Virginia Capitol Building Reviews

One of the architects of this beautiful complex was Thomas Jefferson. It rightfully has the status of Historic Landmark. It is beautifully maintained. We were able to visit Virginia Capitol for free and a lot of fascinating information was provided. The tour-guides are knowledgeable and communicative. Do not miss the gift shop.

This was a wonderful historic sight.it took about 1 hour . We did our own tour and encountered a lady on the second floor desk who was delightful. She was very knowledgeable about the Capital and some recent history facts of the renovation.

We’re thankful we toured the Capitol on a cold Saturday without many tourists. We had the place to ourselves and we’re free to wander and see interesting information plaques and statues. My 10yo has been learning about VA history and it was fun to see it come to life before her eyes as she connected what she was learning in school to real life. Polite staff and clean space. Don’t miss the executive mansion behind the Capitol building as well. This is a must see for all Virginians!

So I didn't go on a tour, but it was an easy walk from The Berkley and there are plenty of sitting spots around the Capitol. Also love the interpretative signs and plenty to see!

I have lived in Richmond area for 7 years and just thought the Capital was a lovely building of the state government. I finally went with some friends from my home state of California for the tour and it was amazing! I have been to over 40 historical places in Virginia so far and this was the best historical tour! Mrs. Snelling was our guide and she made history come alive! The art, the statues, the architecture; everything was beautiful! Virginia has a plethora of fascinating historical places to absorb but put the Capital tour on the top of that list!

I went to see Houdon's George Washington, but enjoyed all the other history too! the ladies working the welcome center were full of information and so helpful with places to eat and visit. The architecture is stunning, and the history alive.

What a beautiful building with so much to offer. Try sitting outside to enjoy the overview of RVA. Or take the tour. Fabulous.

We recently stayed in downtown Richmond and found the Capitol a few blocks from our hotel. The grounds surrounding the building, which was built in the late 1700's, contain monuments, statues and walking paths. A great way to start the morning and since the the complex is built on top of a hill, you can get your cardio done as well.

The Capitol tour is free and yet not crowded. All the people there, from security - he even spoke excellent German - to the gentleman who led the tour, were all incredibly friendly. The Capitol itself was very impressive to me. Everything from George Washington's stash to the portrait of the last governor can be found here

What a grand, grand building this is, sitting high and noble on the top of Shockoe Hill. Designed by Thomas Jefferson, it is said to be “one of the 10 Buildings that changed America”. The hour-long tour is free and very comprehensive or you can take a self-guided tour and wander around this gorgeous building yourself. Metered on-street parking is free on weekends.

There is a lot of history in one building. Part of the tour discussed the historic portions of the building while the guide also showed off wings for the congress and senate.
The guide was fantastic and answered all questions. We learned a lot while on the free tour.
Its also air conditioned, which on a 95 degree day felt great.
If you have small children, this may not be the tour for you because of the length of the tour. If your kids have an interest in our founding fathers or history, they may enjoy much of the tour.

Stopped for work. Beautiful building. Lots of history. Not sure if they have scheduled tours, but the information folks were very helpful.

It gave me chills to think I walked the same halls as some of America’s most famous people. The capitol was expanded by an underground extension just two years ago. The tour was interesting. The building and its artifacts are magnificent.

I walked around the grounds of the Virginia Capitol Building in June 2021 during a rainstorm. There is a lot of construction going on near the Virginia Capitol Building with cranes nearby. I was able to get a nice photo of the building despite the rain. I also walked around the grounds and saw the Washington Equestrian Monument. Unfortunately I missed seeing other monuments. The building itself is closed to the public due to COVID19 but may open up soon for tours. I hope to return to Richmond in the future to see more.

We stopped in while visiting Richmond recently and ended up taking the guided tour. The building is interesting and has a lot of history and it was nice to learn more about it. My kids were pretty bored but managed to survive. They are 8 and 13. I would definitely do the self guided option with smaller kids. The tour took about an hour.

A Wonderful review of America's history and memorable tour with Mrs. Snellings. Restoration work ongoing which relocates visitor entrance and no visitor designated parking. You will need to find street parking in surroundings blocks. No longer has entrance to Senate & House Chambers.....you can look through the door windows. Missing a couple statues that were there previously. Obstructed view of Capitol Building and Washington Equestrian Monument on the Capital Square. Still worth a visit to listen to Mrs. Snellings tour and see the George Washington life size statue located in the rotunda, which was unveiled in 1796. Chiseled from marble by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon, who spent two weeks in 1785 taking careful measurements and making a facial mask of the living George Washington. If you don't take a tour, be sure to check out the original model of the capitol.

Great historic building and informative receptionist near the store on an upper level. I believe guided tours are availAble but we chose to go on our own. Getting around was a bit tricky but we managed. Amazing that the city people were able to protect it during the Civil War. Ask security in the area where to enter. That’s a bit of a mystery.

the tours are awesome, and give a quick founding father history lesson. the building is beautiful, and don't forget to enjoy the beautiful grounds.

One hour tour of a beautiful Capitol building. Knowledgeable, sometimes humorous guide. He talked about “Mr Jefferson “ like he knew him.

They have built an underground visitor center accessible from 10th and Bank Street. Plenty of free on street parking on weekends. Weekdays could be a problem.

Take the time to continue to see more after the tour is over

We had a guided tour of the State Capital Building. It was very interesting and informative. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable. The building and grounds are beautiful. It was a terrific tour.

We walked to the capitol building from our hotel.
Our first view was of the splendid
Building.
Worth the time

The free guided tour was excellent. The tour lasted about one hour. We saw both the House and Senate Chambers. The building was designed by Thomas Jefferson.

200 hundred years of Virginia History housed in Jefferson's Capitol. This historic building continues to make history. On the 3rd floor the portraits of recent Governors including the 1st African American elected Governor in the US flank the walls. One floor down you can tour the Chambers of the Confederacy. On the 1st floor you are greeted by Houdon's statue of George Washington. After touring the building enjoy the park with its many monuments,grab a bite to eat in the cafe or pick up a souvenir in the gift shop. A must see when visiting Richmond

The State Capitol of Virginia in Richmond should not be missed! It is a beautiful building designed by Thomas Jefferson with an amazing amount of history. The Capitol offers free tours everyday except for some holidays and the tour guides are excellent. There is also a very nice gift store inside the Capitol.

The Virginia Capitol Building is one of the oldest in the nation. It has unique architecture that reminds me of southern plantations. They offer guided tours, but we did it self guided because we missed the last tour. You can see the current house and senate chambers as well as the original ones. There is so much history that happened here. Take a moment to walk around the grounds if it is nice out.

Walk around the grounds. Lots of monuments to explore around the building. The capitol itself was beautiful.

We were fortune to have an excellent tour guide during our visit. This building has so much history within the walls, it’s hard to fit it in in an hour. Highly recommend if you’re interested in our countries early history.

The capitol is a must visit if you are a history buff. The tour guides are so passionate and knowledgable they take the tour to a whole new level of amazing.

This is the 2nd oldest state capitol, and the tour takes you into the chambers and describes the paintings, statues and busts. We tagged along with a few fourth grade classes, which added to the enjoyment of the tour. The guides and everyone who we encounter who worked there were incredibly, well informed, friendly and enthusiastic, which also made it a great experience.

Great tour! Our guide had many anecdotes which added a lot to the history of the Capitol. Parking tough, but worth the effort.

A highlight while passing through Richmond, I love the beautiful architecture, and the grounds are well-kept and safe. An excellent spot.

We've lived in northern Virginia for over 32 years but never visited our Capitol Building. We had high expectations having heard from others, and this tour did not disappoint. The building has so much history and new underground visitor entrance and exhibits are a great addition. The tour guide was knowledgeable and thorough. The guided tour takes 1 hours. There are ramps and elevators to accommodate those that require it. There is also a reasonable lunch counter open to all. This was definitely the highlight of our short trip to Richmond.

As everywhere in Richmond, the welcome is warm. Up to the second floor where the old meeting rooms are. Wonderful statues, some nice displays. Well worth the visit.

We took the guided tour on a weekday afternoon. While I am sure that all the tour guides are great, you are REALLY in luck if you get Mrs Turpin. She is a wonderful tour guide!

The capitol building is impressive. But, your tour will not be complete, unless you take the time to view all of the historical statues around it. I was most impressed with the monument to George Washington and all of the leaders of the revolution around him, which also listed some of the key battles of the revolutionary war. That one, along with all the others, inspires one to brush up on your American history, good and bad.

The history of one of the oldest state capitols in the USA and the facelift about ten years ago has risen it up the next level.

This building, designed by Thomas Jefferson, is a neo-classic jewel. The visitor's entrance is below the capitol, and gives you access to nearly all the building.

This is the building you see towering over the city after Richmond fell to Union forces, and the fires came within a block of the capitol; unfortunately, the city fathers allowed the new city to be built much higher, meaning that the capitol no longer has a view of the river, and the city no longer has a view of the capitol.

We loved our visit to The VA State Capitol! In order to have a guided tour, we tagged along with a school group. The guide was very engaging and knowledgeable. Self-guided tours are also available so we explored a little on our own, as well. All of the staff we encountered were friendly and helpful. The grounds are beautiful in the spring. Would have loved to tour the Executive Mansion, but it is closed on Fridays.

