Louisiana's Old State Capitol

We absolutely loved our visit to Louisiana’s Old State Capitol! The building is an architectural masterpiece—every inch packed with incredible craftsmanship and attention to detail. The stained glass dome is truly over the top in the best way, casting colorful light across the ornate interior. We were blown away by the intricate woodwork throughout the space, and even the engraved door hinges stood out as tiny works of art. Some of our favorite features included the grand spiral staircase, the unique exterior pocket doors, and the thoughtfully curated exhibits. Highlights for us were the Hall of Presidents, the beautifully preserved 1861 hand-stitched Confederate “First National Flag,” and the delicate 1850 embroidery on display. It’s not just a building—it’s an experience that celebrates history, design, and storytelling. A must-see if you're in Baton Rouge!

We had the pleasure of attending/participating in a lovely wedding. The staff was exceptionally helpful and accommodating. It would be wonderful if the groomsmen's waiting area could be more comfortable, and if there were restrooms available upstairs, rather than only on the first floor.

Beautifully kept up, so much rich history in this building. I loves that you are able to do a self guided tour and take your time with each exhibit. There were two rooms, however, that seemed like they didn't belong there - the one with children's coloring over the walls was just not really fitting, but I understand why it's there - as an activity for kids to do...and the other with random wedding photos on the walls - my understanding is that they are displaying the wedding that have happened there? I honestly wished that it was opened on Sundays because I wanted to go back to the gift shop and purchased something - as they don't sell any of that stuff online.

It was closed due to utility outage. But it was beautiful from outside the gate. The lawn seems to be kept up nicely.

This was an awesome site. If you are into architecture at all, you'll love taking a tour through this place. The staircase and the atrium ceiling were stunning. We got there late, so we had to kinda skip through it, but feel we got to take most of it in and enjoy it.

We had the BEST time here. Our young kids loved all the children’s areas. The exhibits were so well done and the staff was helpful. Great gift shop as well. It is free and a great use of time!

Helpful and welcoming staff. Quick and simple meusum with small section of historial information past and present. Beautiful mosaic windows and ceiling. Beautiful architecture.

The architecture of this building was amazing! They had a movie that is a must-see. It really gave you the history. It's only $2, so it's worth it. They have a room that gives the chronologic dates of the state capital. Very informative! They even have the Merci Train car from France out front. That has its own historical significance. Definitely make this a place to visit.

Wonderful stop to make. A lot of art and facts. The ceiling is also stunning. Staff were very friendly!

If you have any interest in history or architecture, or both, the Old State Capitol is a must visit attraction. And it is free. And air conditioned. If you spend some time reading through the historical exhibits, you could probably spend an hour or two touring the entire two story building. The exhibits are mostly very interesting and the architecture is simply beautiful. This is an attraction which should definitely be seen. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

FREE Admission! Must see piece of history in Baton Rouge with extensive history exhibits, engaging activities for kids, and a great gift shop. The grounds are very well kept with benches for sitting and observing. This historic site is located in the center of serval downtown attractions as well, easily with walking distance. The stain glass ceiling, governor's portraits, and exhibits available made this visit worth it. There were several engaging exhibits and activities for children throughout. The gift shop was PERFECT without crazy prices and had lots of great Louisiana treasures and souvenirs. I am a huge post card person, and they actually had post cards! Other places to see right in this area are the Old Governor's Mansion, Art and Science Museum, Shaw Center with the LSU Art Museum, the USS KIDD, the Levee walks, bike rentals, all within walking distance. Further, but walkable is the State Capital and several other museums. There is street parking all around this area with payments made every 2 hours digitally costing $1 an hour. There is also a full paid parking lot on the corner of North River Road and Laurel St.

This is an old interesting building . The ladies working there are very friendly..free to look around . Should check it out

What a nice place to visit in Baton Rouge. It was free and full of history. You can walk the halls of history and really feel how work was completed during this era. The workmanship is what will keep you interested. It is well worth your time to visit.

