The South Dakota State Capitol, a neoclassical marvel built in the early 1900s, stands as the seat of government for the state. Constructed with native stone and adorned with marble, it boasts a grand marble staircase and rotunda. Visitors can explore its stately chambers, intricate murals, and even view miniature gowns worn by each First Lady at inaugural balls. Guided tours offer insights into the building's history and significance while self-guided tours are also available.
Why you should go
1
Explore intricate murals and stately chambers inside the majestic building
2
Witness a beautiful collection of Christmas trees during 'Christmas at the Capital' event
3
Enjoy a casual atmosphere with easy accessibility throughout all levels of the Capitol
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We had the opportunity/honor to visit the South Dakota State Capitol in JUN_FY2024 and it was an amazing experience, a great opportunity to learn more about South Dakota's history and legacy.
We did a plant tour and for sure it's a remarkable building.
Definitely, it's a place that deserves my respect. It was a privilege.
This is a stunning state capitol. It is very well designed, and I loved the central stairs with the stained glass.
Attended Christmas at the Capital 2023 and it was an amazing experience! Beautiful collection of Christmas trees, all donated by various businesses/families within South Dakota. The event is free and took about an hour to see all the trees. The amount of decorations on each tree was so impressive. They even have a sign-in book and it's nice to see where others drove from to view this event. Thank you to the SD Capital for hosting this event!
We had the opportunity/honor to visit the South Dakota State Capitol in JUN_FY2024 and it was an amazing experience, a great opportunity to learn more about South Dakota's history and legacy.
We did a plant tour and for sure it's a remarkable building.
Definitely, it's a place that deserves my respect. It was a privilege.
This is a stunning state capitol. It is very well designed, and I loved the central stairs with the stained glass.
Attended Christmas at the Capital 2023 and it was an amazing experience! Beautiful collection of Christmas trees, all donated by various businesses/families within South Dakota. The event is free and took about an hour to see all the trees. The amount of decorations on each tree was so impressive. They even have a sign-in book and it's nice to see where others drove from to view this event. Thank you to the SD Capital for hosting this event!
Schedule guided tours 48 hours prior to your visit for an in-depth exploration
During busy times like legislative sessions (e.g., March), be prepared for security checkpoints requiring metal objects removal from pockets/bags
Parking can be found easily around Pierre; avoid lots reserved for legislators if visiting during session times
Check out statues of South Dakota governors around downtown using provided brochures
Reviews
Visitors to the South Dakota State Capitol have described it as an amazing experience filled with history and legacy. The plant tour was remarkable, and the building itself is considered a privilege to visit. Christmas at the Capitol event was highlighted for its beautiful collection of trees donated by businesses/families in South Dakota. Reviewers appreciated the lovely artwork, interior, Senate chamber, dome, and grounds of the Capitol. The guidebook with trivia and children's activity book added to their enjoyment. Accessibility without security checks stood out compared to other state capitols visited, along with the relaxed atmosphere and accessibility of political representatives. Visitors also enjoyed exploring all levels from basement to top floor house and senate chambers, admiring murals, historical photos on display, gift shop offerings, marble stairs and pillars.
We had the opportunity/honor to visit the South Dakota State Capitol in JUN_FY2024 and it was an amazing experience, a great opportunity to learn more about South Dakota's history and legacy.
We did a plant tour and for sure it's a remarkable building.
Definitely, it's a place that deserves my respect. It was a privilege.
Attended Christmas at the Capital 2023 and it was an amazing experience! Beautiful collection of Christmas trees, all donated by various businesses/families within South Dakota. The event is free and took about an hour to see all the trees. The amount of decorations on each tree was so impressive. They even have a sign-in book and it's nice to see where others drove from to view this event. Thank you to the SD Capital for hosting this event!
Beautiful Capitol building, the marble and murals were amazing. The people were friendly and would answer any questions. We were there on a Friday afternoon so it wasn't busy. The drive was amazing with the sun flowers blooming, just miles and miles of sunflowers.
Very beautiful! There's a nice guidebook to walk you through with some cool trivia in it, like the heart shaped tiles! Also a fun children's activity book. We had a lot of fun exploring this gorgeous building. We have visited a lot of state capitols and this was one of our favorites!