I enjoyed a Saturday solo visit, with a very informed guide all to myself. Endlessly fascinating walk through history that has impacted the Commonwealth of Virginia and the entire country, capturing key moments in the revolution, civil war, reconstruction, civil rights movement, and beyond. The guided tour is free and could be conducted independently, but why miss out on the historical details, plus access to the otherwise locked (on the weekend) Senate and House chambers. Don’t forget to check out the equally beautiful grounds, which also house the governor’s executive mansion. My strongest recommendation: the capitol needs to do more work to showcase the history of African Americans in the Virginia legislature; how about a few more statues and paintings to join Jefferson, Jackson, Washington, Lee, and the rest?

State capital building is very cool but we enjoyed the grounds just as much. There is a large green space that surrounds the capital with walking paths and benches. There are also some great memorials on the ground.

We arrived late afternoon and the staff on reception and security were charming.
Our guide,Mark Greenhough,was superb.
He provided an excellent account of the history of the building,it’s famous visitors and its links with the UK.
It was truly memorable and for anyone interested in US history this is definitely worth a visit

I highly recommend taking the walking tour with a docent. You could walk around on your own but so much better with someone who can give you details and information about what you are seeing. Beautiful Building!

Not only is this building and its grounds beautiful, they hold a lot of history from both the colonial and civil war periods. Don't miss the tour - we learned so much and our tour guide was patient, took her time, and made sure we didn't miss anything. Don't miss the bell tower and the fountain on the grounds...both are great places for taking photos.

For beauty in architecture (designed by Thomas Jefferson) and for history buffs, this is a must building to tour!

We forget how much history (national, not just Virginia!) was made right here. The Capitol is very visitor-friendly! Easy access via steps or elevators. Nice gift shop and cafe. Our docent was terrific. Take a tour or wander about on your own, or both. And it’s all FREE!

Parking is a problem; let your party off at the visitor’s entrance on Bank Street then find sparking space 2-3 blocks away. It is very much worth this bit of trouble

We've taken the tour twice and we learn something every time. The guides are very knowledgeable about their history. Very informative.

Before our tour began, we waited in a room full of interesting exhibits if you were willing to read them. The tour itself involved sitting in several rooms and listening to the guide expound on the past purpose of the room, its artwork, and some events of interest that occurred there. There was also quite a bit of discourse about the Houdon statue of Washington in the rotunda. Adults interested in history and architecture would find it interesting. Children would fidget.

One of oldest capital buildings in nation And Still In Use. Great Tour With Excellent guide Who Walks You Through 400 Years Of History. A Must See While In Richmond.

I was a long time State employee and was interested in all the new security measures and entrance to the Capitol Building. The grounds were much as I remembered. The crocuses were in bloom!

This is an absolutely beautiful building and worth seeing. Paintings, architecture, location. Felt like I was back in time.

This building that looks like it would be at home in the nation's capital was originally designed by President Thomas Jefferson. A few years ago a new entrance was created to accommodate visitors, the entrance is located on Bank street, this entrance is actually underground. You enter, go through security then you'll see a corridor that leads all the way into the capitol, this corridor is quite spacious as it contains a small gift shop, an area allocated to exhibits, a restaurant, and various markers telling the visitor the history of the capitol. The end of the corridor contains a large statue of President Jefferson. After this point you enter the actual capitol and you are greeted by an impressive standing statue of President George Washington, GW is surrounded by busts of Virginia's other Virginia born presidents and a bust of Lafayette. Another room contains various personalities from the US Civil War. If you love architecture, the history of the American Revolution and the Civil War, and have an interest in politics this is a must for you. If you are lucky you may bump into the Governor, the governor's mansion is next door to the capitol after all.

An incredible Jefferson designed white building sitting on a hill in the middle of Richmond in a park like setting. Either guided or self guided tours are available. Very friendly and helpful staff. We went when the legislature was out of session so it wasn’t crowded and we could spend as much time as we wanted roaming around the building. Visitor entrance and center has been excavated out of the hill in front of the building, so it’s unobtrusive from the outside. It provides convenient access, a gift shop and small cafeteria. Including a bite to eat, it took about 90 minutes to see everything.

We took the guided tour. Like others that December weekday, we were the only ones on the tour. Our guide was excellent, and the tour well worth the time, including his discussion of how they used the building to shoot scenes for "Lincoln."

This is such a beautiful historic building. The docent was full of iinformation & historical tidbits. Very interesting & totally entertaining. The grounds are also very nice & the Washington statue was a m axing.

I took my teen to the Virginia State Capitol building and got a great history lesson. The building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and was the location of many important events in US history. Our tour guide was a sweet Southern belle who gave a great narration of the important rooms.The statue of George Washington is apparently an exact likeness and the Smithsonian asked for it but it remains in Richmond!

The Capitol is located on top of the hill in the middle of the hill among the other government buildings. Just walking around the capitol park and take photos of this historic landmark is worth a visit. And if you have time, take a free tour. It is open for public from 9 am-5 pm. Great place to visit.

My wife and I were each blown away by this visit. Not your typical state capital - a combination of museum, local history and state capital. Jefferson statute and its location in the Virginia' room of President's was fascinating. The guide was a treasure trove of information and insights.

There are many nice capitols. This one is certainly in my top ten. It's very well maintained and has arguably more history in it than any other state capitol has. It's free and it's beautiful, as is the surrounding square. Spend half a day easily.

The VA Capitol is a place that any proud Virginian or history buff should visit! Standing in the Old House Chamber, you really feel the history and what it must have been like to be a legislator back in the day. The Capitol also has the portraits of all of Virginia's governors, a book of the Assemblies, and much other history that has shaped our Commonwealth.

If you love political history, this is the perfect destination for you! It doesn't take long to walk through; a couple hours max.

My teenage boys were doubtful about this stop but afterwards really appreciated the hour and a half we spent learning about Virginia history, seeing the chambers, the statue of Washington and the great talk through by staff. Good to learn some Virginia history.

Piece of architecture well kept. piece of historical beauty still glorious. Greek, roman resemblence. worth a visit.

The Capitol is impressive. My husband and I were in Richmond for the last leg of a 3 week tour of some southern cities. We visited Annapolis last year and I was curious to see the VA Capitol in comparison. The guided tour we received was wonderful. Mr. Hartline was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the building and was very patient with the younger members of our group, who had quite a few questions. We could not have asked for a better tour.

Six of toured the Capitol while on a weekend getaway in August. Our tourguide (sorry, I don't recall his name) was excellent, providing a very thorough coverage of the history of the building and the Commonwealth. The building contains an excellent collection of art and historical artifacts. My wife had a foot injury, so we borrowed a wheelchair for the tour - everything was accessible, and the tour guide was sensitive to her needs.

We had a private tour as we were the only 2 people. Lots of great information about the history of the building as well as the city of Richmond. The building is lovely and they did a great job when they remodeled. Love the statue of George Washington and the indoor dome.

Road trip! This was our 18th Capitol visited. The building is beautiful and was designed by Thomas Jefferson. There is a ton of history to be found here. Don’t expect a lot of marble or decorative stone finishes or interior columns. There are several tour guides and they start frequently. The grounds are also beautiful. Parking and navigating around the Capitol are currently difficult due to renovation work going on in the spring and summer of 2019.

Beautiful building, full of American history, another piece in the puzlle of American Civil War and its legacy. Deserves a comprehensive visit.

Great visit on a rainy Saturday. Brilliant docent explanations on the paintings, furniture and statuary in the Capitol. And it's FREE!

We were able to tour the building when they were not in legislative session. I can't imagine what it would be like to work in a museum.

We got to the capitol to late for a tour. We did get to see the statue of George Washington which is said to be the closest resemblance to his likeness. A lot to see inside. Would recommend taking the time to visit.

The Capitol Building is a very worthy stop during any visit to Richmond. Take the guided tour (free of charge) to learn about the many historic events that occurred here (like Patrick Henry's "give me liberty or give me death" speech) or were influenced by actions taken here. Well worth the time.

We very much enjoyed the tour of the capital building. It is such a beautiful building. The tour guide was great and knew a lot about the history of the building and the people who work there. The highlight was seeing the George Washington statue.

Enjoyed the statuary and pieces of history. Entry was free. Had option for group tour but went on our own.

The renovations to the capitol give a really interesting but also succinct overview of the process leading to the design of this building. Houdon's famous statue of Washington is worth the detour: if possible, catch the comments by the tour guide on this.

Very interesting tour . So much to see and hear about I was surprised. Our guide was very informative ... loved hearing the stories about the events that took place there and the interesting statutes and pieces scattered through out the building. The hour went we fast !

I would recommend visiting the capitol to anyone with even the slightest interest in American History (or in architecture or sculpture). It was truly a fascinating place to visit and the staff could not have been more gracious and welcoming. I had a terrific tour with a very knowledgable and pleasant guide. Absolutely fantastic visit!

This is a beautiful building. I really wish we'd had enough time to take the tour. A legislative assistant gave a brief intro and we did have a chance to observe part of a session from the gallery. It was an eye opener for our exchange student who was amazed that ordinary people could watch the proceedings or lobby a legislator about something they wanted changed.

The museum is free and most of the rooms are locked. The gift shop is closed on Sunday and you have to pay to park. Entrance is underground.

