Virginia State Capitol

We were recently in Richmond and had to add the state capital to our list of places that we wanted to stop and visit. We weren't sure if we could enter or tour, but we tried. We found the security guards to be extremely friendly and helpful. It was a wonderful experience, and we were able to go on a self-tour since we were limited with time. We were told we could join other timed tours, which was great. At many places we visit, we have to wait for the tour, but at the capital, we were free to go ahead at our pace. Loved it!

A very beautiful & Historical building. Free entry . They have tours and a very dedicated officer explained us full history related to this monument. State capitol is Very well maintained building in heart of Richmond city.

This historic site offers a captivating glimpse into the past. The complimentary tour provided an enriching experience. The knowledgeable guide demonstrated exceptional expertise and answered all inquiries with enthusiasm. The hour-long tour was highly informative and provided valuable insights into the Capitol’s rich history. The visitor center entrance to the Capitol houses a gift shop that offers a selection of snacks for those seeking a quick repast. Throughout the tour, there are designated stops where visitors can pause to immerse themselves in the captivating history of the Capitol. All in all, it's a must visit for any history buffs in the area.

We had an awesome tour of the capitol given by Sasha. She was very informative. So much history she gave us. The tour was over an hour so please allow time. She told us about the old city hall next door which has been renovated recently. We did. You’re only allowed to tour the first floor which was beautiful. The grounds of the capitol are also beautiful.

Beautiful park! The locals seem to use it as a place to “touch grass” during their work days as there were mostly business dressed people walking around staring at trees (we went on a Monday). It’s very well kept and there’s a ton of shade if you go when it’s hot out(it usually hot out). Not much to do but it’s a nice place to see.

It was amazing to walk these hollow grounds FREE to the public. The capitals architect was amazing. The statues and the other buildings on the ground were beautiful and the historic artifacts inside statues paintings monuments were amazing. I can’t see the light This is definitely a place to visit when you’re in Richmond, Virginia.

Sasha took us on a 2pm tour on a Saturday and was so informative and kind! I learned about the capitol’s history, the revolutionary war, and Virginia state legislature. It was a really interesting fun free thing to do on an afternoon in Richmond. Perfect rainy day activity.

We had an excellent free tour of the Virginia State Capitol building. Mrs. Smelling a is passionate and a wealth of wisdom. Excellent way to learn history.

I was in Richmond for the weekend and decided to do some exploring. I didn't realize the capitol was just blocks away from the hotel I was staying at. Lots of history here in Richmond. The buildings to get inside were closed but I liked that you can still walk around the property on the weekends. The architecture is beautiful and well kept. Parking garage was closed but you can still find 2 hour side street parking for $3.

What a fun, interesting and concise tour! I highly recommend it to visitors and locals. Our guide, Mr. Greenough, was fantastic. I have been on many tours similar to this and they can occasionally get boring but our guide kept it interesting the entire tour. The capital is absolutely gorgeous and is steeped in history. I really enjoyed learning about the capital and the women's sculpture out front was amazing! I enjoyed coming home and reading more about each of the women featured. I highly recommend this free tour.

We visited on a Wednesday at 2:00 and took a tour. There were only 5 of us on the tour at the time. But people were walking around and would come and go. We did get to see 2 different legislators that were there talking with people I. Their districts. The tour was about an hour long and was very informative.

Super cool place. Random drive by on our way back from Duke in NC. Place is a gem and was empty as we left on a Sunday. No one around and we took pictures of the sights and architecture. If it were open, I would have definitely toured but just seeing this beauty in the center of a city, one should always take the time to appreciate it if they can. A must see on Sunday if you want no crowds at all and enjoy what we got to see. Best part, open to the public with no charge at all. Gorgeous day in a gorgeous setting!

I had the best time here. It was wonderful to see another building designed by Thomas Jefferson. The tour guides here are incredible. They can answer any questions that you have, and did a wonderful job leading the tour and with all of their information. The building itself is magnificent. So much history here and it was fun to learn about it. I would highly recommend that you go!

