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The Arkansas State Capitol is a beautiful capitol building with cool monuments on the grounds around it. It doesn't have the sheer size of some of the other capitol buildings. But the smaller marble staircases are just as beautiful. I went on a Sunday, so there were only a few other tourists wandering around. The bad part of going on a Sunday is there is no official tour, so I did not get to see the treasury vault and the house and senate chambers were closed. I was able to wander on my own and admire the rotunda, the gold entry doors, pretty murals, and historical exhibits spread throughout the building. The original Supreme court room was open as well as the Governor's reception room. Another Capitol Building has now been checked off my list.
STUNNING building. If you don't care to see people working or for the gift shop go on a Sunday morning!! I went and was the ONLY person in there (besides security) for around two hours!! It was amazing, all the main rooms you'd see on a weekday were still open so you got to see it all still. It is the perfect time and place for grad photos or engagement pictures.
Nice self guided visit to the Arkansas State Capitol. After a short security check, we were given a booklet that guides you through the Capitol. The security guards also gave us a quick briefing. The Arkansas State Capitol was built after the St. Louis architect George Mann showed his winning design for the Montana State Capitol to Governor Daniel Jones in 1899. After a selection process which was opposed by future Governor George Donaghey, Mann's design was approved. Once Donaghey was elected Governor, he removed Mann from the project. Construction took 16 years. The new Capitol was built on the site of a state penitentiary. The incarcerated provided labor for the job. They lived in prison dormitories that were parallel to the building. The Capitol is built from limestone that was quarried in Arkansas. It went over the 1 million dollar budget costing over twice as much, $2.2 million. Take time to explore the common rooms like the house and senate as well as the information along the state flag lined corridors. Make sure to go to the fourth floor. Loved seeing women in politics even in the early 1900s. No need for a reservation. Open until 3 PM on Saturday. Lots of parking available on the weekends.
Didn't go inside but the grounds around the capital have some beautiful monuments. Definitely make a stop.
A nice site to check out, especially at night. A little smaller than I expected. I enjoyed seeing the different memorials around the capitol building.
We've been to 38 state capitals and this is one of our favorites. We stopped on a Friday afternoon. Their website says they close at 3:00 on Friday. We also stopped at an Arkansas welcome center on the highway earlier in the day that had hundreds of pamphlets about Arkansas attractions but nothing about the capital. Didn't seem like they wanted people to visit the capital based on short hours and no literature so we didn't expect much. Boy we're we wrong. Once we got inside, we found out that they are open until 5:00 on Friday. The website is wrong and it needs updating. There were no guided tours but they had a printed handout we could use for a self guided tour. The associate at the desk where we checked in was very personable and helpful. We started our walk around and the place was beautiful and clean. When we got to the Governor's office, the receptionist waved us in and welcomed us. She was personable and apologized that we couldn't see the inner office because there was a function going on at the time. We then checked out the House and the Senate. There was also a new display being set up "Voices and Votes - Democracy in America" designed and circulated by the Smithsonian. We talked to a couple of the capital police officers who were providing security. They, too, we're personable. There was a military retirement ceremony going on in the rotunda while we were there. It was interesting to watch. The police that we spoke to said that they regularly use the capital for a lot of similar functions. That's better than some capitals we've been to that are basically empty and feel like a museum. We then wanted to see the Treasurer's vault we saw in the handout. Once we found the office, we were welcomed in and invited to actually go into the vault. We were told about the history of the vault and then my wife was handed 21 pounds (tens of thousands of dolof $100 bills to have her picture taken! They are proud to say that this is the only state capital that will let you into their vault. The capital is very nice but the people were even nicer. Of our 38 capital visits, this is easily in the top 5.
Guided tours were cancelled due to COVID, but we were still able to do free self-guided tours. You can sometimes walk into the Supreme Court, house, and senate gathering rooms depending on what is going on. The 4th floor has the best exhibits in my opinion. You can reach it using the small staircase or the elevator. You'll see a few on the 1st floor too but it's more like clutter. Finding parking was tough due to reserved spots, but it was doable.