We took a morning tour of the capitol building and enjoyed it thoroughly. We had a fine experience with the knowledgeable staff and felt they represented their stat building with pride.

We loved walking the grounds at the capitol. It is beautiful and there are many monuments to look at and learn from.

Highly recommend for visitors and locals. Free guided tour on the hour, no reservations required. Tours generally last from 60 - 75 minutes. Have taken this tour 3 times in the past year with out of town guests and they all enjoy it. Lots of revolutionary and civil war history. Have taken this tour only on weekends or when legislators are not in session, so Capitol has been empty n quiet. Tour is very well done and questions are encouraged.

The Virginia State Capitol was designed in 1785 (after the Revolutionary War) by Thomas Jefferson with help from a French architect. It is the first public building in the New World to be constructed in the form of a classical Roman temple. The east wing for the House of Delegates and the west wing for the Senate of Virginia were opened in 1906 and remain is use by lawmakers today. We opted to take a 1-hour guided tour of the Capitol by a docent who worked in the Capitol before retiring. A guided tour is highly recommended.

This free tour was really interesting and you’re allowed to have a wander round afterwards too! The air con is quite vicious upstairs so be sure to take a jacket or something. Food in cafe very reasonable and my sandwich was great. More of a sit down lunch place for employees though.

We took 2 of our teenage children with us to visit the capitol building and have a guided tour. Well worth the hour invested. Mr. Waller was a wealth of information and so happy to be doing his job. We learned a lot. Not only was it free, but it was within walking distance from the holiday inn express on W. Cary street.

It's so interesting to think that this building still is in use today, as it was originally intended, given its long history. Our tour guide offered wonderful, historical insight and context in her presentation and in response to our questions. She seemed to really appreciate our interest and follow-up questions and she took the time to answer and explain anything we asked about. The grounds are quite nice too. The Washington statue was suppose to be the burial place for George Washington and still has the unused vault inside with an open door (behind a steel gate). The Governor's mansion is right next door -- something that I still want to go back to tour, which is free. There are other statues lining the Governor's driveway that offer information about important historical events.

Love the style of architecture. The hill is nice for a picnic and enjoying a lazy day in the shade. There are some nice statues to check out as well.

This is an amazing piece of history and well worth joining a tour, the tour guide we had was knowledgeable and clearly proud to be a Virginian, she could have had a bit of a better sense of humour when interacting and needs to stop using the phrase "this is how I explain it to 4th Graders" as its massively patronising and assumes nobody knows anything about American History except her.

A great morning spent in this historic building.
Lovely, informative guided tour.
Plenty of history and well worth the time.

The capitol sits on a hill in a very pretty park. The park also houses several interesting statues and monuments. The Governor's mansion is also in the park. The plantings are very nice too. A pleasant place to visit.

We arrived a little early and rather than having to wait around they suggested how to best use the time with an interesting short movie and an excellent exhibit of the Churchill Speech. And then the Guide. To say that she was excellent would almost do her an injustice. Interesting presentations with items one would not even think to ask. A mine of information and great answers to every question. Welcoming to people joining the group with fascinating tidbits about the history of their own States. And of course the building itself was just spectacular. If you want American history this is a must

My wife and I appreciated the most informative tour led by a thoroughly knowlegable and entertaining docent. We saw the refurbished room and features and learned about the historical background of this capitol building in Richmond.

Tours are available, but due to time, we ventured on our own. Staff we meet were extremely helpful with background information and very welcoming. An historic building and well worth visiting.

This is free! A most impressive building with very friendly and enthusiastic team. Amust for Richmond

Hard to come out of this (free) tour without mixed emotions. So many monumental events transpired here. Good/bad, who knows? Our knowledge today far exceeds the bounds of that those folks (white men) could comprehend. I do believe they thought that they were doing was correct - but yet, history corrected them. It was a very tough time.

Our guide, Mr. Daras, let his personal beliefs bleed through the narrative. He was extremely knowledgeable - but his personal beliefs slipped though. As a former tour guild, you just can't do this. Up your game dude - our country, and the state of Virginia deserves better.

All in all, I highly recommend this free tour. We learned a lot.

This building was expanded multiple times, each time adding new architectural style and unusual shape to the entire place. It was interesting to go through the tour with a tour guide to learn about the building and how VA government operates. Highly recommend to everyone.

What a surprise this tour was, so informative and even though there were protesters around the building and the Capitol was in session, we got a wonderful tour! Highly recommend this tour!

The trip to the Capitol exceeded my expectations. The Jefferson and Washington sculptures alone were worth the trip, as well as many oil paintings and busts of founding fathers and early settlers. The state did an excellent job with the underground visitors center and statehouse extension. Leave time to walk the grounds surrounding the capitol. I went on the guided tour and recommend it, although one is free to walk through on one's own.

The Virginia Capitol Building was truly a sight to see. George Washington, George Mason, Andrew Lewis, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and many more historic American leaders are on display and represented in a scenic masterpiece designed of the ancient Greeks.

The Capitol and surrounding buildings seem perfectly in place for this Southern state. Photographed the architecture late in the day.

If driving through Richmond, and stopping in downtown for lunch or dinner, this is a must to drive past and admire. This is an old structure with lots of history, and deserves admiration of it's colonial style grandeur. This state capitol doesn't have the typical cupola gleaming with gold leaf as many state capitols do, yet it has it's own beauty and charm

Partook in a free tour here last month. All the staff were very friendly, even the security personnel! Our tour guide was fantastic; very knowledgeable, engaging and humorous. We were sad that it had to end!

As a tip, street parking in downtown Richmond is free of charge on weekends (as long as it's a legal space). Plenty of streets nearby to park on.

In reading about the Virginia State Capitol we saw that free tours are given several times a day. First of all, the entrance to the capital is at street level on Bank Street and not what you might think of as the main capitol doors. There is an underground area that takes you up to the capitol building. We simply entered, went to the desk, inquired about the free tour, and were told we would meet in a nearby room which had lots to look at while we waited for the tour to begin. We had a wonderful guide who led us through important rooms and told us so much of the history of Virginia and the building. As you go along the tour wherever there are steps you may also take advantage of an elevator. The tour lasted 1 1/4 hours. There are places to sit in various areas. The highlights for me were seeing the Rotunda, Thomas Jefferson statue, and the Old Hall of the House of Delegates. If you are in Richmond, I highly recommend taking the tour. Excellent!

Our Capitol building is incredibly beautiful and full of early colonial history. You'll see the old floor; a life-sized work-of-art statue of George Washington; the current house floor where daily politics continue; it's lovely and cool inside!! Don't miss the statue by the old entrance and the free tour of the governor's mansion right next door! I take all my visitors here.

A beautiful building set in fabulous grounds. When the weather is good it’s a great place to sit and soak up the sun. I can only imagine how beautiful it is in the height of summer. If in Richmond don’t miss it.

There were a lot of school children when we visited, and we were placed with a middle school class for our tour. This got us a little more than the basic tour, including hearing some legislators speak. This is a very nice, historic building. The only minus is the parking - we found a garage several blocks away. There doesn't seem to be much available close to the building.

Decided on a whim to do a guided tour and am glad we did. Lots of great history and a knowledgeable guide.

Didn't expect that Thomas Jefferson would have designed the original Virginia State Capitol, but he did!
Had a very informative and accommodating guide - lots of information on the design and use of the building and we had plenty of time to take pictures. We were also lucky in that there were only 6 people in our group on a Saturday morning.

We were traveling through and felt this was a good outside stop. It was at the end of November so we were trying to social distance. It was the weekend & we really didn't encounter other people. The grounds, monuments and capitol building are beautiful. The Governor mansion is also right there. He might not have been in residence as we really didn't see a big security presence. Because of Covid the tours inside were cancelled but we were okay with that as we didn't want to go inside anyways. If you go be sure to look at the Civil Rights Monument & the Women's Rights Monument. They both are superbly done!

We toured the building on our own. The outdoor grounds were beautiful, definitely walk around outside to see it all! We were there during the week and it was not crowded. I have a few ancestors that have their names or statues in here so that was fun to see! Can’t wait to see a female governor in office here soon. Plenty of clean restrooms and elevators.

This free, guided tour was fantastic! Mrs. Snelling filled the tour with interesting facts about everything from the architecture of the capitol building to what was going on in and around Richmond throughout the history of our country. Her passion for the subject matter makes the tour even more special.

I lived in Richmond for 10 years before visiting the Capitol building, and I'm glad I finally paid a visit. I moved out of state a couple weeks later and I set aside some time over lunch to spend an hour inside. I worked downtown for two years and must have walked the outside grounds about 200 times, which is very peaceful and pretty, offering up numerous statues and sights to take in. But the inside of the Capitol building really fills up the senses of anyone with curiosity and appreciation for both history and art. Busts, full-body statues, and paintings of Washington, Jefferson, Lee, and others line the walls and rooms throughout the building. Flags, historical documents, and pictures also give a full account of the Virginia Capitol, and the Commonwealth from pre-Revolution times to the present day. And you can even go into the House and Senate chambers, which are magnificent and very ornate. Guided tours are available or you can take your time and stroll through at your leisure, like I did. Such a wonderful place to visit and I wish I would have gone sooner before I left Virginia. I would have gone back numerous times.

There is a lovely walk through the grounds of the Capitol. It is worth walking to view the statues, and the grounds, and the lovely architecture of the building itself.

