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A great place to visit especially if you are a tourist. It was free and I'm so glad they were open and we had a chance to go see the beautiful place. It was a great architectural marvel! I appreciated every little detail in the design and fascinated by the beauty of it. Again if you have time and want to see a cool place in Austin, I highly recommend visiting the Texas Capital! :)
I always make the effort to visit state capitol whenever possible. This's so far the best Capitol tour I've ever taken. The Texas State Capitol was easily one of the highlights of my Austin trip and the best experience I've had. I joined one of the free guided tours, and it was outstanding. Our tour guide, Diego, did a fantastic job. He was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and passionate about sharing the history of the Capitol. What I appreciated most was how clearly he spoke. He talked at a good pace, projected his voice well, and made sure everyone in the group could hear him. I learned so much about the building, Texas history, and the significance of many of its architectural features. Diego is truly excellent at what he does, and I highly recommend joining one of his tours if you get the chance. The Capitol building itself is impressive. It's the largest state capitol in the United States, and the architecture is beautiful both inside and out. The grounds are also worth exploring, with numerous historical monuments and statues surrounding the building. Visiting is very easy. There's no reservation required for the free tours. Just walk in and join one, with tours departing every 30 minutes. Parking is convenient too, with two hours of free parking available at the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage.
The Texas State Capitol in Austin sits on an amazing campus, with lush bright green grass lighting up the entire downtown area. The exterior of the building itself is both grand and spectacular, and the grounds are filled with historic monuments and plenty of people walking around and enjoying the space. There was someone singing anti-government songs on the front doorstep, a constant occurrence for Austin I hear, and I find it disrespectful. Once inside, the high ceiling is truly impressive and classically elegant. While we did not get to visit every single room, exploring the ones we did was a highlight, as the state's civic history is quite interesting. We enjoyed our short trip to the capitol. If you are spending time in Austin, taking a walk through the grounds and stepping inside this remarkable building is well worth the visit.
Everything really is bigger in Texas! That quote really isn't a myth in any way, shape or form! Steve and I came here for a self guided tour of the Capitol and the place is just massive! It's really cool and we went up a whole bunch of steps to several different levels to look down into the center. It is indeed the largest Capitol building. I learned growing up when we went to the Capitol building with where I was raised (Wyoming) we were told on a guided tour that each Capitol building out of the entire U.S. is unique and has something different to offer. And the Texas Capitol certainly does that. The size is definitely one of those unique characteristics but the structure and architecture of it also is as well! There are all sorts of great posing opportunities here inside and outside the Capitol building if you want to do selfies but also good ones for scenic purposes too! It's quite a marvel of a building and definitely should be added to your bucket list of sites if you are in Austin!
As a student, you could always count on a trip to the Texas State Capitol at some point during the year. I remember the first time I walked into the Texas State Capitopppl House of Representatives and the Texas Senate Chambers. I was blown away by the size of the rooms and their contents. The State Capitol has a lot of great Texas history embedded in these walls and the floors of the building. It's hard to believe my older brother had never been to the State Capitol, so we decided to visit. He was in the military for 20 years mostly overseas so we extend grace. The Texas State Capitol is one of Austin's most important landmarks. The building was completed in 1888 and houses the Texas Legislature and the Governor's offices. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark. Interestingly,, the Capitol is taller than the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Looking for something free and informational to do in Austin? Visit the State Capitol building. On a recent visit to Austin, I had the opportunity to spend about an hour and a half perusing the Capitol building with a friend. We parked at the public parking garage located about a block away. Once you enter the building, be prepared for a brief security check at entrance - similar to going through TSA, you'll put your items through the scanner and walk through a metal detector. There were several groups that showed up during my visit but overall it was not too busy. There was a sign that noted that free tours were given at what appeared to be on 15-minute intervals. Due to our limited time, we opted to get a self-guided tour brochure and just walk around on our own. I enjoyed perusing the halls, Senate room and House room at my own leisure, though I imagine that I would have learned more if we were with a tour guide. The architecture is gorgeous and lends itself to a very historical feel. The finer details of stars and "Texas" in the ceiling lights was a nice design touch. At the time, there were some who were busy at work in some of the various offices and others that looked to be completing maintenance in the Rooms for the House and Senate. After finished our inside tour, we went outside and walked around the grounds. There are a few monuments to see and the park area around the building provides a beautiful, scenic view. The weather was great and I image that if we had more time, it would have been nice to sit for a bit and bird watch for a bit. The two people that we interacted with, the lady that explained the free and self-guided tours and the security guard at check-in, were both friendly and helpful. It was a worthwhile experience.
