Our company was here for a Legislative Breakfast at the Michigan State Capitol and it was a great experience and something I think everyone in Michigan should do at least once. The building itself is absolutely beautiful, with incredible architecture, historic details, and a stunning dome that really stands out the moment you walk in. You can tell a lot of care has gone into preserving the history of the building. The inside is just as impressive as the outside. The marble floors, decorative ceilings, and historic chambers give you a real sense of Michigan's history and government. Walking through the halls and seeing where important decisions are made was both interesting and inspiring. The atmosphere was welcoming and educational. Staff and guides were friendly and helpful, and the self-guided areas made it easy to explore at your own pace. Whether you're interested in history, architecture, or just looking for something unique to do in Lansing, the Michigan State Capitol is definitely worth the visit. read more

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Very cool place! Rich history and beautiful architecture and details throughout the Capitol. The tour guides are really pleasant and knowledgeable! They present so many unique aspects of the building and its life through its history and what is represented currently. This is a worthwhile, enriching experience. read more

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The Michigan State Capitol tour is a great experience to learn about the rich history and monument of the state capitol, its previous two buildings, and chronology of its two seats of government. Capitol Square, where the building sits, is beautiful. You can take a tour during the week and every first Saturday of the month. I recommend scheduling tours in advance for large groups, however, for smaller groups you should still call to check availability since many schools and groups visit the Capitol. I like to say if you've been to any of U.S.'s capitol buildings, you've been to them all, because they all share similar architecture and layout, but of course each offers their own rich history. Overall, a very good experience. read more

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I went in November 2025 just before Thanksgiving. It was super quiet. They were prepping for a big Christmas tree lighting the night that I was there. Standard security to get in. I did not do a guided tour. I did the self tour. Got my capital passport stamped at the tour desk. It's a cool building. Due to the quiet time of year, I had easy street parking just across the street. read more

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This tour was absolutely amazing. They made sure that we knew all of the intricacies of the previous capitals of the state of Michigan as well as the new location and how it evolved overtime. We got to understand how legislation has evolved over time. It assisted with us learning how the sessions of the House and Senate work as well and being able to see the floor and the works spaces. I appreciated all of the knowledge and the tour guide as well. My favorite part is the architecture of the building and the care that was put in everything from the Dome to the doorways to the chandeliers with the state of Michigan animals. read more

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Cool Capitol with a lot of other nice buildings and sites nearby. Across the street from a federal courthouse as well. Check it out if you are ever in Lansing! read more

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This is pretty much the heart of Michigan Government. What a great looking building inside and out. You got to see it, feel it, and touch it to believe it. You can visit the visitor center on the north side of the building, which has some pretty interesting history to explore. We happen to be there on a Saturday for a protest. read more

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Beautiful and historic building! Michigan's third state capitol building designed by Detroit architect Elijah E Myers. Apparently it is recognized for establishing the domed capitol as an American icon, how cool! read more

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We had an escorted tour with May. Outstanding, knowledgeable, personable, accommodating and professional. Highly recommend ! Thanks so much. read more

Beautiful experience!! The vintage and historical vibes are the best! We watched a movie that has the 30s vibes as well. When i went out after the movie, i felt like I traveled in time. I like this place! I think i will come here again and again. Prices are good too. 10 dollars for adults, 8 dollars with student ID. read more

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Another wonderful state capitol building, surrounded by statues on the grounds, with a large dome that dominates the skyline. Unfortunately, there was some kind of construction going on during my visit that blocks the rotunda, which is one of the best features of the most beautiful state capitols. But I was able to take a tour of the capitol and see the rest of the inside of this stunning building. The Senate and House chambers have ceiling tiles with the seals of each state, which was a particularly nice and unique touch I hadn't seen anywhere else. There are nice portraits throughout the building of past governors and other important state figures. You are basically surrounded by beauty in every room. There are a few state capitols that have it beat on sheer size, but this building should be on your to-do list if you are anywhere near Lansing. read more

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Came to visit and only had 45 minutes before closing. Definitely could have spent more time here. Glass floor in the rotunda was very cool. It's being worked on and they have a window in the area walled off so that you can see the progress. Because we got there so late, we did the self-guided tour. A guided tour would be awesome! read more

