South Carolina State House

One of the coolest state houses I've visited! Unfortunately I only saw it from the outside but even then the whole area is clean, beautiful and well maintained! The state house itself has very beautiful architecture. If you are in Columbia definitely stop by and walk the grounds of the South Carolina State House!

We really enjoyed our visit to the South Carolina State House. The building is absolutely beautiful—inside and out. The architecture is impressive, with tall columns, detailed stonework, and a peaceful atmosphere that invites you to slow down and take it all in. We walked the grounds first, which are spacious and full of history. There are several statues and memorials, each telling a piece of South Carolina’s story. One especially meaningful stop was the African American History Monument—it’s thoughtfully designed and gave us a moment to pause and reflect. Inside, the building was clean and well cared for. We weren’t part of a guided tour, but we were still able to walk around, read the plaques, and take in the details of the rotunda and chambers. Security was friendly and helpful, and it felt like a welcoming space to learn and explore. Toward the end of our visit, we stopped by the gift shop, which turned out to be a lovely surprise. It had a warm, welcoming feel and offered more than just the usual souvenirs. There were South Carolina-themed gifts, local specialty items, books, artwork, and even small-batch goodies made in the state. It was the perfect place to pick up something meaningful to remember the visit. If you’re in Columbia, this is definitely worth a visit—whether you’re into history, architecture, or just want a quiet moment in a beautiful place. It gave us a deeper appreciation for the area and its history.

My son Cian went here before. He sent me beautiful photos of the ceiling. The whole building is extraordinary. I visited to really get a feel for it. The security guards were melting. Their faces were rimmed with welts and rashes. A fire coiled in the corner, slowly engulfing the walls. Their faces metal detectors went haywire as they combusted into flame. Despite this, nothing was burnt when I stomped the fire out. At least my feet hurt now. It gave me something to feel. The building must be incredibly indestructible!

The South Carolina State House is very impressive from the outside. You can walk around this impressive building, and it looks different from every angle.

Definitely recommend a stop here. There is also a parking garage near by and a short walk to the main street area as well. We spent a solid hour just outside walking around the grounds. Very beautiful building and interesting history here. Lots of it. The stairs and view outside is worth going to view alone. When facing the building from main street the original building was a little to the right until it was burnt down in a war. The city was great to view and enjoy for the bringing in of the new year. The fireworks were great and wonderful to watch from the middle of main street and the oldest streets in the city.

Visited the State House on Saturday after visiting the Soda City Market a block away. The security guard was very friendly & courteous. We removed our personal belongings to be x-rayed & walked through the metal detector without issue. We did not take the free tour, but wandered around on our own. 3 floors & not all rooms are open. There’s a gift shop on exit. Make sure you walk around the grounds outside. Very nice state house.

Beautiful place, lovely grounds, quiet on the weekends. Highly recommended.

This statehouse was beautiful from the outside. However I was disappointed that it wasn't open for self guided tours on the Sunday that I was passing through. Regardless, toured the grounds and checked out all of the statues there. Enjoyed the design of the dome. It was very different than most. I'll put this on my list of visited capitals but unseen from the inside.