Visiting the Idaho Capitol

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. Photography is prohibited when the House and Senate are conducting business in any location. 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. Garden Level entrances are located on Jefferson Street. Follow the sloped walkways.

Guided Tours (not available at this time)

 

Please note: We will begin scheduling Guided Tours after the completion of a large window replacement project (November 2021). The window replacement project will also make various parts of the building inaccessible at times. More information can be found on the Idaho Capitol Commission website at https://capitolcommission.idaho.gov/.

  • School groups (3rd grade and higher) and visitors are invited to tour the Capitol through the Guided Tour Program.
  • Guided tours begin at 10:00 am or 1:00 pm, Monday – Friday.
  • 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.
  • Capitol tours are limited to no more than 50 attendees (or 2 classrooms) per time slot to ensure an optimal tour experience. This is vital during the legislative session when hallways are full.
  • 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.
 

Self-Guided Tours

 
  • Self-Guided Tour Booklets can be found on the Garden Level at the Visitor’s Information Desk or in the Capitol Gift Shop.
  • Grades lower than 3rd are invited to visit the Capitol using our self-guided tour program.
  • The self-guided tour booklet can be downloaded here.
 

Capitol Virtual Tours

 
  • Virtual Tour Videos, produced in conjunction with Idaho Public Television, can be viewed here.
  • Click here, for the Virtual Tour Scavenger Hunt.
  • The self-guided tour booklet can be downloaded here.
 

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.
 

Videos

 
  • 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 mobrien@lso.idaho.gov. For additional information on volunteer docents and an application click here

 

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