The Virginia State Capitol is a beautiful blend of history and architecture. The guided tours are informative, and the grounds are perfect for exploring.

I took a tour here, and it's free, and unlike most capitols, it's open on Saturday and Sunday for extra availability. There are a lot of paintings of figures from Virginia, and there is the only statue made from life of George Washington. There are 7 busts of presidents born in VA around it and also the Marquis de Lafyette because why not. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and our tour size was about 15 people. The old state rooms had significant art in it, including the original model of the building itself. The few rooms we toured all had interesting stories, including when Queen Elizabeth II visited. The only downside is things were recently removed but not replaced, so things seems haphazard and incomplete.

The state capitol tour route itself was fine; plenty of interesting exhibits, many fine statues and pieces of art on display, and the architecture is absolutely gorgeous. The tour guide however, Ms. Snellings, injected her own political opinions, and objectively false opinions at that, into the tour, which mostly ruined the experience. Because of her, the tour began to feel less like educational, and more like a propaganda stunt straight from the pages of a "Lost Cause" pro-Confederacy textbook. Some of what she discussed about the building itself was actually very interesting, but as a historian myself, her off-topic asides were wholly inappropriate, wildly inaccurate, and tantamount to racist by defending southern secessionism.

When we were in Richmond a few weeks ago, we made a stop at the Virginia State Capitol. We visited on a weekend when the building was closed to visitors, but the grounds are worth a visit all on their own. We stopped by the Virginia Washington Monument; "Mantle," the Virginia Indian Monument; the Virginia Women's Monument: Voices from the Garden; and the Virginia Civil Rights Monument. If you're interested in monuments, public art/sculpture, or Virginia history, the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol are well worth a visit.

Like many state capitols before it, this place is historical and has a lot of statues and monuments on its grounds and is pretty much a museum on the inside. This building has been in service since 1788 and of course has underwent many renovations along the way. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance from here. On the exterior you will find the Washington Equestrian Monument, with President Washington sitting on a horse, an old Bell tower, The Virginia's Women Monument, and some benches to sit under an area shaded by tall trees. You will also find trees dedicated to the likes of Presidents Washington and Tyler, Governors Colgate Darden, Charles Robb, and Gerald Baliles, and Martin Luther King. It is a nice plaza area to just hang out in. I will admit that currently there is a lot of construction going on at the Capitol causing an eye sore, in some cases and some of the ground's area to be restricted or blocked off. The Capitol itself is still open to the public. Admission is free, but you do have to go through security to be allowed in. There are like 4 levels that you can visit in the building. The bulk is on the 2 and 3 levels though. The tour starts on the second level. You can either do a self guided tour or take a tour with a guide. I did the guided tour. It was very nice. However, it only covered the second floor and lasted about an hour and a half. We visited the rotunda, which featured a very detailed marble statue of President Washington and busts of all other Virginia born Presidents of the United States. We also go to visit the Jefferson Room (be sure to see the clock and models of the capitol), the Old Senate Chamber (the huge paintting in here is awesome) and the Old Hall of the House of Delegates (full of busts of important figures), which I found the most interesting. As an added bonus, our group was able to go into the House Chambers, which is normally locked. Our guide had a key and was able to let us in. It was a nice treat and the cherry on top of the tour. After the guided portion, you are free to roam on your own. There are a bunch of portraits on the 3rd and 4th levels and you get a nice birds eye view of the rotunda from up there. There is not much on the first floor except pictures of the senate sessions, diagrams of the building and a couple of plaques honoring the first African American Members of the House of Delegate. I learned a lot during my tour such as Virginia is a Commonwealth and not a State, but they mean the same thing and are used interchangeably. Ugggg, so confusing.I also learned that the statue of George Washington was made using his actually measurement and a mold from his actual face. It is the only such one. This is a nice place to visit, especially considering that it is free. You can spend as little or as much time as you want here (within operating hours). This is definitely a must see while in Richmond. I was glad that I was able to check it out (inside and out) and enjoyed my visits here.

