These are some fantastic suggestions and many I had not heard of – thank you so much!

June 7, 2017 at 5:46 am

I was able to visit the Iowa Capitol in May 2014. It is one of my favorite Capitols. I have been blessed to have visited 27 State Capitols. I love your photos of the Iowa Capitol. Thank you for posting them along with your comments.

If you ever make it to Texas, I recommend San Antonio. There are 5 Spanish missions there, the Alamo is one of them. These missions are nearly 300 years old. I think all, but the Alamo are active Catholic Churches. There is a dam and aquaduct (nearly 300 years old) that are part of an irrigation system that is still in use today.

Of course visit the Alamo too. Not far from the Alamo is the San Antonio River Walk, something to experience. Do not go in the summer when it is hot!

April 4, 2019 at 7:07 pm

Thanks for the tour. Love your photos. Powell Gardens near Kansas City is fun. Steam Boat Arabia is good too.

February 22, 2023 at 8:41 am

I would be glad to have this Heavenly building as my place of residence in Iowa with the grace and for the glory of our great creator God. In Jesus name. Amen. Peace

Where we’ve been

Privacy Overview

Capitol Complex Events

Capitol Complex Events is responsible for the following functions for the enterprise: parking and building access; coordination of events in the public area of the Capitol, in other buildings on the Capitol Complex (excluding the historical building), and on the Capitol Complex grounds; and providing general information regarding the buildings and grounds on the Capitol Complex. - Iowa Administrative Code, 11-1.4(8A)

Event Resources

• Applications for the use of Capitol Building and Capitol Complex
• Ground Penetration Procedure & Application
• Conference Rooms    for use by state agencies, boards and commissions for authorized purposes

Event assistance: call 515-281-7259 or email ​ [email protected]

Event Calendars

Our embedded calendar allows for a quick review of the scheduled events. Users unable to view the calendar, may have a setting blocking external embeds like on this page. Review your browser settings or use the following direct links.

• Capitol Building 1st Floor Rotunda:  Google Calendar
• Capitol Complex Grounds / Office Buildings:   Google Calendar

Iowa State Capitol

Price & Hours

• Facilities 3.0
• Atmosphere 4.0

The Iowa State Capitol is a favorite of sightseers and history buffs thanks to its grand exterior and ornate interior. Completed in 1886, the capitol building has undergone several restorations. Among its architectural highlights are 29 types of marble, 12 types of wood (all native to Iowa, except mahogany) and the 23-karat gold-covered dome that stands 275 feet above the capitol grounds. Not only is the building home to the governor's offices, the legislature and the old Supreme Court room, but it also shelters several artifacts, including a model of the USS Iowa battleship and several monuments and memorials.

According to past visitors, the capitol building should not be missed thanks to its impressive interior and artwork. Though you can tour the building on your own, some reviewers recommended opting for a guided tour, which can be prearranged by calling the Iowa Capitol Visitor Center.

The capitol is free to tour between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Free guided tours are offered Monday through Saturday and can be scheduled by calling the Iowa Capitol Visitor Center. Public entrances can be found on the ground floor of the capitol on the south and west sides of the building. All visitors must walk through a security scan to enter. The capitol building is located in the city's East Village neighborhood across the Des Moines River from downtown. It is accessible via the free D-Line downtown shuttle. For more information, visit the official Iowa Legislature website .

More Best Things To Do in Des Moines

#1 Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

Despite chilly Midwestern winters, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden remains a year-round top attraction thanks to the site's domed conservatory, which is kept consistently balmy to nurture the tropical plants housed within. Along with palm trees and a waterfall, the conservatory houses a variety of bright flowers, cactuses and succulents, among other plants. Outside the conservatory, there are numerous themed gardens interspersed with sculptures, including a rose garden and a water garden. In total, the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden spans 7 acres.

According to recent visitors, the garden is a worthwhile stop year-round. Many who visited during winter referred to the conservatory as an oasis. Reviewers frequently used words like "beautiful" and "relaxing" to describe the garden.

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Book a Tour

Reservations are recommended .

The Capitol Visitor Center is open Monday-Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tours begin every 10 minutes until 3:20 p.m. All tours are led by our professional tour guides and visit the  Crypt , the  Rotunda  and  National Statuary Hall . The tour does not include the  Senate and House Galleries . The tour route is subject to change.

Reservations are recommended, but not required. Visit the  schedule a tour  page to select a day/time for a reservation. Same day passes may be available. Visitors without reservations are encouraged to arrive at the Capitol Visitor Center as early in the day as possible, but no later than 2:30 p.m., to obtain passes.

All tours, programs and activities are free of charge.

Visitors enter through the Capitol Visitor Center, located underground on the east side of the Capitol. Please leave time to go through security and review the U.S. Capitol’s  prohibited items list  before your visit.

You can begin your Capitol experience at the Visitor Center by visiting Exhibition Hall , perusing our Gift Shops or getting a bite to eat at the Capitol Cafe.

For information on tours offered in Mandarin and Spanish, please view the Foreign Language Tours page.

How Do I Cancel My Reservation?

You can cancel your reservation through your account in the Capitol Visitor Center’s online reservation system.

• Go to  https://tours.visitthecapitol.gov  (A new page will open.)
• Beneath the blue banner reading “Reserve a Tour of the Capitol,” click on the link to log in. (A sign in/signup dialog box will open.)
• In the sign in section, log in with your email address and password.
• Search for reservations by clicking “More” in the “My Reservations” tab.
• Once you have located your reservation, click the link to “Cancel.”