Washington State Capitol

Poor Washington didn’t get its own star on the flag, sharing it with Idaho who was entered into the states the same year.
Check another one off the list. You’re next Montana.

Absolutely beautiful Federal style architecture. The heart of civilization in the Pacific Northwest.
It has the most Tiffany chandeliers and lights in the world. 438!

I absolutely loved the free tour. The grounds are immaculate. The lake is a great run route. It’s not that far from the museum (museum is closed for renovation) this is center to everything and an alleged taco truck which I’m looking for lol. Definitely a must visit

fantastic tour and I am woefully embarrassed that I have not been in the decades I have lived here! The tour is free takes about an hour, is full of beautiful sights, pretty Tiffany. and lots of good history/trivia…on your way in just make sure you count the steps and know the number and why? you will be quizzed! Friendly staff lots of questions answered that we never thought of asking… and it is very «open». My grandkids loved it so much we went twice this summer just so they could look at the marble and find animals .it is a great urban hiking for the hard core walkers amongst us to go park at the Farmers mkt walk to the State house take the tour have a snack at a local eatery (they did have a deli we did not check it out but I would) then walk back .you can enjoy the artwork on the waterfront and murals in town… if you are local and have not been .go …if you are not local and want to go. please go stop putting it off like I did thinking «oh it is there for a rainy day» it is better on a sunny day the view is stunning… the grounds are beautiful and right now the dahlias are blooming like crazy

We visited the Washington State Capitol twice during our trip, and although we did not have an opportunity to enjoy the tour, we did appreciate the beauty of the building and the friendliness of the staff that worked there. We arrived late one afternoon, and I got hungry with little warning. The cafeteria was about to close, but the ladies re-​opened the trays just for us: the most delicious homemade mac & cheese! I am borderline hypoglycemic, and so this was much appreciated. I saw this attention to customer service continued during our second visit, where the gift shop attendant kept the place open long after the closing time, so that patrons could continue to peruse the shop floor. Parking is on the street in front and paid at the kiosk, well worth the small amount you pay. At some point, I will return, but the friendliness of the folks will stay with me.

Free tours of the capitol!

I’m usually not interested in history or politics, but really enjoyed a stop here on my way to Seattle. I would recommend taking the tour (one hour long, every hour) because the guide brings you into places that are locked, like the reception room, and provides interesting information without being too boring. During my visit on a Friday I got to meet the First Lady of Washington when my tour group walked by her. Parking was easy to find at the visitor center nearby for $ 1.50/hour (a few free 30 minute spots). Beautiful landscaping, including tulips and cherry blossom trees. There is a free bus that takes you to nearby downtown Olympia.

Worth the look but check the hours to be open. Parking near is a bit tricky. Inside is worth the look! Lots of marble and a traditional design.

The Washington state capital is a great place to visit… Especially in the summer time! The rotunda is absolutely stunning!
The legislative session is a great time to take young people. When I was there I made an appointment to speak with my legislators concerning issues that were important to me.

Seems The Same After 30 Years
SITREP
I will always have fun, majestic memories of this beautiful State Capitol Building. Being able to stop in and visit recently was a nice trek down memory lane.
THE SETUP
Back in 1984, my senior year in college, I was heavily involved in the Young Democrats of Washington State. At the time, I placed my energies fully behind the Presidential Campaign of Senator Gary Hart, D-​Colorado, and as I was in college at the time in Walla Walla, I was charged with working the eastern half of Washington State, with our local HQ being in Spokane.
STATE CAPITOL JUNKETS
It was an exciting time for me, making trips to Seattle and Spokane, but also hitting «Gary Hart For President» HQ in Olympia, our State Capitol.
PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS
But as you may know the history, Gary lost to Walter Mondale in the Democratic Primaries, and so for many of us, our «Harts» were broken and we didn’t really want to be a member of a party where Mondale was it’s candidate.
But that didn’t mean we necessarily wanted to jump on the bandwagon of Republican Reaganite candidates either, and so several of us disaffected Democrats were heading to the party of the Independents.
BOOTH GARDNER
…that is until an unexpected thing happened to us along the way: a visionary gentleman talked to us and changed our minds: we were personally recruited by Washington Gubernatorial candidate Booth Gardner, Democrat. Full of vision, compassion on a social level, but fiscally conservative, Booth weaved important principles together in his campaign, and so we worked hard for him, and he won the Governorship in Washington State (and served for 8 years from Jan 16, 1985 to Jan 13, 1993).
CAPITOL ROTUNDA — THE INAUGURATION BALL
I will never forget the kick-​ass party we had for his inauguration under the revered dome of the Washington State Capitol Rotunda. It was like Christmas & Disneyland all at once, mixed with a heavy dose of politics. Definitely a highlight of my life.
And spending time off & on, both for pleasure & work, in the intervening 30 years just continues to have me remember this structure in both pleasant & respectful tones.
THE LOWDOWN
If you ever get a chance to go to Olympia, you need to stop by and enjoy the building.