Cool place to visit. Did you know it's taller than the US Capitol? . Today they even let us throw a dance party on the steps. A new Republic Of Dance is taking over the Republic Of Texas and I'm all for it. BTW, they do have tours and a great cafeteria too! I enjoy watching the sessions for the house of Representatives
I love when traveling and seeing new places that I could end up in the town of it's states capitol. I loved seeing the Texas state capitol in person. It's very big that even the visitors center is across the way. I think it is definitely worth it visiting here once if in Austin. It is the state capitol and one of the prettiest buildings in Austin.
We enjoyed the free Capitol tour. Our guide was excellent! She provided the right amount of humor and history to keep everyone's attention. My favorite highlights were learned about the moving of governor portraits, the house senate and rep halls, the six flags of Texas and relation to "Six Flags", and the story behind the stone that the Capitol was made out of. Definitely a unique attraction we stumbled upon and I would recommend to others visiting Austin. Not to mention, save some time and enjoy a lunch picnic on the inviting grass in the courtyard and garden.
What an amazing experience visiting the Capitol Building of Austin Texas! Such rich history and being able to see it in person was great! Parking - free two hour parking located 5 minutes from the Capitol Tours - self guided tour following a well written and drawn map. GUIDED TOUR - every 30 minutes there's a guided tour! We absolutely LOVED OUR GUIDES TOUR. We had a lovely person named TRISH and she was phenomenal. Learned so much about the history of Texas and what happens in the Capitol! I would highly recommend getting the guided tour when coming here. It's just so fun learning about things you really wouldn't read about!
The grounds surrounding this building are not the only beautiful thing about it but the architecture of the building is breathtaking and grandiose. Texas pride is no joke and taking a tour of this place proves that tenfold. the architecture is historical in every corner inside with the unbelievably tall ceilings, elegant intricacies, and grand hallways. I loved exploring the legislative chambers. learning about Texas history through the exhibits scattered throughout the building was informative. The guided tours are full of interesting stories and facts, making the whole visit feel quite engaging. The grounds themselves are perfect for a picnic, that adds to the experience. A quintessential Austin experience whether you like US history or architecture, the Texas capitol has a little bit of everything for everyone
The State Capitol building and surrounding parkland is beautiful and fascinating. The layout of the grounds leading to the entrance has bronze statues with historical facts and information. Texas became the 28th State in the USA in December 1845. Prior to that date, it was its own Independent Republic from 1836 to 1845. The first floor has metal detectors to gain entrance. The building is circular in design. From the center of the building you can look upward to see a beautiful glass dome, it tops the 4 story building, which is an impressive 300 feet tall. We were able to enter the Senate and House of Representatives Chambers and take photographs without a flash. You must remove your hat (I was relieved everyone complied without complaining). Our Tour Guide gave us a mini history lesson, she was very knowledgeable and answered questions from the guests. I particularly enjoyed the Second Floor where portraits of each Former Governor are on display. There are too many to mention, so I focused on the first female Governor, Miriam A. Ferguson. She served two terms (1925 to 1927) and (1933 to 1935). I have lived in California all my life and we have NEVER had a female Governor. The details of the beautiful wood and marble furnishings and overall design show the Texas pride! Admission and guided tours are free. Sincerely, Rosemary (Southern California)
Beautiful building. Nice to look at, nothing really exciting unless this is your thing. It was a nice place to cool off, security was heavy so it felt safe and it was relaxing. A must see to check off the list of "things to see in Texas"
Staying at a hotel only a few blocks from the capitol building, I had the pleasure of running in the area on the first morning in Austin and exploring the grounds more while en route to the Bullock and Blanton museums. As advertised, it's a beautiful structure and the grounds are well-maintained. read more
I work in advocacy Virginia, so it was nice to visit the Texas capitol. There are so many hidden corridors here! Around 45 mins we thought we saw everything, went down a different hall and discovery more in the basement and the connection between the capitol and the gift shop area. There's a ton to do on the grounds, but we just went around the capitol and looked at the African American memorial. They do guided tours, but we opted to work around ourselves. Also, the architecture is beautiful! We saw plenty of school groups, quinceañeras and others there to snap pictures with great background. read more