Had a really nice free tour here and learned a lot about the capital. Our tour guide was very engaging and told some great stories.
Behold, the dome! It's cute and all, but that's not the capitol's selling point for me. This is my 2nd visit to the capitol building, but it ain't to see the building, it's to see the Little Rock Nine memorial statue. -- Gah! I just love it! The setup with the "Nine" looking toward the capitol building was a phenomenal placement idea. Also, the plaques with quotes from each of the nine kinda' does it for me. Great history and great execution. Governor Huckabee DID THAT during his tenure! I'm a proud supporter, and I'm not even an Arkansan. Footnote: *I beg your pardon, I'm feelin' really colloquial tonight.*
Just passing through, I made a slight detour and stopped here to walk the grounds of the Capitol and take some pictures, capturing my ninth State Capitol (see the list). On a Sunday afternoon, I had no trouble parking my u-Haul across the street in an empty parking lot for a half hour and was not hassled. Built between 1899 and 1915, the Capitol is a stunning building with a massive dome that can be seen from quite the distance. Lots of grass and trees on the grounds, which have been dotted with a number of important memorials including a Monument to Confederate Women, Medal of Honor recipients and the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial. All are worth a look. Sadly, not open for tours on this particular Sunday.
This my 8th State Capitol visit. This is not the most fancy state Capitol but have beautiful dome. The front entrance is permanently close for symbolization. This state capital is where Bill Clinton work for 10 years in 3 term. He was elected as governor then lost his second term. Then he reelected for two terms before become the president. Like most of the state capital, they have two wings. But this state capital include the Supreme Court other than the house and senate. I like the big dome that allow visitor to the fourth floor. You can look down and give you an awesome view. We went to the senate and house chamber. They also have the shoe shine on the third floor. We saw a lot of statues at the surrounding state Capitol lawn. The entrance is from the tunnel below the front entrance.
I had a great time on my Capitol visit. Mostly everyone was friendly. I took the walking tour. I was a little curious and tried to get in every door. I got a couple of dirty looks, especially from the State Auditor's office. Maybe I overstepped my boundaries though. The Supreme Court was pretty cool, as was the Land Commissioner's office. They were extra friendly and welcomed me right in. The room with all the old maps was really cool. On the second floor, the Treasury is a must stop! The gentleman there was so nice and brought me right in. He gave me the full tour right into the vault and offered a ton of information. The highlight was stacking $500,000 cash in my hands and then taking a pic for me. Even though I couldn't keep it, it kept me smiling all night! The second floor also hosts the Governor's Reception Room, very nice. I knocked on the door to the Governor's Suite and was surprised when they buzzed me in. They were a little confused as to why I was there but I explained I was on the tour and requested to meet the Governor. The nice lady went into the back (probably just to humor me) and returned a minute later. She said he was not available to see me at the moment but that I could make an appointment and come back. The third floor held the House and Senate chambers, also cool to see. There wasn't much more to keep my short attention span occupied so I called it a day. The building itself is very beautiful and parking is available outside. I would definitely recommend stopping in if you have an hour to kill.
A great experience with the people here. The Capitol is beautiful, and you can walk in to almost every area. Upon arrival, we had a chance meeting with both the Secretary of State and the State Treasurer. Both were so friendly and spoke to us for about 20 minutes. We love visiting capitols, but this was by far one of the best experiences!