Continuing my collection of state capitols, I stopped by Lansing for my 29th. Sadly, the building was not open for access when I was here. Also, the back side of the structure is undergoing some construction and improvement. But the front? Beautiful. This building is the third to house Michigan's government. The first state capitol was in Detroit, which was the original capital of Michigan. The second building was a simple two-story wooden structure until it was destroyed in a fire in 1882. The current building was started in 1872 and dedicated on January 1, 1879. It is an impressive structure that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and a National Historic Landmark in 1992. [Review 11106 overall, 879 of 2019.] read more

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Great tour! Beautiful building and historically accurate. The tour guide, Jacob, knew his stuff. read more

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My husband and I just had the most wonderful art/architectural tour of our gorgeous state Capitol located in Lansing, Michigan. Our tour was done by Anthony, the restoration artist that works at the Capitol. It was an amazing tour, not only did Anthony share the unique beauty of the building but told us how he maintained and repaired things. The Capitol is a beautiful building and the tour with Anthony was one of my favorite architectural tours ever. This is saying a lot as I had a private tour of the Vatican. Thank you Anthony for an excellent tour and keeping our Capitol in pristine condition. We loved the tour learned a lot. read more

I couldn't find a spot to take a picture of the entire front of the Capitol, which was kind of disappointing. Perhaps it's possible when the trees have no leaves in the winter. Overall, I wasn't very impressed. It was a rather small building and many of the legislators and Governor have offices in nearby buildings. I entered from the ground floor, which seemed to be intentionally drab (it had paint that made the floor look nicer than it was). Instead of waiting for the free guided tour, I took a map/brochure and did a self-guided tour (the map/brochure explains the things on every floor in great details). First floor: view up of the rotunda (cool design, colors, and artwork on the way up), nice designed floor (great color and tile), and glass enclosed flags. Second floor: closed Governor's office (you can view inside if you take a formal tour) and the modern Governor's portraits (Jennifer Granholm and the intentionally uncompleted John Swainson: http://michi101.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-unfinished-legacy-of-john-b-swainson.html). Third floor: House of Reps chamber (cool tiled ceiling), Senate chamber (very comfortable and spacious chairs), and the Michigan's more senior Governor's portraits. Fourth floor: nothing. read more

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For the history buff, political junkie, or art/architecture lover, a trip to the Great State of Michigan's Capitol Building would make for a great day date! They offer guided tours or self exploration during business hours, and you can even sit in the gallery during a live House or Senate session to see our legislature at work. There are a number of sculptures outside the building to learn about, and there is a nice courtyard behind the Capitol that takes you all the way to the Hall of Justice if you enjoy walking. Watch for opportunities to explore the Farmers Market on the Capitol Lawn through summer months, and the annual tree lighting ceremony during the Silver Bells in the City celebration before the holidays! read more

I've never been to Lansing before, let alone the State Capitol. I was passing through on my way to Grand Rapids and made a point of stopping in here for a tour since I figured it was time. The building itself is amazing. It was built in the 1870's and is really beautiful. I entered and waited for my tour to start, which was about an hour long. There are about 5 different levels to the Capitol itself, and we did all but the top floor. The building is really pretty inside and out and has beautiful paintings throughout. We got to see the flags from way back when and learn about the history of the building itself. What really impressed me was some of the more stately offices. Such things as the old Michigan Supreme Court that is now a committee room. The Governor's office furniture over 100 years old that is still used today. Actual legislature's offices with names and what part of the state they are from. My favorite part of the tour was seeing the House of Representatives. It was like being in Washington DC seeing the desks from above. To actually see where laws are changed, passed and made in person is really amazing. It kind of takes it beyond the political yard sign and the voting booth, if you will. The only downside to the whole thing is the parking. It can be problematic and a chore here, from what I found out. Streetside parking is tough, metered and the machines only take quarters. Also, some of them weren't in working order. No credit cards or dollar bills, so come prepared. Also, getting a really good picture of the capital can be tough since trees get in the way, but I got some good shots, so I'm okay. Overall, a must see for anyone young or old. It's not as far from Detroit as I thought it would be and took me a little over an hour to get there. Educational on all fronts. I would love to come back when the Senate is in session so I can see them in action! read more