The inside is beautiful, it's a quick visit and it's free self paced. Def stop in if you're in the area!

Great historical place to visit. Beautiful building. Terrific film about, Sarah Morgan, the supposed ghost of the building. Variety of historical displays. Very interesting.

What a great spot! There is a video for $2 you can watch while there that should be better advertised, it was wonderful! It gives the history of the building and the evolution of how it came to be, then how it was restored. All of the exhibits were just perfect. I would recommend this for anyone in the area. The museum itself was free. You may have to pay for parking. I can not begin to say properly how beautiful this building is. Just come.

This place is such a jewel! The building itself is extremely gorgeous with a BEAUTIFUL rotunda. The museum gives interesting history of the grounds, including what happened there during the Civil War. The Huey P. Long section of the museum was fascinating. The room was divided between "hood Huey" which shows many of the good things he accomplished as governor of Louisiana, and "bad Huey" that shows his ruthlessness and bad things he did as governor. I recommend a visit here for anyone who loves history and architecture!

Unfortunately at the time of my visit(8/28/2023) it was closed. You can take some really cool pictures from across the road. That's what I did!

This was a free tour. Me and my parents have visited a lot of museums on our trip so it was so hard to take in more information. The outside looks weird without a map you will never guess where it was. The ceiling on the second floor was pretty. Now let's get to the bathroom situation! When we walked in it was overcrowded. Also it smelled awful. When my mom got to her stall. She had to flush the toilet because the person before her had not flushed. There was a line in the bathroom. Me and my mom were so disgusted that we had to get out of the bathroom. Not to mention it was so hot. Me and my mom ended up using her touchland once we got out of the bathroom. It's cool and historical, but I would have rather skipped.

The old State Capital is one of the icons n Baton Rouge. I visited the building. I was looking for a parking spot. I parked at some spot in front of the building. It was okay. The admission was " FREE". The capital was relatively small. I enjoyed many exhibits. I was impressed by Huey Long. I learned about his life and assassination. I returned to my car. I googled a lot of things about Louisiana. The Capital was very educational and informative.

WOW. FREE. Great exhibits, history and impressive nooks and crannies to visit. History and pomp unite. LOVELY front desk staff. Nice and cool in the building on a hot day! Don't expect the Newbury Port Mansions. The facilities are not huge, and the visit is on the short side. But don't overlook it!

Let's cut to the chase: this building is jaw-droopingly beautiful. It looks like a fairy tale castle on the outside, and the cast iron staircase inside makes you want to sashay down as ostentatiously as possible. But there's actually a lot of great history to see here, and the historic interpretation is well done and accessible to all.

I am going to have to disagree with Mark Twain. The old capitol building is beautiful. My first experience with this castle along the river came as a teenager. My scout troop was camping in Baton Rouge so that we could hike across the city. That hike was close to 12 miles so I am sure we saw many sights, but only a few stuck out in my mind. This building, the new capitol and the USS Kidd. Since this is a listing for the old capitol, I will focus on it. The exterior is impressive. The first thing I thought when seeing it was: "Wow, why is there a castle in downtown Baton Rouge?". The second thing I noticed was the height of the hill on which it was built. I assume this was built this way to prevent flooding, but having the castle built atop the hill sure makes it seem much more intimidating. Inside the beauty continues. It was truly amazing to see the detailed work that went into making this building what it is. While I have seen many different exhibits here, the one that sticks out in my mind the most was the Huey P. Long exhibit, which I believe is a permanent one. As a kid I remember standing up and at a podium and pretending to give one of Gov. Long's famous speeches while reading it from one of those clear glass teleprompter things. Prior to my trip here I had no idea what those things were when I saw them on television. Now that you've heard me extoll the beauty of the place, you may question the four star review. Well, it would most certainly garner a full five stars form me except that the past two times I've tried to visit, it was Sunday and it's closed on Sunday. Sure, I could still stand outside the ornate gate and enjoy the exterior beauty, but I wanted more. The new capitol is open on Sunday so I see no reason why the old one shouldn't be either.