The Virginia State Capitol is a remarkable building with a remarkable history. The Jeffersonian architecture is sublime. The House and Senate wings were perfectly complementary. The grounds are beautiful. The rotunda contains a statue of Washington which surpasses any other such tribute. When I was in high school - many years ago - I had the privilege of attending Model General Assembly where students played the roles of the full legislature in the chambers of the State Capitol. It is a highlight of my youth. The new entrance is a modern appurtenance that is designed to not distract from the original. Don't be surprised to bump into your Delegate or Senator... My folks once encountered Governor Wilder in a hall of the Capitol, who kindly spent time conversing with them. Great place.

Very interesting if you like history or even architecture. Beautiful building very well preserved. There is no need to purchase a tour, you can go through the building yourself. Not sure if that’s true when the legislature is in session. 30 to 45 minutes would be enough time, unless you want to read every marker. We found people very helpful there.

Giving this four stars primarily because it can be difficult to park and get there with all the construction. The visitor entrance is on Bank street through a tunnel. It’s all barricaded and confusing. We finally gave up and checked in our hotel and took an Uber the next morning. Our tour guide was well versed in the history and architecture of the building and did a good job explaining. Right now visitors are not allowed in the two chambers but the doors are glass so you can see into them. The tour is not as extensive as some Capitol tours we have been on but it was still good. The grounds are nice but some of the monuments have been removed.

You can take a tour of the Capital and hear the history of lawmaking in Virginia. Tour is free and informative. Well worth a trip if you are in Richmond.

It was a beautiful park like setting with wonderful statues. We walked around the entire area and got a look at the home of the govener. Was very impressed.

The tour guide,John, gave an incredible tour. Very informative and interesting. It kept the whole family engaged . We all learned so much. Plus the statue of Washington and the statue of Lee were a show stopper. If you’re around the area it’s a must see and ask for John, not sure if you will get him but if you do you will get one of the best history lessons in quite some time.

This is a great tour. Lots of interesting and historical information, plus some film trivia (as many Hollywood films featuring the White House or US Capitol are filmed here). I've been on the tour 2 or 3 times. Good every time.

Virginia is knowm as the Nursury of Presidents, Washington and Jefferson were two early US presidents from Virginia. The Capitol and the House of Delegates should not be missed. The wonderful display on Virginia's history, including its links with the United Kingdom, is fascinating. Virginia was the first successful British colony in North America.

Had the opportunity to have a guided tour of the State Capitol Building as part of an American historic sites tour. For me the Jefferson designed aspect was the key & the tour fitted well with my visit to Monticello & the University of Virginia.
In addition it was interesting to see depictions of confederate Civil War participants in the form of statues or busts, such as General Lee, Jeb Stuart, Stonewall Jackson & others.
Also shouldn't miss Houdon's statue of George Washington.

On our tour of Virginia we visited many historical sites, many with guided tours. Our guided tour of the capitol building in Richmond was by far the best, Mark the guide (also I think the tour manager) was brilliant!! He knows EVERYTHING about the building and its history. His enthusiasm, wit, knowledge, impressions are all indicators of how much he loves the building, it's history and the history of Virginia, Do not miss this tour.... many thanks

We visited capital various times in past 5 years whenever we have company from out of town or overseas. This capital building is the only state capital building which is the original building still in use.as capital building.The portraits of various Governors show that some of them played an important role in the history of the country. including
Gov. Wilder who is the first African American to be the Governor in the US history. You can also imagine how this building temporarily used as nations capital. Come and experience it .

We walked the grounds (beautiful in the spring) while we waited for the first tour of the day. The tour guide was personable and very knowledgeable. We saw both the historic areas of the building (designed by Thomas Jefferson but not built quite according to his wishes) and one of the modern chambers, and learned a lot about the workings of this historic legislature. Highly recommend setting aside at least two hours, including the tour.

We visited the Capitol building with another family and had a great tour of the building. Our tour guide cracked some jokes in, which made the tour even more entertaining. If you're interested in history, this is definitely the place for you as you're able to see statues of many people which played a big part in America some way or the other. Also, people who love to take pictures are able to enjoy the beautiful aritecture and can walk to the Library of congress to enjoy more amazing angles to take photos of.

We didn't know we could tour the Capitol Building until we were there but are glad we found out. You walk into a side door since the Bank St entrance is closed due to construction. Once you enter, you go to the second floor for tours. The tour lasted about an hour but we learned so much about the Capitol while we were there. Afterward we were able to back track and see everything again and take pictures, at our own pace. We wandered around checking things out. It's a very nice building. I wish we could have met Governor Youngkin while we were there but it was a Saturday and he was out of the state. I highly recommend going here though.

First let me say the tour guide was both nice and skilled at his job and that there was lots to see in the Capitol building. I also thought it was worthwhile to go and see the careful wallpapering they have done over their thorny slave issues. They are please to honor many of the people and events that we were taught were awful. The guide made the long discounted parallel between the revolutionary patriots trying to break away from England and the Southern slave states trying to break away from the US and said with no irony that they were both trying to defend their right of self determination or some such. A million casualties in the Civil War to free the slaves but Virginia has crafted a smiling story about the south being on the side of freedom.

Sorry if you find this review political, but I think it is good to know what to expect. Everyone should go and visit just to see the peculiar institution still beloved.

Beautful antebellum capitol building! Full of history and splendor.Guides are volunteers and very friendly and knowledgeble. Statuary and paintings of early Virginia leaders are found throughout the building.

This is a beautiful and historic building. There is an excellent free tour. There have been so many historic events in this building. Read up before you go or ask questions of the tour guide.

Even on a Sunday parking for the capitol was difficult with one way and do not enter signs. Very frustrating.

Take the tour it is worth it...especially since its free. The tour guides are amazing with their stories. The tour was very informative.

We have visited this at least twice when family members are in town. It is a very historic structure, and the tours are always well done. There is a small gift shop and a relatively new addition (now the main entrance).

You can't beat a free tour, especially when it takes you back in history. The Capital grounds and many of the buildings are in the midst of an extensive renovation process but it is still worth a visit. The Capital doesn't open until 1pm on Sunday, so plan accordingly. Be sure to spend some time walking around the extensive grounds to take in the sculptures, landscaping and other buildings including the governor's mansion. I believe the tours are offered every hour (but could not verify that on the website). You don't need to reserve a spot ahead of time unless you have a big group. We had a wonderful tour guide who clearly loves history and sharing her knowledge and is a proud native Virginian. She takes you from room to room of the original part of the Capital that was designed by Thomas Jefferson (based on a building in France) and explains American history as it relates to the building. She explains the paintings, sculptures, and other artifacts. It's humbling to know that you are standing in the same place where American history was made by many of our founders. While you can't visit the current chambers of the Senate and House of Delegates, you can take a peak through the windows.

If you can take a guided tour. Well worth it. It is very interesting for school age children. You can take a self-guided tour, but the tour gives you so much more information.

it 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 hows things work in Richmond ;) Capitol campus give you glance oof 10+ sculpture and overlook of fed buildings. Must visit in Richmond downtown.

While there were several major construction projects ongoing around the exterior of the building, the tour of the inside of the Capital was not affected and was excellent. We were very fortunate to have Mr. Knight as our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and he did a great job of telling us about the history of the building and the events that took place in the building. It was an hour very well spent.

What a fascinating place to visit. Designed by Thomas Jefferson. So much history in this building. The ladies at the reception desk were very friendly and helpful. Makes for a great field trip . Our children who are homeschooled loved it.

My husband and I agree that this was the best and most informative tour we have ever taken. Mrs. Evans, our charming guide, enlightened us on all aspects of history. The building itself, the city, the State of Virginia and various wars were all so well presented, I never learned so much in so short a time.

This is a must see for those interested in the history of both our country, and the state of VA. Here and see where history was made in Jefferson's design of the capital building and location. Our guide Martha did a fantastic job educating us while moving throughout the building where decisions and actions formed our country's and state's history.

Situated up in a hill- the whole city is on a hillside. Currently having road constructions all around it so may be difficult to find a parking spot. The statues of the presidents including the equestrian statue of Washington were imposing.

Tours seem to be offered on the hour. Visitors are not required to join a tour but will missso much if they do not.

Our guide was excellent. I wish I knew her name. Our group numbered 8.

We enjoyed the visitor exhibit area and the chance to view the original delegate chamber of this Jefferson designed building. The statue of Robert E. Lee standing in its center, with Davis and Stephens' busts on the wall behind is a reminder that in many circles the Confederacy still revered. Someone might mention to the powers that be that having the plaque commemorating the 1870 building collapse right under Davis has an unintended irony. From a bit of a distance, you see Davis' bust -- and under it in large bronze letters "Catastrophe!"
We also enjoyed the Executive Mansion and had a very nice tour of it.

Virginia history and living history combine for an outstanding and free tourist attraction. Give yourself a couple of hours and linger in the building itself. I wouldn't be surprised that this availability to a State Capital is unique in the Country.

This is a beautiful building. Definitely a must see if in Richmond. You can take a self guided or guided tour. It's free.

We visited the Visitor Centre in Richmond for details of a museum and was given the information about this building and how to get in. No charge is made to visit this building which is full of information. Staff excellent, even offered to take our photo by the statue of George Washington. Amazing building which is worth a visit. Surprised how quiet it was during the visit. We did a self guided tour and there was one other person on a guided tour.

