State Capitol
State Capitol
4.5
About
Designed by influential architect Cass Gilbert, this grand building, the highest state capitol dome in the United States, is open to the public for tours and features decadent interior details like marble walls a massive crystal chandelier.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
533 reviews
Excellent
321
Very good
157
Average
43
Poor
9
Terrible
3
harryatkck
Kansas City, KS996 contributions
May 2022
My wife & I have visited 48 of the 50 state capitals in the US & this was by far the worst one we have visited. The website states that the capital is open on Sundays. However, it doesn't give any information on where to park or how to enter the building. We happened to be in Charleston on a Sunday afternoon on our way home from the east coast & decided to visit. I dropped my wife (who has a hard time walking) off at the front hoping we could enter close by & I found metered street parking on the east side. When I went back to rejoin my wife, I couldn't find a public entrance, but I happened upon a state employee about to enter via a locked entry & he directed me to towards a public entrance towards the back of the west side. I found the entrance & 2 security guards let us in. But everything except the bathrooms were locked up & there was nobody working there to give s assistance. I did find the tour desk & picked up a booklet titled "West Virginia State Capital Walking Tour & Visitor Information". Inside was a map that showed the capital complex & provided all the information on parking & entering the capital. I wish this brochure has been on the website instead of the useless brochure that is there now. We used the restrooms before we left & my wife told me that the restroom she used was one of the grossest ones she had been in. Bottom line: If you advertise that you are open on Sunday, you need to have a few people there to help visitors. Otherwise don't say that it is open.
Written June 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
blackriverwoman
Virginia478 contributions
Feb 2019
I would have rated this place terrible but it is the state capitol. Where is the security to keep people from making this place smell like urine. The only other place i have been that smells like strong urine is in DC. And what is up with the workers not finishing the gilding on the dome? Who is in charge of these people. We have one of the most beautiful capitols in the nation and for it to be disrespected like this. What a shame. Won't be coming here again.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melissa T
Sudbury, Canada2 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
Walking through the Capitol building was a wonderful experience. Walking down the marble hallways looking at the artwork on the walls. Seeing the young children on tour with their classmates learning all they can. It’s definitely a place that you want to stop in and see.
Written March 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve M
Pulaski, TN388 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
The capitol is a beautiful building to visit. The people working there were very friendly and will answer any questions that you have. All of the state offices are within the complex area and even the Governor's Mansion is next to the capitol. If you are hungry, there is a great cafe in the basement with reasonable prices. Parking is not free and you will be ticketed if the meter runs out. There were several cars with tickets.
Written June 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dewayne P
Elizabethtown, KY1,858 contributions
Jul 2022
I will start off by saying parking was not fun. There are metered or pay lots all around, but still not a joy. You enter through the public entrance at the back and can go by the visitor's information booth - but they didn't have any self-guided tour maps. I walked around aimlessly taking in the building and artifacts. They do have guided tours, but I didn't arrive close enough to take one.
Written July 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
recorder
Pineville, MO1,817 contributions
Jul 2021
We called a couple of months ago and tours were out because of covid. When we got there the tours had started up again but needed a 24 hour pre order. Oh well we saw the rotunda and the House room. Very nice building inside and out
Written July 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TWB
Cincinnati, OH2,467 contributions
Aug 2021
I've seen the golden dome from the highway several times...finally made it to Charleston with time to see it up close. It would be fun to have a picnic on the lawn. This is such a pretty building and lawn, especially at night.
Written October 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TennisStar602
New Jersey625 contributions
Nov 2021 • Friends
On a Sunday afternoon, I walked around the grounds of the Capitol building. The grounds had a nice landscape with tons of trees and statues. The Capitol building was also a pleasant site to see from the outside. Yet, the surrounding areas near the Capitol building were a bit rundown and sketchy to me. There was parallel parking near the Capitol building. Interstate 64 was also very close to this vicinity.
Written November 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trek-Always
Alpharetta, GA2,537 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
Important tip: The capitol and tour, and the museum, are free but parking requires 2 quarters per hour. We had to go to a nearby store for change for the five quarters we estimated we needed. If you go to the museum and spend significant time then you may need more.
This is certainly worth a stop and some time to take a tour. A very nice lady offered to start our tour at 8:45 since no one else was there to go on it. The first tour is 9:00 each day. She took us through the building which has two floors (unlike many capitols with three). Both houses are viewable except for the 60 days or so they are in session each year. Lots of history throughout including paintings of all the WV govs through time.