Pretty cool to tour the capital building and see both the historic senate and house chambers as well as the modern day. Docents are Wonderful! Definitely worth the visit to see the history!

Located in a nice park area easy to get to if you are staying in downtown. We really enjoyed walking around and seeing all of the cool parts of Virginia's history.

Was in the area and had time to jump on a quick free tour at the Capitol building. Tours are held hourly and our guide was extremely informative and welcoming. The historically significant building is absolutely stunning and a must see when in the area!

Excellent, professional, and well-organized visitor center. We had a wonderful tour by Martha, who was dynamic, knowledgeable, and witty. We learned a great deal about the Commonwealth of VA's government and history. Highly recommend. Tip: Enter through Bank Street, which is at the base of the hill where the capitol complex is located.

The website and signs outside said it was open for tours, including a hand pointing to the door saying open and tours today. However, it was closed for the day and the guy at the door said they don't post online when they closed. If there is no way to tell if it's open, I wouldn't recommend this if you need to plan your day at all.

Holla if your goal is to visit every state capitol! Yeah, I'm that nerd. But whatever. Virginia State Capitol is my favorite capitol (sorry, Washington). It's rich in history, which is what makes this capitol worth a visit if you find yourself in Richmond. While we're talking all things nerdy, my favorite president is Thomas Jefferson, so it had been a lifetime goal of mine to visit the Virginia State Capitol, as Jefferson designed this building. Therefore, it's no accident it's a beaut. There are multiple levels to this building, including an underground visitor's center. Located in downtown Richmond, there's plenty of street parking by the capitol. I visited on a weekday when it wasn't during session, and practically had the entire place to myself. I spent a few hours, admiring the building and artifacts here. Some highlights were the old house and senate chambers, the rotunda and the Thomas Jefferson statue. I recommend checking out this capitol building, even if you don't plan on visiting all 50 capitols. This one is very historic and telling of the founding of our nation.

I spent a day in Richmond and visiting the Virginia State Capitol was the highlight. While there isn't any parking there, you can find metered street parking close by. Walking around the outside of the capitol is an adventure in itself. The architecture is stunning. Green areas surround the building. Statues are all over the place. It makes for a nice stroll to check out all there is to see. But make sure to not miss out on going inside. It's free and there's a lot to see. There's a gift shop, cafe, and a museum of sorts as they have plaques across the walls throughout the rooms where you can read up on the history of the building and all that has taken place there. There are several levels to check out. All in all, I'd say it's Richmond's top attraction!

The tour is complementary and is self guided or with a knowledgeable guide. I recommend the guided tour which takes about 1 hour. The guided tour will provide details to the history of the building, politics and the role it played in the civil war. The Capital was designated a National Historic landmark in 1960

I enjoy visiting state capitol buildings and this one in Virginia is unique. It's one of the few without a visible dome. Notice I said visible. From the inside you can see there actually is a small dome, but it's covered so that from the outside the building retains a more authentic classic Greek Revival architecture style than other state capitol buildings. The building is smaller than other capitol buildings, so the rotunda is not impressive when you enter it. But the rotunda does have something you can't see anywhere else. There is a statue of George Washington that is the only statue of Washington that he allowed to be made from a mold of his face and measurements of his body! That is impressive! There is a guided tour every hour, which I do recommend. The guide was very knowledgeable about the building and you will learn a lot. The park surrounding the the building has a lot of nice statues and monuments that you should not miss as well.

Considering the price (free) a surprisingly good, and informative, tour. I heard it is advisable to get here early, to be sure to get a spot, but as my brother did all the planning, all I did was follow. It's a very pretty building, inside and out. I definitely like the ties to my state of residence (Texas). The volunteers (at least I think they are volunteers) did a great job with the information. Very interesting learning how the renovations were done. Lot of interesting pictures and statues. The part about the dome was super cool. There is also a small cafe inside, so the option of food and drink is there. The guide told me, "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back." Bottom line: If you have some time to kill, it's definitely worth checking out.