We didn't go inside (we were there on a holiday), but enjoyed walking around the beautiful grounds and taking pictures.

For being just a state capitol building, it definitely was much more imposing than I imagined - both from an exterior and interior point of view. Worth a walk through just to take a peek.

My husband and I visited Richmond for a quick business trip this September and were able to sneak in a bit of touring. We were fortunate to have Kenan, tour guide at the Capitol, show us around the building. Kenan did a wonderful job sharing the stories of the building and the many important historical events that took place there. Kenan is clearly very passionate, and went out of his way to answer questions and share his wealth of knowledge about early American history. Thanks Kenan!

The lady who gave the tour was a wealth of knowledge and you could tell she really enjoyed what she was doing. I was disappointed by the fact that the building did not seem as "open" for viewing as other state capitols I have visited but that could be due to covid. There did seem to be a severe lack of communication - the brochure stated tours began at 10:00 so we walked to the building arriving a few minutes before 10 only to be told the tours actually began at 9:00 and the next one would be at 11:00. We visited other sites returning at 11 and was told the tours would be at noon, 2:00 and 4:00! We finally were able to join the 2:00 tour.

You can sign up for a tour or walk around on your own. It's a wonderful piece of History but I highly recommend if you are in the area.

I took a friend from Ghana to visit the capitol. The lady at the desk gave us a great overview of what there was to see. We did not have a time for a guided tour. It was a very good visit.

Toured this park to take in additional history of this great country. Very cool and informative plaques all around grounds describing battles and different aspects of history that happened here or very near here.

Nice grounds, good exhibits but could be better. It is located near other attractions and eating establishments.

On my visit, I brought my elderly parents and my two school-age kids. The new(ish) visitor center, which is underground, is most impressive and welcoming. (Nice bathrooms too.) By all means, see the short film before your tour. It is well worth the time. The tour itself is about an hour but there are opportunities for sitting. The guides are well trained, very helpful and interested in engaging the kids in the group. On this tour, there is much to learn about architecture, fine paintings, sculpture and historical anecdotes. The gift shop is small but has some charming and unique items that I have not seen elsewhere.

Had a great tour and history lesson from the guide, he was outstanding ! They let you see a lot more than they do in the capital building in DC which, has a tour that is is kind of a joke.

The history of the building is amazing -- designed by Thomas Jefferson and also the first neoclassical building in the U.S. that was the inspiration for most of our country's government architecture. A must see for history buffs, VA residence, and school children studying history. Fantastic!

The free guided tours on the hour provide great insight into the founding of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, the French-inspired architecture, the Governor's Mansion, and the Civil War. You find two-hour parking on side streets. Enter your license plate number at the kiosk. The cafeteria has sandwiches, soups, and salads reasonably priced. Well worth the visit.

I enjoy museums, but not a regular history buff; however, there is so much to learn at the Virginia Capitol Building and it is a comfortable environment. The dosen are so welcoming and knowledgeable too!

It's amazing to walk through the building that Thomas Jefferson design. You first have a tour guide then you can walk around by yourself. The tour guide will give you some history and facts about the building. You will also get the facts about the Washington statue inside the building. They will tell you this is the exact height and size of President Washington and how the sculptor used molds for his face. You will be amazed that during the civil war no one disturb the statue. The guide will tell you to look at the dome inside of the building because the building itself does not have a dome.

There is plenty of metered parking nearby although watch out as your GPS may try to take you 9th St and some of the roads have been closed. You will see the impressive white building on top of the hill - don’t be confused because the entry is thru the visitor centre which is signposted but missable (at least by me). Entry is thru glass doors on the street level well below the level of the white building. Inside the security and reception staff were extremely friendly - one of the best I have encountered. I had missed the start of the tour but caught the last 15 minutes, including getting access to the Senate. There is work ongoing in the House. The tour guide was excellent and very friendly - she gave me an extra 10 minutes of her time on my own because I had missed the start of the tour. One of the best I have been too as well as being one of the oldest.

The Capitol Tour is the best thing to do in Richmond. The building is an amazing testament to the vision and skill of Thomas Jefferson, who designed it while serving as US Ambassador to France. The wonderful tour guide, Martha, is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, helpful, witty, and charming. She has an absolutely impeccable font of knowledge about the building and U.S. history and is eager to share her encyclopedic memory. What a fun way to spend a few hours in Richmond.

We happened to get in when a tour was just starting. It was an hour filled with lots of history and explanation. Really worth it and an interesting start of the day

Tour guides are super knowledgeable and friendly. Building is beautiful. They were also accommodating of my mom by letting us borrow a wheelchair Glad we went

This is a very attractive capitol building. It is not large, but they have added a new information center and display area into the hill beneath the building that adds a lot.
The guided tour is excellent, and this is one of the few state capitols that has tour on Saturday. Our guide did a great job of explain the history and activities of the building.
Virginia was the home a many early presidents, and the building was designed by Thomas Jefferson. Lots of great sculpture and portraits.

Modernization and preservation in Virginia. We choose the guided tour and so happy we did. Mrs Scott was great, sharing all the history of the building and the personalities that help shape Virginia. So much history from the birth of our nation, Revolutionary War, industry, inlet ports, the James River, Civil War and recovery to a modern thriving city.

Don’t miss the amazing statue of George Washington!

This classical building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and houses a statue of George Washington made in his lifetime. The grounds are beautiful and the tour was informative . The executive mansion was lovely also.

Historical building - very informative tour. Worth taking. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and was able to talk about the very interesting events from each of the rooms we visited..

It's free and it's historic. Designed by TJ himself. The guided tour will highlight the great many details of art and design. Some odd sculptures will get your head scratched. Enter from the south end, down the hill. Be sure to walk around the front after you exit (the same place you entered) so you can glimpse the Governor's mansion.

LOTS of fantastic info. My son and I listened to one tour, then joined a second one to hear if the docent shared his tour in a different way. He did, and we learned so much. This building is just beautiful, and it contains some unique articles that will surprise you!!

my 2 grandchildren, throught it was interesting and interacted with the tour glides.my grandson was very impressed with all the artifacts.they will return again on their next visit to see more of the many places in Richmond.

One of the BEST tours we've been on! We were extremely fortunate to have the Capitol Historian, Mr.Greenough, who was incredible! We've lived in VA over 30 yrs and haven't visited this amazing Capitol designed by Thomas Jefferson. All of the staff couldn't have been more helpful (desk attendant,security etc). The inside dome, chambers, paintings, statue of Washington and the statue of Lee were amazing! We are telling all our fellow Virginians to visit their state Capitol. We frequently attend Smithsonian institution lectures and Mr.Greenough should definitely be invited to lecture. We learned so much and are grateful for the opportunity. Also, go across the street to the new Civic Center and go up the elevator to the top -"OD" Observation Deck. 360 degree view of the city! Another gem the desk lady told us about! Open until 5pm.

The Capitol building is beautiful. It reminds me of a smaller White House. The grounds were lovely with all the monuments. The governor mansion is on the property as well. It was beautiful as well. It is a must do if you are in the city of Richmond.

Cool place to go to in order to get a peak at the Virginia government digs. Beautiful building that holds so much history. The tour guide was really informative and made the tour super interesting.

We have been impressed everywhere here in Richmond by the reception and tour staff we have met. Here at the Capitol Building even the security staff welcomed us. Our guide, Sylvia was exceptional as she enlightened us about the renovation work, historical significance, some personal experiences and the workings of legislators in Virginia.

Decided to revisit the Virginia Capital building as part of a Labor Day trip to Richmond. Impressive addition of a visitor center loaded with lots of information and history! Our tour guide was super knowledgeable, passionate about history, and very kind. I highly recommend checking out the Virginia Capital building.

Although I only walked the grounds and looked at it from the outside, this is a classic, beautiful building, surrounded by statutes of famous Virginians.

The location is great!! (It sits on top of a hill) But the view is of tall high rise office, bank and hotel buildings. The grounds were nice to walk around. There are statues of famous Virginians to see

There is a lot to see and do at the grounds to the capitol building as well... that includes statues/ civil rights artwork, flowers, and a fountain. Great place to walk around on a nice day.

We would certainly recommend taking a guided tour (free of charge) through this historic building. Our guide was very well informed, articulate and proud of the building he was showing. He provided interesting information on the unique aspects of the structure, from its original architectural drawings by Thomas Jefferson (then Ambassador to France) to updated additions and two new park areas under construction.

Free, friendly and fun. The security was positive and helpful. The tour guide was so knowledgeable of the the site. Incredible!

We loved the building and its surroundings, the small but tidy park around the Capitol is a little gem of flowers and shady trees.

This is the second Capitol tour I have gone on. Both times the guides were well informed and I learned more. It is a beautiful building with lots of history, plus still in use today.

The capital tour is my favorite thing to do while visiting Richmond. The tour starts every 30 minutes on the hour up until 5pm. I would pay money for this tour but it’s free. Each tour guide gives their unique history of this beautiful building and the great leaders of Virginia’s past. Make sure and plan extra time to take a walk around the beautiful lawns of the capital and enjoy the serenity of the surroundings.

This is the centre point of Richmond and closely surrounded by a number of other things worth seeing including the statues in the park area between it and the old town hall behind it (the inscriptions on Billy Smith's statue are especially interesting). It is also very close to both the Marshall House and the old Confederate White House which are both worth seeing.

