This has to be one of the fancier Capitol buildings I’ve been in! Really beautiful and plenty of helpful and friendly folks there ready to give you a map and your info! If you’re in the area and even thinking about visiting, I definitely would! Free parking close by too.

Very pleasantly surprised to experience interesting architecture statues art and perspectives. Fantastic area to run hill repeats.

Gorgeous architecture. Late afternoon shimmers if the gold topped domes. Beautiful

This place was one of the main attraction of Des Moines its stunningly beautiful inside out. This state capitol building on IOWA State. Having dome with gold plating outside and inside of that dome US and State flag. It has beautiful interior everywhere and well maintained. Whenever you are in city visit this place it is just awesome.

What a beautiful building. Dont miss the library. You can reserve a tour, but only in advance.

One of the most gorgeous state capitals in the nation. Cool architecture and unique sculptures on the grounds

Tour was awesome. My grandkids had a great time. Learned alot about Iowa. Tge tour guide Lawrence was very knowledgeable about Iowa and the capital building. I will definitely be returning.

One of the nicest capitals I have seen. Lets see what the inside is all about. *edit*Inside is locked due to covid-19.

It was a fantastic place to stop with the family. Lot of walking and great photo opportunities. We enjoyed everything we seen.

My sisters and I walked outside on a beautiful Saturday morning. The sidewalks which surround the Capitol building and Capitol Complex grounds are the ample width of three adults. The area is very clean. We parked our car in the southern-most lot south of the Capitol building.

The Iowa State Capitol Building is a beautiful architectural site to see and tour anytime of the year. The rich history of the state is showcased very well throughout the grounds and building as well as the visitor center and museum.

We had a school class trip to the Capitol building .. our tour guide Dana was great and informative.

This is probably the most beautiful Capitol building of any state that I have seen. Many commemorative murals and models. There is something there for any age group. A must see if you are in Des Moines.

Very nice Capitol. Walked around from downtown.

The Capitol was a great experience. We had two little ones with us so we didn’t take the guided tour but we were still able to see almost everything. It has enough exhibits and things inside the building that you and the kids won’t get bored. If you want to go up to the highest levels of the gold dome then you need a tour guide but other than that you can basically do everything yourself. There are a ton of neighboring sites adjacent to the grounds as well as a gorgeous view of the city from up above, a rare site in flat Iowa. Definitely glad we took the time to go, it’s something we will return to visiting when the weather warms up.

It is a great place to bring your family and show them this magnificent work of art. Its golden dome is as beautiful as it can get and its also a very historic and old building. Its tour guide is very informative. The inside of the dome is very beautiful and it also has a great view if the city skyline.

A beautiful place to spend time. You can spend a few hours on the grounds as there are a lot of nice spots to relax. It is a beautiful and historic capitol.

On our cross-country drive, I read an article by the Freedom From Religion Foundation about how 7/8 holiday display areas At the Capitol were held by atheist and humanist organizations. Fascinated, we decided to stop. The state building is beautiful and I highly recommend everyone take a moment to appreciate the architecture and artistry.I would have rated 5/5 except for two factors. The receptionist at the front desk was facetious and sarcastic about the displays, completely ignoring the reality that we would have never thought to stop and view the wonders of the Capitol had it not been for the positive press regarding the diversity of the displays. The second factor is that throughout the entirety of this multi-level building and a multitude of beautiful art pieces, there was something conspicuously missing in each, that same diversity we had come to celebrate. With the exception of one small Native American display, there is no representation of non-white Americans, of POC, their contributions or struggles. Such a disappointment. I hope if we ever make it back, it will be to learn that Iowa has upgraded the state capitol to represent all people in this great country.

I was a big fan of the Capitol. While the grounds and outside of the building are somewhat underwhelming, the inside is incredible. They give 1.5 hour long tours which are a lot of fun. The tour guides are knowledgeable. The amount of stone work paintings to decorate the Capitol is stunning. There is also a lot of free visitor parking. If you have an afternoon free, it is worth the visit!

Awesome and free! Beautiful architecture!

Stunning building with very friendly staff. Highly recommend visiting when in Des Moines. The library is beautiful.

It is a beautiful Capital building. Well worth stopping in to see if you like history.

Its a state capitol.Nice to be able to easily park at the office building next door

One of the most unique state capitals in the country, would definitely recommend visiting if in the DSM area!

I sat in on part of a tour it was fantastic! Engaging and filled with fan facts and information. The building is marvelous and full of detail and symbolism. It is one or the most impressive state capitols I have been to. I have visited the exterior multiple times but I am so glad I finally went inside. Make sure you see the library on the 2nd floor before you leave. A great work of architecture.

Beautiful architecture and statues. Easy self tour and educational displays. Great display model of the USS Iowa battleship.

Going on a capitol tour wasnt really at the top of my list of things to do. However, the Iowa capitol really surprised me. The building is beautiful, and Im glad they are trying to restore it to its original appearance. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful as we explored the rich history of Iowa. I would definitely recommend visiting the Iowa State capitol at least once if you get the opportunity.