It's often quipped that "everything is bigger in Texas". Well no joke, the Texas State Capitol is the largest state capitol by square footage, eclipsed only by the US capitol in DC. Construction on the original Texas capitol took nearly seven years and was completed in 1888 at a cost of $3.7 million. In 1993, a north extension was added underground so as not to eliminate the view of the north facade of the capitol. In fact, legislators have taken the views quite seriously, enacting an ordinance and later a law prohibiting construction that obstructs views of the capitol from different spots around the city. Parking is available in the visitor's garage on San Jacinto Blvd. The first two hours are free. Admission to the capitol is free, and most of it is open to visitors. Some rooms are open but roped off inside. Good spots to visit are the Senate chamber, House of Representatives chamber, and the Legislative Reference Library. Don't miss the interior of the dome and the floor beneath which is decorated with the seals of the 6 nations that have governed Texas (which is where the Six Flags company name came from). We did the general tour, which was informative but relatively short. There was some interesting information provided, but our tour was shorter than another group's which started at the same time. The length and amount of detail you get probably depends on what tour guide you get. The capitol was one of the more memorable points in our visit to Austin. Recommend! read more
9 years ago
Well, I didn't actually go inside of this building, but I did snap some pictures of it from the outside. But now that I'm looking at some other photos, it looks like some night time shots would have been pretty decent as well! Anyway, this building was built in 1825 by General Custer and has been a monumental landsite for the past 500 years. If you're walking around here, you can probably find a hotdog stand. I mean, I didn't, but if you look real hard I'm sure you can find some. It's Downtown Austin, they probably have a ton of rando stuff! read more
5 years ago
Beautiful and historic building. Impressive sight! If you go to Austin you definitely need to check out this place. read more
5 years ago
This is probably one of the most beautiful capitol buildings I've ever seen. The architecture is just marvelous, the grounds are immaculate, and it's just HUGE!! It took us awhile to walk around the whole block to make it to the front of the building. We didn't look into doing a tour, but will check it out next time we visit. Also, the capitol is beautifully lit a night and you can see it all over the city! read more
Make sure you keep this on your Austin Check List.Parked our car on the street($2 for 2 hrs)behind the capitol . There are lot of people roaming around but the line is pretty small to enter the building. There is no admission fee which is a good part. Just go through the security check and boom you see the amazing ceiling . Definitely a great architecture which you must not miss. Pros: ------- Amazing Architecture Free Admission Street Parking and Paid Parking In Downtown 6th street , Congress Bridge is walkable Lots of Greenery Good for Photoshoots Cons: -------- None to me read more
National Register of Historic Places National Historic Landmark The Capitol is visually prominent as you drive down Congress Ave. It has 360,000 square feet of floor space, more than any other state capitol building. The interior features portraits of every person who has served as president of the Republic of Texas or governor of the State of Texas. There are guided tours, but we just walked around on our own. The rotunda was nice. We also visited the Senate and House chambers, which had Christmas trees. read more
There is parking in the garage for guests then you can walk over to State Capitol. You have to go through a metal detector and have your bags check at the entrance. There is a tour you can take but we opted to walk around on our own. Definitely a must-see if you're in Austin. The building was magnificent from the outside to inside. A couple of floors, Texas history written across every wall, and a beautiful ceiling. A great place to take pictures. Bookmark this place for your trip to Austin! read more
A must see for anyone visiting Austin! This iconic building is good to see anytime...day, night, close up or from a distance. It has great architecture which is on par with other historical masterpieces. The rotunda is slightly taller than the U.S. Capitol (you know the saying...everything is bigger in Texas) and the well manicured grounds are a delight to take a relaxed stroll through. This building is inspiring to just about everyone of any age. Tours can be self guided or docent lead (both are free) or you can roam the Capitol building at your own leisurely pace taking in the sites of this magnificent structure. Make sure to visit both the Senate and House of Representatives chambers, the portrait gallery of past governors in the Rotunda (which include some familiar faces...hint the current Secretary of Energy and a past U.S. President), the various statues/monuments throughout the grounds as well as the visitors centre. Hint: While in the Rotunda look down at the floor and you'll see the symbols of the six different flags that flew over Texas. Overall, this is a gorgeous piece of land located on a ridge overlooking Congress Ave. This well-manicured, lush landscaped piece of property with undulating gardens, lawns and trees should not be missed! "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppressions, come from what source it may." --Sam Houston read more
4 years ago
Must see place. Good for photos. Architectural stuffs and pretty nice ambience. Highly recommend for sight seeing. read more
4 years ago
A beautiful building in Austin with a great campus and free tours - it's a great attraction to visit if you want see some of the historical parts of the city. The tour itself, I found a little boring - but I think it depends on the guide you get...ours spoke in a flat voice and didn't seem too excited about anything that was going on and it was quite tough to hear him as well. Despite that, there's so much beauty and architecture here, that even walking around for a self guided tour is worthwhile. read more