The construction makes it difficult to get to and get into, but it's well worth it. My husband and weren't going to take a tour, but we are so glad we changed our minds. Tony Mitchell is an awesome tour guide.

I've been traveling to Richmond for business and finally had a chance to get out and explore some of the downtown historical sites. The Capitol grounds are beautiful and perfect for a morning or afternoon walk. The gardens are well kept, the monuments and statues speak to the area's rich history, the trickling water of the fountains drown out the sounds of downtown traffic, and the old buildings take you back in time to colonial Virginia. Access to the Capitol ground are free to the public and definitely worth the trip!

Stellar tour that accompanied an amazing building. Yes you can wander around on your own...but you'd be missing so much. Designed by none other than Thomas Jefferson (I'll call him "TJ"), it's the home to one of the oldest continuously serving legislative bodies in North America (going on 400 years!). It looks impressive from the outside, but the inside is equally cool. My favorite part was the 'hidden dome', which you can't notice from the outside but provides an amazing interior view, and allows natural sunlight inside. As you would expect, the tour reveals a lot of cool historical footnotes. Here are my favorites: 1) It all started with a well preserved Roman temple named the Maison Carrée (located in southern France). See, TJ loved Roman buildings, and was particularly inspired by this one. So when he returned to the U.S. he modeled the Virginia State Capitol on the Maison Carrée, thus introducing "Neoclassical style" in Federal architecture. That style was later adopted by the builders of the U.S. Capitol, and from there countless other State and Federal buildings. But it all can be traced to Maison Carrée and the Virginia State Capitol. 2) When built, it was the largest building in all of North America (TJ apparently believed 'go big or go home'). Also, TJ was quite specific on the dimensions, to the point where he commissioned a French artist to build a plaster model to capture his vision. While there were some changes to his original outline (like the Dome), overall his design survived intact. In fact, the actual model is still on display. 3) The Virginia Capitol houses the ONLY statue of George Washington that GW actually modeled for. It was so perfectly done, the statue replicates how GW's shirt lacked a button & shows his wrinkles. When the Marquis de Lafayette visited in the 1820s and first saw the statue, he broke down in tears because the likeness was so well done. If you want to see what George Washington truly looked like, this is the place to see him (in all his marble glory). While many associate the State Capitol with Confederate history, that's just one small part of it. It's well worth a trip regardless of the historical era you're interested in, or if you just want to see some super impressive architecture.

Lovers of history museums and historical sights will enjoy touring the Virginia State Capitol Building, which remains open during legislative session. You may take free guided or self-guided tours throughout its hours of operation. During a tour, you can see the Old House and Senate Chambers along with the Jefferson Room while also seeing the Virginia State Government's current functioning House and Senate Chambers. If you love history, politics, or both, be sure to tour the sight of where Virginia law was, is, and will continue to be born.

Closed when I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, but the grounds are open and you can absolutely walk around. Admire the statues and memorials, look up at the cupola, and enjoy yourself. Lots of grass, lots of benches, lots of interesting memorials here at there. Virginia is a huge piece of American history and Richmond was the Capitol of the Confederacy. Eight US Presidents were born in Virginia, including four of the first five. More than any other state. Awesome. A huge memorial to General Washington is the biggest statue outside the building. Maybe there's more inside, but that was closed. I'm hoping to get back here when it's open (and when it's cooler) and get to go inside! But for now, here's my THIRTEENTH State Capitol review!