I usually agree with Mark Twain, but not regarding the old state capitol. He famously hated the look of the building, but I thought it looked unique and fun. Naturally it's not an authentic castle but why can't you design a state capitol building that looks like a castle? Sadly all was closed due to covid, I am definitely open to returning once the pandemic has passed. Plenty of metered parking in the area.

I think the Old State Capitol is quite fascinating and lovely. Maybe that's because it looks like a castle. I always wanted my own castle. It's on a hill. Hills in Louisiana are practically unheard of. Do you know how much fun it is to lay down and roll down a hill? Don't even pretend...you know that's fun. Tours here are interesting and informative. I loved the Huey P. long exhibit the most. I just know that if I'd have had a chance to meet that man we'd be great friends. But there are many things about this place to enjoy besides that. The Gothic architecture is unique and unlike anything else that you'll see in Louisiana. That spiral staircase and the stained glass windows are so pretty. It's worth a visit alone just to see the lovely ballroom, in my opinion. Speaking of the ballroom, did you know you can get married here? That's just super cool. You can marry your prince in a castle! Enough said.

We stopped in Baton Rouge to tour the Old State Capitol to break up our drive to Houston from Alabama and I am so glad we did. This old castle was extra beautiful in person and we were extra delighted by the Ghost of the Castle film experience. Touring the Old State Capital is free. Viewing the Ghost of the Castle is $3 a person and takes about 10-15 minutes and is well worth it. This was a truly delightful experience so be sure to check it out.

This place is like a castle! The inside stained glass and spiral staircase are gorgeous and are the focus point of this state capital! It's beautiful for photos. The exhibits showcase Huey P Long and his assignation. They also have changing exhibits. We got to see one about the Mississippi River steamboats. There is a film called ghost of the castle that they show. It's free to tour the museum and it's worth a trip to do so.

We came here after visiting the current state capitol building and we were very impressed by the quality of the exhibits and the building architecture. I learned a lot about Baton Rouge and Huey Long. I think they did an excellent job of letting the visitor decide what type of leader Huey Long was. I also really appreciated the nod they had to black population and life in Baton Rouge. The staircase and the glasswork on the second floor was stunning! While we were there, a wedding was setting up and I can see why this venue is popular for brides. Definitely worth a visit if checking out downtown! Centrally located across from the Shaw Center and some restaurants. Also close to the riverfront plaza.

Very interesting architecture that appears to be a medieval castle of sorts. Beautiful lawn and well kept grounds with such a relaxing atmosphere will surely attract you at first glance. A definite go to spot when you visit Baton Rogue.

A must see if you are in Baton Rouge! Is a beautiful building and they did a great job showing the history! The architecture is preserved. Erg well and you can see that they take pride in maintaining the building.

I love history and stained glass so I love the Louisiana Old State Capital. I also like the way they handled slavery and the civil war in the history of Baton Rouge without glamorizing it in any way and calling it what it was. A stain on our history. It's absolutely stunning. They don't make buildings like that anymore! Also there was a temporary fashion exhibit showing dresses inspired by parts of the Old State Capital. The room about Huey Long surprised me because it shows that the tactics between political parties have sadly not changed AT ALL.

Lovely building. A quick tour with friendly staff and amazing architecture. Free admission!

This is a must see if you're in the area. There is no cost to browse through the museum or peek through the entire building. You're going to need AT LEAST an hour to run through and see everything. But ideally, you'd spend 2-3 hours in here. Kid and family friendly. Definitely something for everyone to see.

Wow! Seriously. This is a GORGEOUS building. I went to a private party here and so did not get to see all the exhibits...to busy drinking/eating/dancing. Great venue! And the staff was really helpful in planning with our group and making accommodations for folks with limited mobility which is generally pretty difficult in historic buildings.