9 years ago
Impeccably kept grounds and knowledgeable tour guides. Be aware that if you're going during the week, you'll likely encounter brace teachers shepherding hundreds of school children through the capital. As non Texans, we were amused by the ample usage of State symbolism throughout the building. There are lone stars EVERYWHERE! It was also cool to learn about history and geek out for an hour. If you get overwhelmed with information you can always head to 6th street and dumb down afterwards. The location is centrally located near excellent restaurants and bars. read more
We had some time between wedding events. My family and friends stopped to see the Pecan Street Festival. The sun was just too strong to enjoy it. The Texas State Capitol Building was just a few blocks away and after reading the earlier reviews, we thought it would be a nice (air conditioned) diversion. And, it was. We got there just in time for a Docent who was starting a tour. The tour was under an hour and the building was huge. Even though we saw a small part, there was so much it was hard to take in. Of course, in the times we live, you go through metal detectors before you are allowed to enter. For Texans with carry permits, no guns are allowed. You start right in the entryway where there are some beautiful oil paintings of the fall of the Alamo, the surrender of Santa Ana. Just a little further in start oil paintings - portraits of Texas Governors, all of the way back to the President of the Republic of Texas. And, the Capitol Dome is gorgeous from the inside. There are multiple levels to the building, both above and below ground. After walking through the main level of the old building, we went up to see the chambers of the Senate and the House. The paintings, the furniture, the decor was magnificent. While the Docent did not know everything about every item, what she did know was more than enough. One very interesting item was the desks were actually original to the building. There were two changes made to the desks over time: (1) there is now a phone on each desk and (2) where the inkwells used to be, there are now microphones. Then, we went down. Since the government has grown over the years and there was no way to build additions upward, they build underground and to the side. From the lower level, there was a beautiful view of the original Capitol building and the dome. We saw more history - busts, two walls dedicated the Texas Medal of Honor winners and more paintings. At the end, of course, you pass the gift shop. If you are in Austin you have to see this. It will be well worth your time. And, it's free. read more
The Texas State Capitol is a very nice building, and I liked that they gave a free (and informative) tour. We had the last tour of the day, so our tour guide was struggling a bit, but I still enjoyed walking around and seeing where the legislative process took place in the state of Texas. As a tourist, you probably won't spend more than 30 minutes here anyway, so you might as well try to catch a 30-minute tour and get some learning in. It was also pretty cold that day, so finding a cheap indoor activity was a welcomed respite from the elements. read more
I admit it took me awhile to come here with so many distractions in Austin, but I'm extremely glad I did. I went to speak in person with Senator Kirk Watson's representative during graduate school, and the visit brought me through so many floors, hallways, and pockets of culture - that the general public was all just wandering through too. This place is rich with history and historical beauty, free to the public, and includes free parking to visitors. I'm not sure why you wouldn't visit it at least once. read more
10 years ago
Earlier this month, I went sightseeing at the Texas State Capitol. I joined one of the free tours inside. Fortunately, I was in Austin during the time of the year when the Senate is in session. Here, there is a part-time legislature, so they only meet 6 months out of every two years. When you tour the Capitol during this time, you can see senators and representatives meet and vote. One thing that I didn't know about the Capitol has the largest floor square footage in the nation. It's not the tallest building, but has the most floor square footage because of its underground extension (4 underground levels). It's very cool underground, too, which was nice after walking around hot Austin most of the day. Aside from the indoor tours of the Capitol building, I would recommend taking some time to walk around the grounds of the Capitol. There are numerous monuments and memorials there. Also, it's just very relaxing to walk the paths at the Capitol (you'll see many locals here). It's a very pretty area. read more
5 years ago
The Texas State Capitol building is definitely worth a visit. The architecture and attention to detail is breathtakingly beautiful. I especially loved the chandeliers. If you look closely you will see TEXAS written out in them and throughout the interior of the building. There's so much history and interesting present day people to learn about. I learned a ton of new facts about Texas and how it came to be. I also learned Texas has the largest state capitol building in the nation. Who knew? It is such a large facility with so many areas to see. Our group's private tour guide was full of knowledge and very personable. I would definitely request Marsha. Overall it was a great experience & I highly recommend visiting. read more
My wife and I were walking around Austin and decided to come check this place out. It was really hot outside so were glad that the inside had A/C and waters lol. Besides that, the building is stunning inside and outside. They give free tours as well. The staff there is really friendly. read more
