The Capitol is very open and visitor-friendly. Visitors are welcome to explore the Capitol at their leisure, while noting during the legislative session and other times, areas may be restricted due to government functions. The 4th floor public galleries are open to visitors to view the legislative proceedings and to view the House and Senate Chambers. Photography is generally allowed in the building, unless the House and Senate are conducting meetings. Photography is restricted during those times. Please begin your tour of the Capitol on the Garden Level of the Building where you will find a central rotunda filled with educational panels about Idaho and our state government.

The Idaho state Capitol building is open for self-guided tours from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday – Friday.  Please also visit the virtual tours of the Idaho State Capitol developed in conjunction with Idaho Public Television.  Our Scavenger Hunt that follows the virtual tour videos is a favorite for all ages.  Please email capitoltours@lso.idaho.gov to request the answer key. 

Currently guided tours are not available. We look forward to being able to serve your tour needs in the future.  We will be updating this page as more information becomes available. 

Thank you.
The Idaho State Capitol Tour Program

Guided Tours (by Reservation Only)

• Grades lower than 3^rd are invited to visit the Capitol using our self-guided tour program. The self-guided tour booklet can be downloaded here.
• School groups (3^rd grade and higher) and visitors are invited to tour the Capitol through the Guided Tour Program. Currently guide tours are not available.
• Guided tours must be scheduled a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance.
• Guided tours are available to groups with a minimum of 5 attendees. We strongly recommend a maximum of 50 (or 2 classrooms) per time slot to ensure an optimal tour experience. This is vital during the legislative session when hallways are full.
• Guided tours begin at 10:00 am or 1:00 pm, Monday – Friday.
• Guided tour times in March, April and May fill up quickly! Please contact us a maximum of 6 months prior to that day to ensure your reservation.

NEW American Sign Language Tours

Thanks to a partnership with the Council for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Capitol Tour Program is able to offer our full tour in American Sign Language (ASL). Please provide a minimum of two weeks advance notice. To schedule an ASL tour or for questions, please email capitoltours@lso.idaho.gov

Tour Videos

• Click here to explore the Idaho State Capitol Virtually.
• Click here to watch The Capitol of Light, a video production by IPTV.

Volunteering

This program can only work with the time and dedication of our volunteer tour guides! Schedules are flexible and training is provided. If you are interested in being a Volunteer Tour Guide please contact Michelle O’Brien at 208-334-4850 or mobrien@lso.idaho.gov. For additional information on volunteer docents and an application click here

Games

• Scavenger Hunt
• State Symbol Word Search
• Capitol Word Search
• Legislature Word Search

Please contact capitoltours@lso.idaho.gov to request the answer keys.`