4 months ago
Haven't walked these halls in a few decades. Lovely exhibits celebrating America 250. We were warmly welcomed with Arkansas hospitality and able to explore the exhibits. Definitely worth a visit! read more
Construction of the capital took 16 years, from 1899 to 1915. It was built on the site of the state penitentiary & prisoners helped construct the building. They lived in a dormitory that was on Capitol grounds. The exterior of the Capitol is made of Arkansas limestone. It cost $2.2 million (or $320 million in 2014 dollars). The front entrance Tiffany doors are made of bronze, which are 10 ft tall OK this gotta be an elevator here 10,000. The cupola or dome is covered in 24 karat gold leaf. The government was formerly located in the Old State House. read more
1 year ago
Both my husband and I were born and raised in Arkansas, but neither of us had ever toured the state capitol building -- until we found ourselves with some time to kill while back in the state visiting relatives. The building is beautiful and elegant and on the day we visited, it was very quiet. We only saw a few other visitors. We did a self-guided tour while awaiting a guided one. Our guide, Nancy Martinsen, led us around the elaborate structure while telling us all about how it came to be built where it was and by who. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit inside and then went outside to look at the Little Rock Nine monument located on the capitol grounds. Everyone we encountered was very friendly and welcoming. read more
The Arkansas State Capitol is a beautiful capitol building with cool monuments on the grounds around it. It doesn't have the sheer size of some of the other capitol buildings. But the smaller marble staircases are just as beautiful. I went on a Sunday, so there were only a few other tourists wandering around. The bad part of going on a Sunday is there is no official tour, so I did not get to see the treasury vault and the house and senate chambers were closed. I was able to wander on my own and admire the rotunda, the gold entry doors, pretty murals, and historical exhibits spread throughout the building. The original Supreme court room was open as well as the Governor's reception room. Another Capitol Building has now been checked off my list. read more
STUNNING building. If you don't care to see people working or for the gift shop go on a Sunday morning!! I went and was the ONLY person in there (besides security) for around two hours!! It was amazing, all the main rooms you'd see on a weekday were still open so you got to see it all still. It is the perfect time and place for grad photos or engagement pictures. read more
Nice self guided visit to the Arkansas State Capitol. After a short security check, we were given a booklet that guides you through the Capitol. The security guards also gave us a quick briefing. The Arkansas State Capitol was built after the St. Louis architect George Mann showed his winning design for the Montana State Capitol to Governor Daniel Jones in 1899. After a selection process which was opposed by future Governor George Donaghey, Mann's design was approved. Once Donaghey was elected Governor, he removed Mann from the project. Construction took 16 years. The new Capitol was built on the site of a state penitentiary. The incarcerated provided labor for the job. They lived in prison dormitories that were parallel to the building. The Capitol is built from limestone that was quarried in Arkansas. It went over the 1 million dollar budget costing over twice as much, $2.2 million. Take time to explore the common rooms like the house and senate as well as the information along the state flag lined corridors. Make sure to go to the fourth floor. Loved seeing women in politics even in the early 1900s. No need for a reservation. Open until 3 PM on Saturday. Lots of parking available on the weekends. read more
4 years ago
A nice site to check out, especially at night. A little smaller than I expected. I enjoyed seeing the different memorials around the capitol building. read more
4 years ago
We've been to 38 state capitals and this is one of our favorites. We stopped on a Friday afternoon. Their website says they close at 3:00 on Friday. We also stopped at an Arkansas welcome center on the highway earlier in the day that had hundreds of pamphlets about Arkansas attractions but nothing about the capital. Didn't seem like they wanted people to visit the capital based on short hours and no literature so we didn't expect much. Boy we're we wrong. Once we got inside, we found out that they are open until 5:00 on Friday. The website is wrong and it needs updating. There were no guided tours but they had a printed handout we could use for a self guided tour. The associate at the desk where we checked in was very personable and helpful. We started our walk around and the place was beautiful and clean. When we got to the Governor's office, the receptionist waved us in and welcomed us. She was personable and apologized that we couldn't see the inner office because there was a function going on at the time. We then checked out the House and the Senate. There was also a new display being set up "Voices and Votes - Democracy in America" designed and circulated by the Smithsonian. We talked to a couple of the capital police officers who were providing security. They, too, we're personable. There was a military retirement ceremony going on in the rotunda while we were there. It was interesting to watch. The police that we spoke to said that they regularly use the capital for a lot of similar functions. That's better than some capitals we've been to that are basically empty and feel like a museum. We then wanted to see the Treasurer's vault we saw in the handout. Once we found the office, we were welcomed in and invited to actually go into the vault. We were told about the history of the vault and then my wife was handed 21 pounds (tens of thousands of dolof $100 bills to have her picture taken! They are proud to say that this is the only state capital that will let you into their vault. The capital is very nice but the people were even nicer. Of our 38 capital visits, this is easily in the top 5. read more