As a Richmond native who still visits the area regularly, I find it mind boggling on how many years it's taken me to visit... and why this isn't a field trip to the county schools!? There's 2 entrances off Banks Street, but the one at 10th Street has building access. This was a bit confusing to us as we entered on Banks closer to 12th Street & even standing within the grounds it's not apparent that the entrance is below grade. Open 7 days a week with free guided tours that begin on the hour or as we opted for, a self-guided tour option. The building is completely handicap accessible, has a café open for limited hours on weekdays & a gift shop. The Capitol grounds are also open daily 6am - 11pm, with many bronze statues of those with historical significance. A great glimpse into history & legislative government with exquisite architecture, both inside & out!

Beautiful capital building, lots of history, and I highly recommend attending the free tour. The front door to actually enter the building was a little difficult to find...because the way to entree is is all mostly underground. From the street facing the front door you'll see the entrance. The building itself is the second oldest capital building in the USA, designed by Thomas Jefferson, and idea taken from a Roman building. Even more crazy is the statue of George Washington inside which the the only statue he posed for. The artist who made this amazing art actually made a mold of the real George Washington's face and it's know as the most authentic representation of him. Of course o learned his and much more on the tour. The only draw back was finding parking (which cost us $30 in a parking garage for 4hrs) and then trying to navigate how to get in the building without any clear understanding of the signs if you're never been there. Regardless, his was a great visit and worth another stamp in our passport.

This is a fascinating free tour if you get at it from the southwest entrance! (ie down the hill, look for the modern doors under the hill)

Beautiful structure, offering complimentary tours on the hour. Thomas Jefferson was the architect. There is a larger-than-life statue honoring him inside, as well as a statue of George Washington, very similar to a statue inside the State Capital of NC. The building and design is quite lovely, and I enjoyed hearing the history of the building. The state of Virginia has so much history, significant to the development of our country, and this is a great place to discover some of that history. We were in Williamsburg the day before, which is only 50some minutes away; I would recommend visiting there, as well as Richmond. The exterior is lovely too. It started out to be a chilly day, but warmed up a bit, and was an enjoyable day to explore the grounds outside, as well as inside.

"beautiful architecture...surrounded by fed buildings and banks.. right in heart of downtown it is one great white piece of beautiful architecture. situated at kinda hilly part of land make it look like a Greek monument. The tour is available to get inside and see how things work in Richmond ;) Capitol campus give you glance oof 10+ sculpture and overlook of fed buildings. Must visit in Richmond downtown.

Beautiful, somewhat educational and at times cool. Something you could do in an hour or two depending on how much time you want to linger on the greens or read all of the exhibits. For younger kids I think it may be a bit boring. I'm glad I did it but not sure I'd go again. I may go for the tour because the bits I heard seemed educational. Free. The old senate is very similar to the floor in the movie Lincoln so that was cool. Also kind of interesting to see the paintings of all the recent governors and some of the paintings in the rooms are also nice.

I'm not a history or political buff so I couldn't tell you the importance of the building now or in the past, but despite that, it was a good time. There are plenty of plaques and description tablets to inform you of what you're looking at, but honestly I just enjoyed the scenery and statues. They keep the area fairly well kept in terms of foliage and the statues are in good a shape as statues can be. I will say that it we didn't get the chance to go inside the capitol building which is a shame since a lot of the reviews mention the interior. Perhaps another time. If you're in the area and walking around and looking for half an hour to an hour to kill, or if you want to learn about some of Richmond's history, I say check it out.

My family and I went on a tour of the Virginia State Capitol on a Saturday afternoon and highly recommend it. The tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. The tour included the old Senate and House chambers as well as the current House chamber and rotunda. Even the security guards were helpful and friendly. And it's also free. Accessibility: The building is wheelchair and stroller friendly. Our special-needs son has to ride in a stroller for longer excursions, so unlike many places in the DC area where we live where you'll be thrown out on your ass for trying to bring a stroller indoors, we were let in without and trouble. There were elevators and ramps everywhere. Also, the tour guide didn't mind our son's occasional interruptions (due to his cognitive disability). I always appreciate it when people are kind towards those of us less fortunate. So, go on this tour.