If you’re ever in the Pacific Northwest; there’s no reason not to go the the Washington State Capitol!
On a drive between Seattle and Portland with a friend while I was in town, this was the perfect way to break up our trip. Going to any state’s capitol building is interesting and a beautiful introduction to the place which you are currently visiting. Not to mention every one was just absurdly friendly walking around the area.
Did I mention there’s a 100 percent free tour that leaves every hour? Yeah. That’s real. And just absolutely phenomenal! It’s a great way to learn more and see some of the special rooms that you wouldn’t normally get to see just talking a self-​guided tour.
All in all, the stop was perfectly worth it and is a great way to break up a trip between Seattle and Portland if you’re in the area while also taking some time to knowledge yourself!

I am diehard about Oregon exceeding Washington! But this does not apply to the Washington State Capitol. Their building has old-​style rooms that look like royal dance galleries and they are an intimidating presence. Washington is shown in such a wonderful light. The capitol is a fun visit and I recommend that those of us who live in Portland drive up and visit it sometime.
You look at a meeting room and you think of a ballroom. The gardens are beautiful and the dome is certainly one of the more amazing things you’ll see in the Northwest.
It is a nice drive and Olympia has a fun downtown complete with neat parks and places to eat. The capitol is on the same grounds as their departments and supreme court. I loved it.
The Washington State Capitol is ultimately worth exploring. You have little to lose if you find it boring as Olympia and the behemoth of Seattle is nearby.

The Washington State Capitol made for a good stopover point while driving down I-​5 on my way to Portland recently. The road signs made it easy to get to the Capitol. Olympia is not that big of a town so it is easy to spot the Capitol’s rotunda since it is the tallest building in the area.
I didn’t go into the Capitol building, but simply took pictures on its grounds. There seems to be a row of parking right up to the Capitol. Though I decided to park a couple blocks away on a side street nearby. I was kind of shocked at the parking meter pricing. The first 15 minutes are free and the next half hour after that is just a quarter. No wonder we have a budget deficit!
The Capitol is beautifully maintained. There are a few statues/​monuments here as well. The grounds here serve as a great example of what a good public space should look like.
Making a pit stop in Olympia on your way to Portland or Seattle to visit the Washington State Capitol is worth it. It is worth the extra 30 minutes or so, to see the inspiring architecture found here before getting back on your way to where you need to go.

This review is strictly from a tourist viewpoint. There isn’t much to do around this area, but even if you’re just passing by, make sure to take a break and check out the place! I certainly came on a whim, and I was so glad to stop by.
Such a beautiful surrounding area, huge walking grounds outside, and all the buildings are conveniently located together. The structures of each building was very majestic, and the fountains, grass area, and beautiful city/​water view is charming and well taken care of.
Did a self tour around the building, it was very educational and relaxing. Not a lot of people here, so there’s space to run, or just take lots of nice pictures. The memorials are also enlightening and sobering.
I did find a banana slug, that was also cute.

Great for touring! Stay away from the treasury as they think they are important and are not very friendly to visitors. The others all are very friendly towards visitors.