6 years ago
Guided tours were cancelled due to COVID, but we were still able to do free self-guided tours. You can sometimes walk into the Supreme Court, house, and senate gathering rooms depending on what is going on. The 4th floor has the best exhibits in my opinion. You can reach it using the small staircase or the elevator. You'll see a few on the 1st floor too but it's more like clutter. Finding parking was tough due to reserved spots, but it was doable. read more
Behold, the dome! It's cute and all, but that's not the capitol's selling point for me. This is my 2nd visit to the capitol building, but it ain't to see the building, it's to see the Little Rock Nine memorial statue. -- Gah! I just love it! The setup with the "Nine" looking toward the capitol building was a phenomenal placement idea. Also, the plaques with quotes from each of the nine kinda' does it for me. Great history and great execution. Governor Huckabee DID THAT during his tenure! I'm a proud supporter, and I'm not even an Arkansan. Footnote: *I beg your pardon, I'm feelin' really colloquial tonight.* read more
Just passing through, I made a slight detour and stopped here to walk the grounds of the Capitol and take some pictures, capturing my ninth State Capitol (see the list). On a Sunday afternoon, I had no trouble parking my u-Haul across the street in an empty parking lot for a half hour and was not hassled. Built between 1899 and 1915, the Capitol is a stunning building with a massive dome that can be seen from quite the distance. Lots of grass and trees on the grounds, which have been dotted with a number of important memorials including a Monument to Confederate Women, Medal of Honor recipients and the Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial. All are worth a look. Sadly, not open for tours on this particular Sunday. read more
This my 8th State Capitol visit. This is not the most fancy state Capitol but have beautiful dome. The front entrance is permanently close for symbolization. This state capital is where Bill Clinton work for 10 years in 3 term. He was elected as governor then lost his second term. Then he reelected for two terms before become the president. Like most of the state capital, they have two wings. But this state capital include the Supreme Court other than the house and senate. I like the big dome that allow visitor to the fourth floor. You can look down and give you an awesome view. We went to the senate and house chamber. They also have the shoe shine on the third floor. We saw a lot of statues at the surrounding state Capitol lawn. The entrance is from the tunnel below the front entrance. read more
I had a great time on my Capitol visit. Mostly everyone was friendly. I took the walking tour. I was a little curious and tried to get in every door. I got a couple of dirty looks, especially from the State Auditor's office. Maybe I overstepped my boundaries though. The Supreme Court was pretty cool, as was the Land Commissioner's office. They were extra friendly and welcomed me right in. The room with all the old maps was really cool. On the second floor, the Treasury is a must stop! The gentleman there was so nice and brought me right in. He gave me the full tour right into the vault and offered a ton of information. The highlight was stacking $500,000 cash in my hands and then taking a pic for me. Even though I couldn't keep it, it kept me smiling all night! The second floor also hosts the Governor's Reception Room, very nice. I knocked on the door to the Governor's Suite and was surprised when they buzzed me in. They were a little confused as to why I was there but I explained I was on the tour and requested to meet the Governor. The nice lady went into the back (probably just to humor me) and returned a minute later. She said he was not available to see me at the moment but that I could make an appointment and come back. The third floor held the House and Senate chambers, also cool to see. There wasn't much more to keep my short attention span occupied so I called it a day. The building itself is very beautiful and parking is available outside. I would definitely recommend stopping in if you have an hour to kill. read more
A great experience with the people here. The Capitol is beautiful, and you can walk in to almost every area. Upon arrival, we had a chance meeting with both the Secretary of State and the State Treasurer. Both were so friendly and spoke to us for about 20 minutes. We love visiting capitols, but this was by far one of the best experiences! read more
This review is of the exterior memorials and Capitol building. The Arkansas State Capital building absolutely gorgeous. What makes this even more enticing is the surrounding memorials. Among the several different memorials, there is one dedicated to the "Little Rock Nine." The grounds are pristine and jaw dropping gorgeous. Most certainly worth a quick visit, if you're in the downtown area. read more
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11 years ago
Great tour even though it was being renovated. Loved the Vault tour and the Land office tour. read more
16 years ago
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