We were in Richmond for two nights and wanted to find something to do in the middle of a very hot day. We decided to visit the Virginia Capitol Building and we are so glad we did. We had an excellent tour guide (Tony Mitchell) who told us the history of the building sprinkled with history of Virginia, important people, and fun facts.After the tour of the interior of the building, we walked the grounds and viewed the statues and monuments on the grounds. We would highly recommend a visit. Tour was about 1 1/2 hours and was free. A gift shop is available for souvenirs.

NOTE: Entrance is not at the front door of the building...the visitors center is at street level on the left side looking at the building. No need to walk up the outside steps for the tour.

This was one of the last stops on my tour of the city over a week. Even though I heard most of the history from other tours & museums over the week, I thought my tour added more and was personal.

While this visit might not conjure up much excitement for many, the visual impact is quite stunning and the history is absolutely fascinating. Take the time for the tour, you wont regret it.

We tagged along with a large school group for our tour. The information was outstanding although probably a little too much information for the elementary students. The actual tour did not include the buildings wings. We did learn a lot about Virginia history and about the founding fathers.

Thomas Jefferson architect. Impressive statue of George Washington. So many other great things to see and do. A must when visiting Richmond.

After being here over a dozen years, I finally made the trek to see our state capital and was amazed. Virginia is home to history like no other and this offers a rare glance into the start of our nation and the great men and women that called Virginia home. Highly recommended to all ages.

The entire building was impressive. Rotunda was beautiful. The lady at the front desk was very nice and informative. Lots of stairs to climb but there are elevators. Wish I had more time to read all the info on the walls

Tours are given hourly and we missed it, so did a self-guided tour until we caught up with the guide. What a difference! We are Virginians, but there is much American history to be learned/reviewed. Free entrance and tour. Parking sometimes a hassle - we used a garage a few blocks away.

One of the most important buildings in American history. You can do this in an hour ... or stay the entire day. This building, in addition to being the oldest state capitol, was the capitol of the confederacy. Eight of the US Presidents originated from Virginia and are duly recognized. This is a fantastic museum type dedication to our nation's beginning and the Civil War. Beautiful park like setting with the oldest governor's mansion on site.

As VA natives we are always proud to visit our states rich historic sites and this was no disappointment. There has been considerable renovation to make it more handicapped friendly. The tour guide was knowledgeable and witty, all the remarkable sculptures and paintings has great stories. It's a working capitol so we could see the space where our House of Delegates meets and we're able to appreciate the designation of its historic importance to our state. I think if we had just gone in without a tour it wouldn't have provided the great insights of our tour guide. Highly recommend this if you want to see a beautiful monument and museum to the founders of America. The tour was only one hour so plenty of time to walk around the grounds after for pictures.

The original building designed by Thomas Jefferson is lovely. The additions have been tasteful done to match the original architectural features. The docent was friendly, knowledgeable and held your undivided attention. The tour is free, held on the top of each hour and takes about a hour. It is well worth the time.

Took the kids to see the area and walk around and had a blast climbing stairs and meeting the governers dog.

The Capitol grounds are beautiful, as is the building itself. The tour provides some interesting data on how the Virginia capitol was established and the roll of the founding fathers. The Capitol itself has a lot of history to it, as well as present day relevance.

Richmond can be proud of its Old Dominion capitol building and grounds. The capitol itself was designed by Thomas Jefferson and is a wonderful architectural specimen. A life-like statue of George Washington as well as busts of many famous Virginians bring the stories about these influential people to life. Stepping into the old House and Senate chambers and contrasting them with the new shows demonstrates the broad history of this seat of Virginia politics. Well-informed guides are available to share interesting anecdotes, or you can be your own guide. Either way, you're sure to discover many interesting facets about life in Virginia over the centuries.

Although designed by Jefferson, the Richmond Capital building is not all that impressive from the outside. Take the free tour, however, and you will be impressed. Starting with their new street level entrance on Bank St, to the great statue of George Washington, it made for an enjoyable tour. Having a tour guide who was knowledgeable and excited about his subject also helped.

Virginia has a rich history from the founding of the first colonies. On a tour of the capitol building, you will learn much about the history and it's architect, Thomas Jefferson. When touring Richmond, this is a must-see.

Tour lasted for about an hour, every minute was enjoyable. Our tour guide, Becky, knew everything about the buildings history and could answer every question put to her.She made sure we enjoyed our tour..highly recommended

Excellent staff! Very friendly! Will visit again! Clean building! Gift shop, and elevator! Great food at Meriweathers!

Not knowing what to expect, or the quality of the tour, this was a very unexpected surprise. Everything is so organized and the tour guide extremely knowledgeable and non boring. The insides are very well maintained. And its free. Do this tour after you've done the historic triangle. Everything will fit together nicely historically. It also helps to have a rising sophomore who aced 9th grade history on hand to explain things you've forgotten.

was disappointed to see the historic building being updated but will be back again when completed. This is a special place in history and have visited multiple times before

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the Virginia Capitol Building, which at the time, was having seating constructed for the January inauguration of the new governor. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and willing to answer any question we had. We were able to visit the House of Delegates Chamber in the new section as well as the original chamber in the main building. We were able to view the various portraits throughout the building and finally a visit to the lovely gift shop.

The Virginia Capitol Building completed extensive renovations and got a new visitors center around 2007. The building and interiors are really beautiful. Free admission and guided tours on the hour during operating hours. We went on a Saturday and Sylvia showed us around. She's knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Very worthwhile.

We took a tour of the capitol on our visit to Richmond. We had an excellent guide that covered a lot of the history of the state and of Thomas Jefferson. After the tour, you could see other parts of the building, as well as, the rotunda. Well worth the stop if visiting the area.

As you look at the structures, it is so interesting to discover that the most recent renovations are mostly underground.

The free tour was very interesting. My tour guide was very knowledgeable and covered a lot of history in a short time. I highly recommend taking the tour if you are interested in Virginia history.

The construction all around the building made it impossible for me to get to the grounds. I was hoping to see the Washington monument.

OK, where else can you get a lot of VA history in a renovated entryway (which is really cool all by itself). I am guilty! Lived here all my life (not saying how long ;^) and just visited the Capital Building (complex). If you are anywhere near here, don't miss it. A bit of walking if you enter from the new extension but lots to see there too. Lots of parking (on street and decks) nearby. You will enjoy it.

After my conference ended, I had a little time to kill before my return flight. I briefly visited the Capitol and am glad that I did. The staff I encountered was friendly and helpful. The building is beautiful and well maintained. I wish that I had the time to stay longer.

We enjoyed touring this old and historic State House. This capitol was designed by Thomas Jefferson while he was an ambassador to France. However, it has been added on to and in my opinion the exterior suffers from too many coats of white paint. It took us about 30 minutes to do a self-tour of the Capitol and grounds. Don’t miss the large outside statue of George Washington surrounded by other Virginia heroes. We found very convenient and inexpensive parking in the parking garage of the St. John’s Episcopal Church.

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.
The only downfall is the cost of the parking, a few blocks away at $5 per hour.

Took a tour of the inside and is a beautiful building with lots of history. Got to see the session room, lawmaker rooms, ect...

This building is stunning inside and out. It is a must see for architecture fans. And it is free to tour. Parking for it is not easy for access.

This was a great outing for the family. The historian kept both the adults and the young ones engaged with the tour. You will not be disappointed if you love history!

The tour guide was excellent. He was so knowledgeable about Virginia Government history. Every Virginian should tour sometime.

Took this tour and it was so worthwhile. Beautiful building and we saw its treasure, the original statue of George Washington. Our guide was a treasure too, Betty, she was so thorough we had no questions to ask. Her delivery is just perfect, and wow her energy, she is an institution within an institution. Take the time to take the tour. And it is free! Not being from the US I knew so little about early Virginia history. Apart from Pocahontas of course, whose portrait is on display. I know so much more now!

We have lived in VA for over thirty years and had never visited the state capitol building. We were surprised to learn the influence Thomas Jefferson had on the design of this most impressive center of state legislation. All Virginians should visit for a better understanding of our state's history.

Our tour guide was passionate and well informed. The building is full of history and very beautiful. Once the tour was over we were allowed to wander about at our leisure. Recommend at least an hour including the tour to do it justice.

As a new resident of Virginia, and going south for a day trip from the DC area to Richmond, it was so nice to be greeted at the door with a smile. While most were getting their green on for St. Patty's Day celebrations, my family and I enjoyed learning the history of the building (designed by Thomas Jefferson) and sitting at the desks in the Historic House of Delegates. Since it was a Saturday, the lawmakers were not in session and we got a close look at the State Mace. I highly recommend the tour, the guides have so much knowledge and insight behind some of the most pressing issues in politics today. The rotunda houses all the Presidents born in the State of Virginia, as well as the home to the only life-sized statue of George Washington.

The architecture is beautiful and the tour is free. The tour guide was interesting and knowledgeable. The place is so full of history BUT (and it is a big one)...how can you give a tour of the capitol of the Confederacy and never once mention slavery?????

Beautiful building with free tours provided by historians. Our guide was Keenan. His knowledge and enthusiasm of the history building and area made the tour!