The state Capitol is just that. For those whole love history or just want to get to know Richmond, this is a great place to come. There are bathrooms and a small cafe. You do have to go through security before you come in. I thought it was interesting that you were allowed to bring in your concealed carry if you had your permit on you. You can decide how you feel about that. They do have tour guides inside the Capitol if you'd like or you can walk through on your own. Parking will be street or parking decks and you have to walk to get to the building. Lots of history, models, statues, and recreated spaces. I believe it is mandatory for all students to come here on a field trip in Virginia schools. Fun fact: the outside of the Capitol was used in the TV show, Homeland, because of its likeness to the White House.

I visited recently and the entire staff were so warm & friendly! Very welcoming! I was asked a number of times if I wanted a guided tour! Super nice people!

Free to visit. You can walk independently or follow a tour guide around the building. You don't even have to stay with tour guide, they just add a lot of color to the rooms you visit. However, you only see a portion of the building and will need to go back to see everything.

While not as grand and ornate as other capitol buildings, Virginia's statehouse is a magnificent piece of living history and, after its restoration, an architectural masterpiece. The grounds alone are worth a visit if you happen to be passing through Richmond, but if you have the chance to go inside, don't pass it up. Designed by Thomas Jefferson, this is the oldest continually operating legislative building in the United States. The Old House and Senate Chambers, the setting for some of the most important debates in our nation's history, have been restored to their original splendor, and the remarkable statue of George Washington in the Rotunda is something every American should see. You won't need more than an hour or so to walk the building -- add another 30 minutes for a complete stroll through the grounds. A fantastic experience for history and political buffs alike, and one of America's finest examples of Colonial architecture.

It is a great place to take your family. The building has such much history. I was surprised when I learned that Winston Churchill once gave a speech there. As with my experience, it is best state capital building that I have visited. It's clean, free to get into, and the security guards don't get into your way (as they do in the US Capital Building in DC).

First time visiting here a couple of weekends ago, even though I've lived in or near Richmond all my life. The tour guide was impressive. She knew so much and was enthusiastic to share her knowledge. From the moment you enter the Visitor's Center underground, the building is grand. Everything about the architecture throughout is just beautiful. We really enjoyed the history and the architecture. We weren't able to check out the grounds like we wanted, but hopefully another time!

We took an unguided tour of the Capitol building on a hot Saturday afternoon and it was breathtaking.

Very interesting place to visit - it has free entry and a lot of cool exhibits on Virginia history. I particularly liked touring the actual statehouse, including the false rotunda with its tribute to Virginia's presidents, the hall of governor's portraits, and the old chambers where most of the confederate statues are located. Great place to add to your Richmond itinerary.

After extensive renovations and additions, the Capitol is looking pretty fab. I grew up in Northern Virginia and will never forget the thrill of visiting the Capitol. My high school government teacher was elected to the House of Representatives and since we all campaigned for him, he treated us to a private tour. I think our state capitol building is pretty cool too. My sister and I got a map and did the self-guided tour. I love the rotunda with the statues and paintings of all of the presidents that hailed from Virginia: we've provided eight so far I think and our state is not only for lovers, but also nicknamed the "Mother of Presidents". Of course, George and TJ are our most famous, and Jefferson originally designed this building. The gift shop and Meriwether's Café are on the lower level in the tunnel entryway, and you take the elevator up to see the rotunda and chambers. You can actually go to a legislative session of either the House or Senate and that's something I would love to do this year. Maybe I can drag my high school age nephew Joe to see democracy in action.

This review is just for Capitol Square (the statuary and gardens surrounding the capitol), as we didn't have time to tour the interior of the capitol when we visited four days ago. There's a *lot* of beautiful statuary, and our favorite was a memorial to Virginians who were active in the Civil Rights movement during the 1950s & 1960s. The exterior of the buildings is lovely and there are many colorful flowers in bloom.