Beautifully restored capital in a cute town! This was our 36th Capital to visit and it was a great one. We visited on a Saturday and were able to join a guided tour that is offered on the half hour. The tour guides are well trained and offer a very informational and interesting tour. We visited three levels including the governors office, the house and Supreme Court. The building has been restored to its original 1879 decor. We were able to park close by and tour all within an hour. The legislation meets Tuesday-Thursday and the gift shop is only open during the week. To order Capitol Christmas ornaments visit Capitol.Michigan.gov/shop. read more

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Very nice building! I appreciate the well-kept grounds and the fact that the Dome on the outside is very unique compared to other State Capitol Buildings. This was one of the very few capitols I've been able to enter into without going through a full security scan. Just a guard there nodding hello and pointing you towards the tour desk. They offer tours every half hour from a very friendly group of people. The tour was very informative and I appreciated all they did. The building is very beautiful and I got a lot of good pictures. If you are in Lansing this is definitely a place to visit if you enjoy architecture and history! read more

Stephanie is the best tour guide! She will accommodate your school field trip, groups of any size, your family or solo. Be sure to request her and your expectations will be exceeded. Stephanie has one of those smiles that is impossible to miss or forget! read more

I went on a tour with a large group and everyone was friendly and knowledgeable from the minute we entered. Luck was on our side and the tour started shortly after we arrived. Tours are conducted daily and our guide was interesting and engaging. The pacing was great and we learned a great deal about the history of the capital and current operations. read more

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I believe every citizen should visit their state capitol building at least once. Thankfully, the Michigan State Capitol is a gorgeous building. A lot of us probably visited on a field trip as children. I recommend a visit as an adult. They give tours pretty much every weekday. This is a working building, and you never know what you might be able to see. Our tour guide was really knowledgeable, and filled us in on the history of the building. This building was fully renovated in 1992. There were plans at one point to replace it. I'm glad they didn't. The glass floor located in the rotunda is a favorite. Otherwise, there is a ton of architecture and design to be seen here. Plus, the tour is free. FREE. There is no reason not to visit. Don't listen to the review from Dave S. He's probably just jealous that his state isn't as cool as Michigan. read more

The Michigan State Capitol was the fourth capitol I visited. I was there in the summer of 2002. Now that I've seen quite a few state capitols I'm staring to notice some trends. For one thing, the Midwestern Capitols tend to be really, really ornate. Sometimes to the point of being over the top. The Michigan Capitol is like that. There are some nice touches here and there, and it's a clean, well maintained building, but, like Iowa's Capitol, the Michigan State Capitol is trying way too hard to impress the visitor. Maybe the fact that the Midwestern Capitols tend to be overly ornate almost to the point of tacky says something about the Midwest. Maybe, or maybe not. Either way, the Michigan State Capitol is not quite Victorian, not quite Beaux Arts. It's definitely decorated differently than many of the classic Beaux Arts capitols I've been in. Almost .... Victorian. But not quite. Dark wood panelling fills the common chambers, with ample color so as to avoid monotony. But there are few rooms that really "grab you" and fill you with wonder, like in a lot of other capitols. There seems to be a scarcity of good light fixtures in the Captiol. Many of the rooms seemed overly dark. Maybe the Michigan legislators like it that way so thay can catch a nap between (or during) sessions. Like most Capitols, a lot of thought was given to the view of the inner dome from the rotunda. This is where the Michigan Capitol steps it up a notch. In the middle of the inner dome you've got an oculus set with a simple painting representing a starry sky. The effect is serene, but the rotunda and inner dome are dark. I was there on a bright sunny summer's day, and it felt like midnight in there. The grounds of the capitol also left a lot to be desired. The capitol is just kind of "there," in the middle of Lansing. No real parklike setting to speak of. read more

Such a beautiful place. Original architecture was amazing. We walked around on our own but they do have free guided tours. Packet gives you information for every floor. It is under construction - so some areas were inaccessible. Would love to come back when they are in session to witness process. read more

I have been there for a big event every year and it was a great place to visit there is a lot of good chances to get good pictures of the stairs read more

Lovely building. The lighting was so fabulous and I loved the glass floor. There was a tour going on and my friends and i hooked up with it. It was so interesting. I try to go to every state capitol building when I travel. You learn a lot that way. Plus, you can't beat them. All buildings are really cool and have a lot to offer. read more