Visited while in Richmond and had a guide that was very helpful and knew all the history and crevices of the wonderful Jefferson designed building. I must say she was a Missouri native, as am I, so I understand why she was good!!

I visited the Virginia State Capitol Building in October 2023. Walking around the grounds was very interesting including a George Washington monument / statue and some other statues. I got an excellent photo of the building. I then went inside and took the guided tour which was very interesting and informative. I liked the rotunda which had another statue of George Washington, busts of the eight US presidents who were from Virginia and the portraits of many of Virginia’s governors. The history of the building including its relation to Thomas Jefferson is fascinating.

When in capital cities we love to visit their capital building. This had less to see than others, but nice to walk through. If you stop on the second floor and the woman behind the desk calls you over, she'll give you lots of verbal history and tell you how she met the queen.

We visited the capitol on a Sunday afternoon so it was quiet and we were able to wander on our own. (A free guided tour was available, but we opted out.) The building has been beautifully restored and renovated and is definitely worth a walk through. The gift shop was closed, but it looked very nice too. The grounds of the capitol are also pretty and were showing signs of early spring.

Very beautiful and historic, one of the nicest in the United States. Worth a visit as well as a stroll.

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.

Designed by Thomas Jefferson - what did he not do!

Beautifully restored 10 years ago for the 400 anniversary of Jamestown settlement and the visit of Queen Elizabeth - BETTY Windsor as we Aussies call her!

Loved the statue of George Washington - the only one he modelled for. A real highlight.

Very quiet day. No politicians which made it better! Lovely staff. So helpful and informative

Beautiful buiding did not have time to go in but is on my next visit to do list. It is located in walking distance from the hotel.

Group of 42. What a great tour. Such a knowledgeable leader. Knew his job. Relayed info very professionally, made us all feel welcome. What an impressive building. Thank you, Virginia.

I highly recommend the free guided tour. The guide we enjoyed was very interesting and knowledgeable. There is so much history surrounding this beautiful building

Perhaps the most interesting captiol building I have experienced... The architecture of this site is terrific, and walking through a site so steeped in history was a great experience. I wasn't able to take the guided tour, so I relied on all of postings to gather specific information. Definitely some must see things here!

These tours are free and well worth it! The guides are interested in their subject and provide a lot of information about each room. When the tour is over, the guides allow visitors to linger and view the portraits of Virginia governors all the way back to the colonial era. Thomas Jefferson designed the original building (from Paris), and it makes a great story.

Must dither tour. The hour went quickly. The historic capitol is a must see. Walk around the area for even more.

The grounds and building are beautiful. The best part is the guided tour with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable docent who tells about each room and the people who made our country what it is.

Doesn't get much better than a Capitol Building designed by Thomas Jefferson. Take the free tour to get all the details and history. Makes you proud be an American. Virginia, the Mother of Presidents.

So interesting with great historical perspective. Wonderful guide who truly knew her history & enjoyed sharing it. Just walked next door & was also treated to a tour of the Governor's Mansion. Got to met Daisy McAuliffe!

Beautiful 232 year old Neoclassical Capitol building with outstanding center rotunda with marble floors and tiered balconies. The Rotunda is graced by a life-sized statue of George Washington made of Italian Carara marble and sculpted by Jean-Antoine Houdon, French sculpturer.

I visited this location for work. Very informative. I learned things that I had not known about for years.

The highlight of our visit was our tour with Mrs Snellings. She is so energetic and enthusiastic and enthralled us with all the historic events that have occurred at the Capitol. We could have listened to her for hours. She is a real gem!

As it turned out we took a guided tour with Betty who had been showing people around here for 27 years. And, this was her very last tour, ever.

We learned a lot during our wander round.

This place is full of history - USA, Virginia, Confederacy etc

It was a very interesting tour...we tagged along with a student group who learned how the politicians debate.

The tour was interesting and the tour guide was polite, but the tour featured little information that hasn't already been exhausted in elementary school social studies classes. We learned only about the American elite white males and their amazing accomplishments, which I felt really undermined the recent efforts to teach an all-inclusive history that touches on several different cultures of a specific time frame. Lee was celebrated as a hero and Pocahontas, the only woman included in the tour, was referred to only as her Christian name, Rebecca (I wish I was kidding - this was insane to me). Overall a disappointing experience. I would be more inclined to return if history was represented on all sides.

We had an excellent guide who was very informative and knowledgeable about the Capitol. This is a very interesting building which was designed by Thomas Jefferson.

We visited here spur of the moment and are so glad that we did! L
Wonderful tour and photos are encouraged in every room. Included lots of little facts that we like to find out about. Staff was friendly.

Tours still being given, in spite of major construction. These tour guides love telling the history of this oldest continuously used Capitol building in the country. See the models that Thomas Jefferson sent from France while he was an Ambassador there. Get your Capitol book stamped at the Tour Desk. If you don’t yet have a book, get one. It’s fun.

Was really pleased with our tour of this wonderful historic Capitol building. Really was impressed with how well it has been maintained and the pride the people working there expressed.

The building has a rich history and uniqueness about it. We did the serlf guided tour and enjoyed the sculptures inside. The statues on the grounds were outstanding. We really enjoyed the monument to the civil rights struggle. Staff was friendly. It was quiet on a Saturday.

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. It was fascinating both on the architectural side of things as well as the history that took place in this space. Very nicely presented and to be in the places that were so historically significant to the birth of this nation is amazing.
The public park around the capitol is a wonderful place to wander among the gardens and statues. and is a nice haven in the midst of the city.

We took a guided tour of the capital building in Richmond and learned a lot of Virginia and US history in the process. The content of the tour was very educational and informative, the architecture was beautiful, and the whole experience, great!

Great example of neo-classic architecture conceived by Thomas Jefferson. There's a free guided tour higly recommended, the lady had strong knowledge of the building history. There is also a bar if you want to have a bite for lunch.

Nice Capitol, but not as nice as MN or NE, my adoptive state and home state. Didn’t see any symbols of the confederacy, for which I was grateful.

Omg Kirby rocked it. He was so knowledgeable, personable and down to earth. He related to my 14-year-old and made sure she understood and was entertained. This was a must do ! Stunning! Well preserved history. Extremely knowledgeable. Don't miss this

A lot of clowns bickering back and forth, and trying to act smarter than one another. I was hoping they were going to start pie-ing each other in the face but they never got around to it.

Parking can be a trick, even with metered parking lots downtown. This sits in the middle of a 240-year-old state capitol, after all.

I'm glad we were able to see this building, though we were too late to go inside the visit was still worth it. We were late due to trying to find parking with the narrow one way streets exacerbated by construction on the major street to it. We finally found parking at a commercial lot a block away.
Walking around the grounds was nice as there are statues and views of the capitol and town around it.

While driving up to DC my wife and I stopped by this statehouse and took a stroll around the grounds. While a little hilly we thought this was a very picturesque state house with well-kept grounds.

Big tip here is to join one of the organised tours (every 30 mins) so you can access the whole building. As always they are staffed by really knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff and there's so much to see and learn. Lovely outside grounds too but beware there is airport style security and search to get entry. And it's free!!

I have taken many out of town guest there. It has always been during the summer and on a Sunday. They have a nice tour of the inside of the building. You can also walk the grounds. Lots of history.

We took a docent tour of the Capitol Building with Mrs. Snell - she was fantastic - full of stories, history, facts and fun information. She was patient with all our questions and we were able to see her again after we went up to the third floor on our way out and she was gracious and fun. Definitely recommend a docent tour - the staff are proud of their Virginia history and building and it was really informative and interesting!!!

Thoroughly enjoyed the building and the history depicted in the building. The House and Senate chambers were beautiful. Neat info about the Winston Churchill visit to Virginia. Beautiful building. Great staff. Enjoyed talking to the Capitol Police officer who had a daughter in Charleston at CofC. Recommend to anyone

Designed by Thomas Jefferson. Tour is free. Neat to see and hear the history of Virginia and the capitol building.

It was a bit hard to find the entrance - but once we found it a friendly guard provided a map to show us where to park. The tour guide was knowledgeable and entertaining - gave a great introduction to VA history.

We just stopped here while riding bikes. Just walked around the capital. Security all around and guarding the governor’s house. Construction everywhere. No riots or problems while we visited. The capital isn’t open on the weekend but that was ok as stopping was just a bonus while riding. Nothing really too exciting.

We took in the FREE guided tour and it was the best ever. Our guide KNEW what he was talking about, didn't make stuff up, like some others, and made sure we enjoyed our tour.

This is a fun place to take out of towners or any history buff. If time isn't on your side, don't hesitate to do your own tour, lots to look at and they are usually gracious if you want to listen in on a tour. Also it is right in the heart of Richmond, so lots of great bars and restaurants within a few blocks.

Late April was a perfect time of year to see this beautiful building with its landscaping. Clean and pretty.

This is a beautiful building. Our tour guide was niceand extremely knowledgeable, but spoke in a "radio voice" and apparently thought this group of adults was a middle school group on a field trip.

The self-guided tour is great. The staff were friendly. Great info on when the south established itself as a new country. Beautiful artwork, sculptures, statutes and wood work.

A great tour, the guide was very friendly and informative.
Staff were very friendly and helpful.
Handicap accessible.
A beautiful building and decor.

If you are in Richmond, you must see the Capital. There is a tour. Its free. The history is outstanding.