We were surprised that the building is truly "open to the public" and we walked in with no security, no metal detectors, etc. The governors mansion is on adjoining land. The river runs in front of the building. I was not crazy about the gold leaf dome with the black background but that is admittedly personal preference. The WV History Museum is right next to the Capitol and is free.
This area is worth 1-3 hours depending on how much depth you want to go into at the museum.
If this review is helpful then please indicate so below.
This is certainly worth a stop and some time to take a tour. A very nice lady offered to start our tour at 8:45 since no one else was there to go on it. The first tour is 9:00 each day. She took us through the building which has two floors (unlike many capitols with three). Both houses are viewable except for the 60 days or so they are in session each year. Lots of history throughout including paintings of all the WV govs through time.
We were surprised that the building is truly "open to the public" and we walked in with no security, no metal detectors, etc. The governors mansion is on adjoining land. The river runs in front of the building. I was not crazy about the gold leaf dome with the black background but that is admittedly personal preference. The WV History Museum is right next to the Capitol and is free.
This area is worth 1-3 hours depending on how much depth you want to go into at the museum.
If this review is helpful then please indicate so below.
Written June 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MTravi
Nashville, TN264 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
I have been to several capitol buildings and this was the most unfriendly one. There was supposedly free parking for visitors in the garage but you had to have a code to access it, so I wound up paying a meter and still had to walk several blocks. There are no signs for the entrance which is on the side. There is no information of where to go after security check. Finally finding the information desk there were two half empty bottles of water sitting at the two stations but no one manning the post or any information to when they might be back. I finally ran into a tour group of two people on my self tour of the capitol but after hanging around them for a while was not invited to join or even acknowledged of my presence. If you plan to visit this capitol building be prepared to be on your own and ready for a self guided tour because the people there are unfriendly and uninformative.
Written July 3, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Danielle B
37 contributions
Does anyone know if the dome is still under construction? And when it will be finished? Thanks
Gabby
East Islip, NY
How much is a tour?
ThomasTCat
St. Louis, MO784 contributions
It's free and worth seeing, but when we were there in July, it was undergoing renovations and the dome was wrapped up and you could not see the inside of the dome because that area was closed off. There is enough to see with the courtrooms, governors office, etc. that it is still worth visiting. The amazing West Virginia State Museum is right across the street and is also free, and you could spend an entire day wandering around in there and not see everything it has to offer.
SnappleSpice
New York City, NY546 contributions
Do we need pre-booked tickets to do a tour? What is the cost? Is it worth it to do a tour or can we manage on our own?
sunshinegirl36
Indianapolis, IN217 contributions
No tickets needed. Please note we went on a Sunday. The building was empty, no one to answer questions or give any info.-
tswestfa
Point Pleasant, WV
where to park
Bankslover
United States62 contributions
There is a visitors parking lot on the west (?) end of the capital which I is free. (I think)
vickib332
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States58 contributions
We'll be stopping in Charleston overnight on our way from Indiana to North Carolina with an almost 4 year old. Are there things at the Capitol complex for children that age to do or is there something close by that she might enjoy? I know she'll enjoy seeing the statues and rotunda but if anyone has any tips on what we should definitely see nearby, that would be great!
MTravi
Nashville, TN264 contributions
There is a museum in the capitol complex across the way from the capitol building itself that has activities for children. Just ask at the front desk when you go in.
Is that real gold on top of state capital
SMinns
Taylor, MI13 contributions
Yes it is.Though not the original .
Encompassing more than 14 acres of floor space, the Capitol, made of buff limestone, is dominated by a 23-karat gold-leaf dome 293 feet high. The dome is 5 feet higher than the nation�s Capitol and the largest of any state capitol dome in the United States
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Frequently Asked Questions about State Capitol
- Hotels near State Capitol:
- (0.28 mi) Brass Pineapple Inn
- (1.31 mi) Sonesta ES Suites Charleston
- (5.88 mi) Hampton Inn Charleston-Southridge
- (4.20 mi) Sleep Inn
- (1.67 mi) Four Points by Sheraton Charleston
- Restaurants near State Capitol:
- (0.00 mi) Capitol Food Court
- (0.27 mi) Domino's Pizza
- (0.36 mi) Tricky Fish
- (0.31 mi) 7-Eleven
- (0.37 mi) Red Carpet Lounge