The last state capitol building we visited prior to our trip back to Chicago and it was a return trip. Weve been here before but our boys now have a state capitols passport book and are collecting stamps from each one we visit (did 10 this year!)We arrived, got the stamps and were just in time for a tour so decided to join up. It was nice since we had no place to rush off to for a change. Karen was a lot of fun and gave a lot of information.Towards the end, you get to go up to the higher level but due to the railing having a sizable gap, no children under 6 (I think) are allowed so I stayed with our four year old while my wife and older son went on the final part of the tour.Theres a lot to see here and I like visiting it even if it was a second time. If I make it back, I hope to travel around the park(s) nearby as I saw some monuments nearby.

Time wasnt on my side to visit for a lengthy period of time. I had to be sure and at least get a good closeup view of the capital grounds in Des Moines before leaving town. It was very cold and windy, but I would get out in the wind, rain, and cold again to get just a glimpse and snap a few photos all over again. The community of Des Moines has much to be proud of! Beautiful!

Such an amazing building and architecture! There were no details spared.

We love to visit different capitol buildings. There were too many school groups to join a tour, but we enjoyed wandering around. The law library is worth a stop.

There is so much gold inside it made my eyes shine with Glee. Walking through the halls and going through the stairs, you can enjoy and study the craft used on the capital building. Everything is old, yet sturdy and filled with so much details, and so much plated gold. I love gold. When you go, I recommend that you use the side steel stairs!!! You get vertigo...it is a challenge going down the stairs. I dont usually get vertigo....but, there were several spots in the capital that gave me vertigo....but as long as you continue going forward, the vertigo will eventually go away and you will enjoy the masterpiece of a capital building.

Iowa State Capitol is a wonderful place. I loved the hospitality they provide in there. The way they have decorated the history and kept it alive is beautiful. I want to thank Marcia! She is very kind and she has got a great knowledge of the history. I enjoyed and I got to explore a bunch of new things that I had never done till now. Thank you! I highly recommend people to visit the beautiful place. You will have wonderful experience!

Great pokestops I caught a LAPRAS tonight!!!

So cool. Wish we could have stayed on the tour longer. Will definitely do the full your next chance we get. Some really great stories of history of the buildy and of Iowa.

If you are in this city, find time to visit the State Capital. Put aside two hours plus and join the guided tour and you will not regret it. Our guide Karen is incredible, knowledgeable and entertaining. The State Law library is the must see item and off course the House of Representatives is another to do thing. Both are covered in the guided tour. You can spend more time to explore after the tour.

Wonderful tour of the Iowa State Capitol with the Ray Society. One of the painters (restoration artists) explained how they have restored the plaster and painted walls throughout the bldg. Very impressive. Beautiful wood carvings, mosaics tile floors and carpets. Dana was an excellent tour guide. Very knowledgeable about Iowa history. Only 5 domed capitol bldg in US and covered in gold leaf.

Great historical building, with free tours. Very informative tour guides, ours was one of the best Ive had in a long time!

Consistently rated as one of the most beautiful state capitols in the country, the Iowa State Capitol is definitely worth the visit. Visitor parking is located to the south of the capitol building, and the entrance is hidden across the street on the south side of the building. If it is your first time visiting, its highly recommended that you take a guided tour, which will grant you access to the dome as well as useful information about the various artifacts found within the capitol. Of the times that Ive visited, reservation for the capitol tour has never been an issue. You pretty much show up during regular business hours and there will be a tour within 30 minutes.

This was a very informative tour. Could be one of the best tours for a state Capitol buildings.The building was beautiful.The top of the rotunda is awesome.The library is awesome.Go on a weekday so you can look through the library.

Its pretty good as far as capitals go. The gold is a nice touch with a lovely rotunda. It could use some updates as well as a better visitor entrance. The entrances are kind of hidden and appear as an afterthought, almost as if they are just stuck in wherever they fit instead of thinking of the visitor experience. Merchandise is reasonably priced but lacking in diversity of items.

It is a gorgeous building and all the staff is friendly too!

What a beautiful State Capitol! One of the best we have seen! Make sure you check out the library.

An amazing piece of American history. Meticulously maintained with and amazing staff.

Ive seen Capital Buildings all across America. The one in Des Moines, Iowa is the most beautiful of all.

Absolutely worth a stop, even if as long as 1 hour, to admire every wall, floor, and ceiling surface in this magnificent building. The forged steel spiral staircase in the library was my favorite. The self-guided tour is free. Dont forget a stroll on the premises around the Capitol to see the various monuments. Did I forget to mention that you have the most beautiful view on the city from the Capitol!

The Iowa State Capitals doom is currently under renovation. The only public restroom is located in the basement (G29); The library is very unique (5 levels). Our tour guide wasnt very knowledgeable about Iowa Native Indian contributions (I personally find that to be must know for All Continental States; seriously considering the circumstances. The Indians History is very important- THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT!!!). The dome was interesting... narrow stairs, great views. There are a moderate amount of commemories for/to Military Veterans (But not a lot of legislation to support vets. Maybe theyre working on it?) The grounds are clean and the Governors Office Staff helpful.

Great field trip for my 5th grade class! Wonderful guide.

I love visiting the capital building to take pictures, its a very beautiful building with wonderful architecture.