7 years ago
A neat place to check out when you are in Austin. The building itself is just amazing to look at. I liked that it was free to get in and there are free tours provided daily. You can join in anytime and leave anytime. It's just cool to be able to learn a bit more about history in general and try to get a sense of feeling of what went on in the building. read more
If you have extra time or need a break from the weather, go on a your of the capitol or walk around by yourself. Went on a Sunday and it was surprisingly open. They offered a 30 min tour every 30 minutes that highlights a few of the room and the unique aspects of Texas government. Like the Governor and Lieutenant Governor don't run together so they could be from separate parties. Fun and interesting and random. read more
I had a little free time between my meetings and walked over to the capitol building. Beautiful architecture, free to enter. There were TONS of small memorials all around the capitol building. If you open Google Maps while standing in the area, it will show you the names of the monuments and where they're located so you know which is which. I didn't have time to take a free tour but saw many who were. Definitely worth checking out if you enjoy architecture and history. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
The state capital building is open to all visitor. You do need a covid test which they provide, then you may tour the entire building. It is a beautiful building must tour the inside, wait for dusk and see the breathtaking lid up building read more
Whether you have lived in Texas your entire life, just moved to Austin, or are passing through, a tour of the magnificent Texas State Capitol building and grounds is a must! I had visited the Capitol grounds before, but had never done the docent led tour and cannot recommend doing so enough! The Capitol is gorgeous inside and out, but the history lesson you receive from the tour is fantastic and with it being the only Capitol of a once sovereign nation, Texas has such a varied, colorful, and diverse history that after you get the condensed version on this tour you will leave wanting more! Having been to the US Capitol and all 50 state capitols, I can honestly say aside from being the largest (by sq ft) and tallest domed capitol (it is taller than our nation's capitol due to the 15ft Goddess of Liberty statue at the top of the cupola), it really is one of the prettier state capitol buildings and grounds. The Senate and House chambers are impressive as are many of the works of art adorning the walls. If you really take time to study the paintings in the Senate chamber, it is amazing what you can find (see if you can spot Santa Ana fleeing the battle on horseback in peasant garb and a sombrero in the painting on the right wall). You can also explore so much of the building, from the underground expansion to the 4th floor. I also recommend laying on your back and looking up to the Star under the cupola in the main foyer to really get perspective (I did get some weird looks and a guide asked what I was doing, but it makes for a great picture!) and then go up to the fourth floor and look down. You can even go into the Governor's Public Reception Room and sit at the desk where all Texas legislature is signed into law. I also have to give kudos to our docent guide, Brandon, who did a marvelous job intertwining the fascinating Texas and Capitol history with humor and fun facts. He was very engaging and with a tour group of at least 20 people, he kept everyone together and the tour moving. By the end, if you aren't already a Texan, you will want to be! A wonderful way to spend an hour or two in downtown Austin! *Don't miss exploring the grounds and check out the Capitol Visitor's Center where you can see the original star from the original goddess that has since been replaced on the top of the capitol! read more
6 years ago
One of Texas greatest historical architecture. I would of love to take a free tour but it was just too much especially for a large groups of people. Hearing the guide was very difficult. We decided to do a self guided tour. Be prepared for a lot of walking. It was fun and I would of done it again and have a picnic lunch on the grounds. It is worth visiting not just to see the building but see the different historical places and artifacts of Texas. read more
Me and my wife love to tour state capital buildings especially when they historic significance. It's a great way to transition into your trip before the hustle and bustle. Texas State Capitol was beautiful inside and out that day. Huge number of tourists and school children visiting. The school children sang in the open rotunda and the sound carried throughout the upper floors. They sounded great ! I suggest after touring this building guided or unguided you stop by the first Whole Foods a few minutes from here. read more
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Ask the Community - Texas Capitol
Is there wifi guests can join?
Yes inside the Texas State Capitol Building there is free unsecured public access WiFi made available by the Texas Legislative Council, but the bandwidth is limited and if you are unable to connect too many people are on. Also just a few individuals…
Can I bring my toddler to visit the capital? She's 22 months old
Yes, the tour can be self guided. Would not necessarily suggest the guided tour as there are periods of inactivity wherein the guide will describe Capitol features followed by periods of walking to differing destinations over distances...manageable…
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