Me and my son went and loved it . Also it is a free place go on the weekend the meters are. We learned a lot

This place is perfect for the family. It is free and easy to access. I recommend going on a Saturday when parking is free as well. They have a awesome ghost show , which tell the history in a interactive way. The gift shop has something for everyone and okay prices. The museum isn't huge but it is spectacular and a Louisiana Treasure.

A treasure in Downtown Baton Rouge. A little castle from the outside with beautiful details inside. 2 large rooms are available for functions - I would love to attend an event here someday. There is no admission charge. The ladies at the front desk are kind & made us feel welcome. There are several smaller informative exhibits. The gift shop had quality items; we selected a non-traditional cooking book to bring home. Absolutely worth the visit!

The Old State Capitol is really quite nice. It's free admission and you can wander around the first and second floors, seeing the old senate and congress chamber (which looks a lot like a church nowadays), and a few other exhibits. And don't forget the gift shop. The exhibit on Huey Long is quite well done and informative. The room is divided between pro- and anti- Long (his share the wealth vs. his abuse of power). The room displaying information about his assassination offers a few possible theories and has the purported gun itself. The Ghost of the Castle show is definitely worth the $3. It's a 360 degree show in a fairly small room and was super entertaining and informative. The lights flicker, shadows appear on the walls, and you get to learn about the history of the Old State Capitol. It's not really scary though so it would be okay for kids. Really great!

Baton Rouge's very own castle! Located in the heart of downtown, this iconic and very endearing building adds so much more character to the capital city. It's beautifully landscaped hill-y grounds and architectural grandeur has been the setting for many events and backdrops for many photos. Entering the building is an even greater experience. You walk up the spiraling staircase with stained glass on overhead on the top of the rotunda. Exquisite and majestically enchanting. Prepare to get mesmerized and captivated; it's a like a huge piece of art. The castle is especially gorgeous, when it's set for the holidays, all decked out. Don't forget to catch the "Ghost Of The Castle" show - it's definitely an experience! I have been here for multiple downtown, community events, so if you have never had a chance to see this historic building, it needs to be a must visit. You can learn so much about the Baton Rouge and Louisiana just by visiting! Always be on the lookout for when the building is free to the public and the various events that go on here.

This is a must see if you are at all interested in history. They have a self guided tour but everything is really well explained and interesting even if you are not from this state. The movie is a multimedia type presentation "disney" style. Don't miss it!!!

I loved stopping here to see the historical site. It was a beauty inside and out. The exhibits inside were extensive and gave me great information on the transformations that occurred throughout the decades. The beautiful details of the building can be spotted down to the hinges of the doors - I really loved our trip here. I look forward to revisiting it when I get the chance.

Gorgeous Have your wedding here or take fabulous photos. The inside is lovely. There's a lot of information about Louisiana and exhibits everywhere.

Baton Rouge's very own castle in the heart of downtown is as beautiful as it is special. I'd definitely recommend everyone to come in and tour the old state capital at least once. The stained glass windows and the stained glass rotunda ceiling is breathtaking. The spiral stairs are beyond beautiful. The ghost story is so much fun to sit through because it's informative, and entertaining. I learned a lot about the history of Baton Rouge and the old and new state capital. It was free to attend and I'm really glad we did. It was also interactive so it's a great experience for all ages, but especially the younger kids. The Huey P exhibits are great as well as the other exhibits chronicling the trials and triumphs of Baton Rouge. Definitely check out the beauty and history of Baton Rouge's very own castle because it is definitely something worth seeing.

If you're interested in Louisiana political history and the antics of famed Huey Long come here. The tour is self-guided and free. However there are not many exhibits! I liked the first floor with Huey long and his political history.... But the second floor was sort of dry. If you're new to the city like me you have to go and learn about your new home. Hopefully on the next few years they will spruce it up more... But we will see

I make it a point to insult Baton Rouge in most of my reviews of things in Baton Rouge, but the Old State Capital is awesome enough that I will, for one time only, refrain. Pros: It looks like a fucking castle. You can roll down that huge hill in the front and no one cares. By far the best state capital I've ever been to (Sorry PA and IA, but Harrisburg and Des Moines have a serious lack of castle and Huey P. Long). Marvel at elegant ballrooms, halls of ineffectual legislating and enough southern tenacity to carpetbag your Yankee ass back across the mason-dixon. Enjoy a Lagniappe Huey P. Long (alias Louisiana Jesus) exhibit. Second Lagniappe, bullet holes from the martyrdom of Huey P. Long! All for free. Cons:

This is a good historical place to visit and the architecture is beautiful! Watch out during fairs and festivals, though, the security get kind of nasty then!