Our Capital is a great place to learn about Iowa, meet people, have fun outside and just an all around great place to visit

Visually stunning. Very interesting and informative. The tour guide that gave us the tour was pretty good.

Absolutely stunning architecture,historical memorabilia and amazing staff. So much to see! A must see for all ages!

The law library was the best part of our tour

Beautiful building. The park is well kept and there are a lot of great war memorials on the grounds. A lot of history can be learned.

Our liberties we prize (For All) andOur rights we will maintain (For All).Iowa State Motto (For All)

Beautifully preserved architecture throughout the Iowa State Capitol building. House of Representatives chambers are massive. Library is truly one-of-a-kind must see. Staff is gracious and welcoming. Great place to visit... just make sure to LOOK UP!!

Beautiful capitol building. Definitely worth a self-guided tour at the very least.

The library was gorgeous. Really enjoyed our visit to De Moines, Ia. Hope everyone is voting for Andrew Yang in 2020. #yanggang

Great place to come...they have a lot to see..

An interesting place to visit, with views over the city.

Great views! Excellent vibes and fun people.

Unexpectedly awesome. Free and well organized. They have guided tours, cell phone tours, or you can just wander around. Apparently everyone in Iowa is very nice, because our kids were given coloring pages and state Senate pins. The library is multi-tiered and beautiful. It is actually featured in a book about libraries called The Library Book which I read in that library and it all felt very meta.Tons of free visitor parking in the area. It feels like they have gone to a lot of effort to be welcoming and make it easy to visit.

Every state Capitol building has its own touch, but this is very different experience. You need to take the tour because it in reaches you with valuable information.

It is a beautiful state capitol!

Amazing! Such rich learning here.

So beautiful, many details and art work, also USS Iowa info, friendly people, lots to see

Great opportunity to enjoy free live music on the steps for Sunday evening summer concert series at 7pm

Pretty cool spot to spend a few hours.

It was a nice day

Cool State Capital building! Really cool!

Free tours and great views of the city.

Good place to go and learn history

Its a beautiful historic building. I wish that I could have gone up to the very top balcony though.

Good if u like history and not to bad

Tour guides are very knowledgeable and informed. The Iowa capital is a great place to learn about our history, as you dive through check out the decor. They are restoring everything on a constant basis to try and preserve the rich history of Iowas past. I would recommend going when you have a few hours to wonder around and check out all it has to offer. If you go during active legislation, there is a chance you can talk a law maker into giving you a tour to the dome. Have fun.

The building is beautiful. We visited from out of state. The people and staff are very friendly. Make sure to look up at the ceilings.

Like the history about this place. Good place to spend a few hours.

Great experience on a tour here. Beautiful building (hoping they dont spend all my tax dollars on this...) but yeah, great experience.

One of the prettiest I have seen. Tour guide was excellent. Definitely worth seeing.

Lovely building and great tour guide! Visit!

Had an amazing tour with Dana & Randy, it was just my partner and I so it was really fun as we got to spend longer than usual doing the tour. Its free to do and has to be one of the most beautiful state capitals in the country. Definetely worth the visit.

The music was excellent and so were the fireworks!

Nice place and for any services they are great and helpful

Beautiful architecture, history and Grand views. Must see for families

So beautiful. Our tour guide was wonderful, not going too fast like some will do. She had time for our questions, and gave interesting answers that were in direct response. This is a place worth going.

Beautiful building. One of the best we have visited.Gorgeous law library. Dont know who uses it anymore what with electronic research but it is beautiful nonetheless.Had the opportunity to see both houses in action.Gilded dome can be seen for miles.Well worth a visit.

Beautiful historic building with 23-carat gold leafed dome.

The most amazing state capitol. Beautiful murals and artwork. Something every visitor to Des Moines should see.

Very impressive state capital property, maybe the best I have ever seen. Super location for droning

Beautiful inside and out.

Pretty impressive. We have a young family and the kids had enough to look at. The law library was super impressive. The model of the USS Iowa was also pretty neat. The guard was super helpful when we went through security. Highly recommend it.

The Iowa State Capitol is in Iowas capital city, Des Moines. The 23-karat golden dome towering above the city is a favorite of sightseers. Four smaller domes flank the main dome.As the seat of the Iowa General Assembly, the building houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, the Office of the Governor, and the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State.

Future site of Ironman Des Moines. #IMDSM

Nice and friendly. Closed on weekends.

We spent a couple of hours there while we were passing through town on a road trip. We really enjoyed the tour, walking around, going into the library, and checking out all the artifacts. I would recommend for anybody whose visiting town.

Beautiful building!! So much detail has gone into it, and continuing to preserve it. They offer free tours every hour! Its literally right off the highway, so its a perfect stop to add during your roadtrip!

Multiple security guards came outside to deal with a serious accident resulting in an injury right outside. Guess you could say “Iowa one!” (I owe ya one). Anyways, everyone’s fine now. 5 stars.

A must see State Capital.

Tour guide Karen was phenomenal! What a special time for our 6 year old daughters birthday. Everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable, even for young kids.

Beautiful capital with a lot of history.