This is one of the better state capital buildings. A must see if in Richmond, Virginia. The statue of George Washington is awesome as well as the busts of all presidents born in the state of Virginia. Enjoyed.

If I were a native Virginian this place might be interesting. But I'm not. Ties to the Civil War but nothing you need to see. Charming docent, howeve

Learnt so much about US history from this place staff were brilliant, our guide absolutely passionate and very knowledgable (the only male guide we understand and he's been there years) Nancy Astors English clock, superb statutes of George Washington went into various rooms with superb paintings. A truly lovely building. Tours every hour on the hour a must cvisit for locals and visitors. Great grounds and statues too. Very easy to get to from central Richmond

We finished off our 6 day Virginia trip with a tour of the Virginia Capitol Building. There are free hourly tours, ours had a couple of dozen people. The design of the building is beautiful and of Jeffersonian architecture. There are impressive statues and busts of famous Virginians everywhere. Most of the historical information was delivered in a couple of rooms which housed the old or new legislative chambers. Only downside was that our guide was ok but sort of just went through the motions.

Passed this building and learned some of its history while on a Segway tour of Richmond. Would like to have gone back and toured the inside... but an interesting building from the outside with an interesting history.

Very nice free tour offered at the Capitol of Virginia. This is where it all started for America. Very interesting and informational.

With only an hour to spare in Richmond, this is time well spent. We just walked around the outside of the building and found numerous statues & memorials to take in. There is a great deal of history in Richmond and much to see around the Capital & surrounding streets.

The entrance is way down the hill away from the building on Bank Street. We arrived for a quick visit but was recommended to take the tour which we did. Wow, did the lady know her stuff and she was so proud to show us everything. We even went into the two chambers. We mentioned that we were English and it felt like she gave us the special tour.
This was a much more interesting place to visit that expected. Thank you.

We didn't take a tour of the inside, however I wish we had. It was later in the evening when we visited so we got to meet some politicians outside, one of which told my husband (who's from Ohio) what the state deal meant, which is beautifully incorporated into the design of the ground. I was surprised at how large, beautiful, and how much thought/detail was put into the architectural design of our state's capital. There is so much history in not just what goes on inside but also in the design of the building. Highly recommend anyone who plans a visit to the Richmond area to definitely visit and be sure to go early enough to get a guided tour!

The Capitol grounds are barricaded and inaccessible. The story is they want to avoid having the riots spill over onto the grounds. In reality, the Governor lives on the grounds, and he is in hiding from almost everyone. Hard to make everybody mad, but he managed. The city is a war zone with continued instability, vandalism, assaults, arson and more. Stay far away from the City of Richmond for your safety.

I've lived in Virginia my entire life and finally made it to the capitol. It is beautiful. You can take either a one-hour guided tour or walk around on your own. We were talked into taking the one-hour tour but went off on our own after 30 minutes. The guided tour was just too long, and not as compelling or interesting as the one at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

I wish I could remember the name of our docent - he was in a class by himself. His tour lasted 90 minutes, and held our interest throughout. Sitting in the "old" hall of delegates while hearing about its history was a very memorable experience.

In the centre of this city sits these wonderful old buildings still performing their functions in the present day. Wonderful to see and photograph.

This is a FASCINATING and free tour! Mrs. Snellings gave us a tour, and we learned SOOOO much about SOOOO many important people. My favorite thing inside was the statue of George Washington made from life. He looks slightly different than I thought -- wow. On the grounds are many statues of various key people. A group of women statues from various eras really spoke to me. Thomas Jefferson designed this building. I can't even begin to scratch the surface of the fascinating history we learned. You won't regret going!

Tour started 10 minutes earlier than the scheduled time but at least the lady guide apologised and explained why, albeit a poor reason. She started the tour slowly but came into our own when she showed the rooms. She loved there was a group of around 30 young people as well as around 10 adults. She brought the history of the building and the key players alive. Everybody seemed to enjoy the tour and engrossed by her performance

Thomas Jefferson designed elegant houses, but the Virginia State Capitol upped his game and America's. Now Neoclassical architecture--our connection with what we perceive as the best of the Greeks and Romans--would be the symbol of right, good, and true democracy.

Go check it out for yourself...

We loved our visit to the Capitol! Mark, our tour guide, was extremely knowledgeable and spent a lot of time making sure all of our questions were answered. The grounds were beautiful.
The statue of George Washington is worth seeing! There was no wait to get inside. This was a free tour, but be sure to research parking because prices we paid in the local garages were ridiculous!

Sitting in the same room where the Bill Of Rights, the most cherished part of our Constitution, was first proposed and where, years later, Virginia voted to leave the Union; standing in a rotunda surrounded by busts of our early presidents; and gazing at a magnificent statue of Washington are only a few of the marvels of touring the Virginia State Capitol. Definitely take the one hour escorted tour as the guides are superb and will help you experience a true sense of history.

I visited the Capitol in June 2018. Both the grounds and the Capitol tour are great.

The hourly guided tours are very educational and the tour guide We had was very eloquent and very knowledgeable about history and various subject. He was also very accommodating for those who had special needs. I recommend that you come.

This place was designed to impress, and it has been designed and refurbished well. I loved the paintings and specially when we were explained what was it all about.

There is so much to say about the Virginia Capitol in Richmond. It is an amazing place to visit with so much history behind it. My husband and I love taking guided tours and when we had out-of-town guests visit this past weekend, we headed for downtown to see the sites. What made this tour so amazing, though, was our tour guide, Emily. She had such great information to share and stories to add, making it all the more interesting. If you have the chance to go, wait for Emily's scheduled tour time. (Tours are scheduled every hour on the hour.) You will enjoy her so much! Note: It was a warm day outside but it was FREEZING in the building. Make sure you have a jacket or sweater.

The tour guides are exceptional and the buildings architecture makes the trip to Richmond worthwhile.

This capital building is unlike any I have ever been in before now. It resembles the White House more to me than a capital. There is a great deal of construction going on and we were told it would probably be years before everything was finished. The rotunda is very intricately painted. It is beautiful. Of course you can visit The House and The Senate and see many historical things. Great stop when touring Richmond.

We started our day of sightseeing in downtown Richmond at the recently restored Virginia Capitol Building. The Capitol was one of many buildings that Thomas Jefferson designed.
We didn’t take the tour because there were large groups of third graders who arrived about the same time as we did.
The lady at the information desk on the second floor gave us very detailed information about the original building, wing additions and the underground addition. She also gave us information about the recent complete restoration that had to be done because of a severe mold problem.
She told us where to see the bust of Sam Houston since we’re from Texas!

The landscaping around the Capital is beautiful and allows for nice walking as weather permits. I didn't expect all the flowers this early in the season. They were lovely.

There's much to see here including a free one hour guided tour (which we did not do). At the visitor's entrance you also find maps and literature allowing you to do your own tour. Our primary interest was the Rotunda and this section of the building which was planned by Jefferson. Don't miss the older Senate Chambers.

This has to be one of my favorite USA state capitol buildings yet. The amount of renovations they've done is very impressive and right on the mark for a tourist like me. It is free to visit and there are guided tours offered at certain times. I opted to do a self-guided tour so I could explore on my own. The visitor entrance is on Banks Street, where you enter into an underground tunnel to make your way up to the capitol building and rooms. (There is security you have to go through to enter.) The newer tunnel parts are great with exhibits, some cool modern art paintings on display and even a small cafe/restaurant (this was closed when I visited between 4-5pm on a weekday). Everything is air conditioned! Big plus on a 92 degree July day. I like the size of the actual capitol building, it is just big enough to explore and be interested without being fatigued. The statue of George Washington in the middle of the Rotunda is significant because it was molded while he was still alive. I wanted to read every information panel the had because it was just the right amount of information and kept my interest. I particularly liked the displays that had some Virginia trivia questions and answers, very cool way to engage visitors. They have a decent size gift shop too with some neat options. The worker was very helpful and friendly when I asked for advice for other things to do around town.
My only slight issue with this visit was finding parking. Because of my timing to visit at 4pm a lot of the nearby street parking is prohibited from 4-6pm. I did finally end up finding a spot on 10th street, where you pay $2.50 for 2 hours, and it was right across from the visitors entrance! Almost the best spot to park, but if it's a busy day it could fill up quickly. Beautiful capitol! You should definitely visit.

Free hour long tours are given on the half hour starting at 10 am I believe. Reservations are not needed except for groups. The tour is a must!There are so many stories, so much symbolism, so much history you will otherwise miss. We had the supervisor of the guides for our guide. He was incredible and spent extra long with our group because we were all so interested and had so many questions.

The tour starts from the Banks street entrance. We found 2-hour free parking on Banks and entered without needing to climb stairs. There is a security check in. The tour was completely accessible because there are elevators.

Why is Henry Clay's statue here? why is there a mace? What part of the Capitol fell in? How many senators and representatives were there when the Capitol opened? When did the first elected assembly meet in Virginia? Why did Lady Astor donate a clock? Where is the dome? So many more stories.

There is currently a special exhibit on Winston Churchill's visit and speech from 1948.

We have visited over 20 state capitols, and this is one of our favorites. It's not the most ornate. It's not the largest.But it has unique architectural features and so much history.

Lots of construction going on (2018) but worth driving around to view the scenery, You might not be able to stop, but at least you can get a view.