More free fun with my son. Gates open daily at 9am. This historic site is picturesque and perfect for photoshoots or weddings. Plenty of dining nearby. The parking is metered and often limited. Kid friendly and courteous staff...

This place is majestic, beautiful, and just exploding with pieces of Louisiana's history. When you get to the second floor, there's a rotunda style stained glass ceiling allowing light to seep into the building and it will take your breath away. If you're in Baton Rouge, it is definitely a must see! And did I mention it's free (you can leave a donation if you'd like). I would 10/10 recommend this place to EVERYONE.

We loved our experience here. The movie was my favorite, my 9 year old was fascinated

The Old State Capitol is a lovely, anachronistic gem of a building. Well restored with some nice exhbits, I enjoy going on days when there are no school kids and the place is fairly empty. It's really lovely building - take some time to appreciate the stained glass, the light, the staircase. Then enjoy the exhibits. The exhbit on Huey P. Long is particularly well-done and enjoyable for all ages and all knowledge levels.

Took a day trip from New Orleans to check out the capital. The Old State Capital was one of our favorites. Really unique looking building with some excellent exhibits. Free self-guided tour. The rotunda and staircase alone are worth at least poking your head in. And the split room dedicated to Huey Long is really cleverly done.

WOW! This place is VERY beautiful! From the moment we got there until we left we noticed the friendly staff throughout the building. It was a nice educational experience, especially for my homeschooled chilren. Prices in the gift shop are actually pretty good, too. Overall it was a great atmosphere and pleasant experience.

This is a can't miss! It is visually stunning, the history is fantastic but the MOVIE, the ghost in the castle, it made my weekend trip here! It's so well done, like being on a learning Disney ride! The staff was great. At the time I visited there was an exhibit about POW's that was also very impactful, very well done. I loved this place, can't wait to come back.

I absolutely love this beautiful, stunning castle. Since moving to Baton Rouge a year and a half ago, I have been to the Old State Capitol about 6 times. Each time, exhibits are updated. When I went last week, there was 2 new exhibits open. One was about the Civil Rights Movement in Baton Rouge and the other was the updated exhibit about the importance of voting. Louisiana residents can even register to vote there! There was also an exhibit that was seasonal that dealt this photography throughout amany Presidency. That photo gallery was my personal favorite of my self-guided tour. Of course, there is the infamous Huey P. Long exhibit that is really well made with many artifacts of the time period. The piece that is of most importance, in my opinion, was the pistol that supposedly shot Huey Long. This capitol is of great importance for Baton Rouge and the state of Louisiana. Extremely picturesque

My sister in law was married here and it is a STUNNING location. Gorgeous details. Was almost like a flash back in time. It's easy to tell there is a lot of history behind this building. Beautiful outdoor and indoor locations for photographs. Love the spiral staircase and checkered floors.

We spent a week here in Baton Rouge, and the Old Capitol was by far our favorite visit! The architecture and the stained glass dome is just breathtaking. Great exhibits on Huey P. Long. My four kids and I loved our visit here. Also, you can't miss the Ghost of the Capitol movie! My kids loved it. It was just perfect for our crew - my youngest is 6. It was just the right amount of spooky, but mostly historic. Produced by Disney, so perfect for kids. If you are in Baton Rouge, you can't miss this place! Despite what Mark Twain says!

Extremely pretty, super friendly and sweet staff, and the ghost show is definitely worth the two dollars. It's not scary, but it's very well done and informative. Great place!