On your approach to the capitol building, your first instinct is to climb those inviting steps of this magnificent building. But wait!! The entrance is down below. It is almost as if you are going underground below the building. And in some respects, I guess you are. It is a beautiful building both inside and out, and so easy to visit. First, it is free. Can't beat that! Next, you can either tour it all on your own, or you can join a free tour. I highly recommend that guided tour because there is so much history to be explained. It is exciting to know that this building was designed by Thomas Jefferson and done in a style that had previously been seen in ancient Greece and Rome.

I went into our visit to the Virginia State Capitol with tempered expectations but was really impressed with our experience. We opted for the (free) guided tour, which I would highly recommend. Our guide, Mr. Curl, was engaging and provided a wealth of information about Virginia's rich history, and I'm so glad we stopped in before leaving Richmond.

Really nice place. The museum was cool. There was so much history packed in there. I really liked the "yearbook photos" of the past congressmen and women. The old rooms were neat and we could even look in on the currently used rooms. A neat visit for people wanting a little Virginia history.

More than just the seat of government for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Capitol offers a unique learning opportunity. Tours are available inside the Capitol--you can hear about the day a balcony collapsed during a session or how the building was designed by Thomas Jefferson. You can walk through the underground portion to the foot of the Capitol Hill to see a mini museum, or grab lunch at the little cafe. Above ground, you can walk the brick-paved walkways. In spring, there are beautiful flowers in bloom; in the summer, magnolia blossoms perfume the air; in the fall, the beautiful morph from green to orange, yellow, and red; and in the winter, if you're lucky, you can see it blanketed in snow. It's simply beautiful year 'round. En plein air artists frequent the rose garden and the fountain on the weekends. The clock tower has all sorts of pamphlets for tourism information around the state. And the monuments aren't to be missed. On very special fall evenings, you can see chimney swifts (a bird that travels in great clouds) billowing across the sky and roosting in the trees above the Governor's mansion. The Capitol is a wonderful place to take a walk, a picnic, or a tour!

The Virginia State Capitol was great! Thomas Jefferson himself designed the building and rather than disturb the grounds with expansion, they added onto the building only underground. Nice grounds that had statues commemorating African Americans, presidents from Virginia, and of course, Civil War people.

There's nothing like a little bit of history to liven up a blustery winter's day. I had the privilege of visiting the Virginia State Capitol building one afternoon during my trip to Richmond. The historic building was originally designed by Thomas Jefferson, but it has been renovated in recent years to include a new visitor's center and exhibition space. Because I had some time to spare, I decided to take one of the guided tours, which was advertised for an hour. You can also take self-guided tours throughout the entire building, but you probably won't be able to access the modern east and west wings, where the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate meet. In all, the tour was very informative and enjoyable, though it did last a little over the advertised one hour (mostly because we had a few overzealous tour-goers in my group). My tour guide, Betty Allen, was charming and very knowledgable; not only did she have plentiful information about the building's history and various paintings/statues/busts, but she seemed to have a good grasp on modern Virginia politics, Richmond history, and contemporary Virginian history. But the funniest part of the tour had to be Betty Allen's little jabs and snark at the overzealous tour-goers. On these tours, you always have the possibility of encountering some...interesting people. This time, it turned out to be a very chatty (read: overly sharing) couple who liked to boast about their own historical knowledge and send us off into a tizzy of tangents. Well, Betty Allen shut them both down with a jab there and a stab here while maintaining an air of class and professionalism. Thank you. Thank you so much. The visit and tour is a fine afternoon distraction if you have an hour or two to spare. Take part in the revelry of Virginian history and imagine walking the old chambers with the likes of our "favorite" confederates... Don't forget about the crown jewel that is the life-size marble George Washington. It is Betty Allen's absolute fave. A few final tips! - Don't make the mistake of walking all the way to the top of the steps only to realize that you can't enter through those doors! The actual entrance is at the bottom of the hill on Bank Street. - Do take the time to explore the beautiful grounds, capitol square, the other sights in the area - Do also visit the nice downtown shops just a few blocks away on Main and Cary streets