Reviews of Louisiana's Old State Capitol (Museum)

James Zhang

A must visit in Baton Rouge. It is a free museum filled with lots of architectural delights. You'll see lots of history walking through and the stained glass ceiling is a stunning surprise as you walk upstairs. You'll leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of Louisiana history.

Menace G

Nice place to visit and learn a recap on local history. They have a great 3D show at the end of the tour.

Raymona Hunt

Wonderful historical place to visit. Really enjoy my visit.

Kris Kili Williams

My kids love to visit this historic building.

Victoria Walker

Great musem free to the public the kids loved it

Sammy Cascio

This was a great little family outing. My family and I had frequently passed by this Old State Capitol, we always wanted to go in. The only drawback was while we were inside, some of the workers, know all of the workers, did not say a single word. I think I think that everybody lived there and they acted like it. The only thing is I think they were dressed in regular clothes not in long gowns and tuxedos, point being just say hello to people. Other than that, this was a great historical learning.

Giulio Bianchi

Wonderful short self guided tour looking back into history. Very glad that we stopped by. Receptionist was very friendly and sweet

Андрей Зиновьев

Historic building. Worthwhile visiting.

Robin

Great place to visit - and it's free, with the exception of the ghost movie. I think the movie is only $3 but worth it. It was fun! This place is full of history! There's a security check at the door, so save yourself a walk back to your car and double check pockets and purses for items not allowed inside.

Dean Landeche

Good stop for history and architecture. Louisiana’s Old State Capitol has quite a history, and it’s well documented in self-guided or audio tours. The building is beautifully restored on the inside, and features a wrought iron spiral staircase leading to a stained glass interior some. There’s an extensive display related to Huey Long, the Louisiana governor who reported swung the votes to replace the building by holding a voting session in a thunderstorm and seating recalcitrant lawmakers under leaks in the building’s roof. You have to ask for the free audio tour devices at the welcome desk, along with a corresponding map. There’s a short version that features about 20 highlights, and additional detailed content available in extended commentary. Using the short audio tour and taking some time to read the display materials will require no less than 90 minutes. There’s no charge to visit. Parking can be a problem, but there’s lots of cheap parking available a block over at the River Center parking garage.

Joshua Saunders

We visited on a Saturday about an hour before closing time and parked on the street in front of the Capitol. There was not a parking fee on weekends. Otherwise, nearby parking was not easy to find. The grounds were perfectly manicured and the architecture of the building was impressive. Inside, there was beautiful stained glass, a circular staircase and alot of art and history. Admission is free! Do yourself a favor and visit.

Isabel Romero

Nice museum to go check out

Israel Santee

If you visit downtown baton rouge. Go the the old state capital. Kid friendly.

Preethi Padmanabhan

Do not miss dropping by this building to see the pretty windows! :)

Adrian D. Holmes

I haven't ever been inside, however touring the grounds themselves is a thrill of its own. I visited in mid-March when the temperatures were still somewhat cool and enjoyable. I think this building truly embodies the suave elegance and eclectic culture of the early days of the Pelican State. Governor Bobby Jindal and the Louisiana government have done a fantastic job ensuring the preservation of this truly historic landmark and artistic piece of cultural history.

S. Jackson

A wonderful experience, the atmosphere is great and it is perfect for weddings.

Jayla Anderson

Awesome place to visit, free for everyone and handicap accessible.

Jack Mowreader

Great learning history of the state and it's key moments.

Brett Bradshaw

Amazing, historic facility

Shurlocke Errat

We were nearby in Baton Rouge and were curious about a temporary exhibit featuring also-ran candidates for governor of Louisiana. Spent perhaps an hour on that absorbing display, Ran out of time to do justice to the numerous permanent exhibits - not to mention the architecture itself. If you enjoy history and particularly "local history," there's plenty to look at and think about in this quality free museum!

Dustin Englehart

My girls love it. It's a cool place with beautiful windows

Mercy Silcox

Really nice and well maintained lawn

BEA WRIGHT

Great learning experience. Mrs. Coco was a knowledgeable tour guide. Free Admission. Be Blessed

Mat Berger

Beautiful both inside and outside. The glass ceiling is particularly impressive. They also have a very nice room on the first floor teaching you about French language in Louisiana. Loved it!

Allen Thomas

We are fans of capitol buildings and will seek them out when visiting a new state. I was unaware that Louisiana is gifted with having their historical capitol restored in grand fashion within blocks of their current capitol building. The Old State Capitol is a unique gothic gem that should not be missed. There were charming docents to greet us and impressive exhibits describing the history of the building and former Governor Huey Long. The star of this visit is the building itself. The central stair and vaulted skylight is spectacular. Worth the stop if you are passing through.

Henry Perkins

I love this old structure. The old Louisiana capitol looks like a castle. Best of all it is free to tour.

Jeffrey Dubinsky

A beautiful building and museum. The stained glass ceiling is something everyone should see at least once. A great spot to bring out of town guests as well. Directly across from the river. It closes at 3pm.

Katie McGuire Menges

Love that its OPEN and FREE! loads of history and the souvenir store is filled with books for kids!

Kevin Williams

Always loved visiting the Old State Capitol. The people that are friendly and well-informed. The exhibits are interesting, I especially like the "missing" statue. And for the price, which is free, you can't beat it.

Christin Anderson

My family and I could visit this place on a monthly basis. Every time we go, there is an update to the children's area to teach you something about our history here in Louisiana.

Jimmy Tara Sherman

Really cool piece of history. A must see in Baton Rouge

Bridgette Thibodeaux

They have several updated exhibitions and the film at the beginning is a great way to tell the story of the building (including recent times). Plus it is free!!

Tanyina Brown

My first guid was had a bad attitude

Robert Robie

Fabulous and small. Jam packed with exhibits. And free!! But feel free to put some dollars in the box on the way out.

John Paul Bonaduchi

Absolutely amazing piece of history. The building itself is gorgeous but they have also done an excellent job creating informative exhibits inside. The staff are very friendly. Also it's free so there's no reason not to check it out if your in the area!

Kay Your Local guide !

Beautiful & free. Please donate if you can every penny helps. Clean and informative very well kept/organized. The shop is lovely & very reasonably priced. Wonderful staff at the shop and front desk. They have maps and audio available in multiple languages. A must see location, near the Mississippi River & a nice area to seat and watch the waves/boats. Nice covered dock area also.

Kirsten Neus

If you only see one thing while you’re in Baton Rouge, this should be it. The old state Capitol is such a beautiful building, inside and out, and it’s home to a really cool free museum. At the very least stop in to see the beautiful stained glass. Unfortunately the award winning film Ghost of the Castle was out of order when we were there, but you could still easily spend a couple hours here. Learn about the history of the building, Baton Rouge and Louisiana as a whole. There are some cool exhibits about architecture and Louisiana politics. There’s also a nice gift shop.

Starshine Thomas

Very rich in political history. The welcoming staff are very hospitable. Each room appears to be carefully laid out and provides great details of the artifacts contained within.

Tracy Sasser

Gorgeous!

chip Major

I took my daughter to the princess ball and it was wonderful. All of the Disney princesses from their most popular movies were all the in full force and decor. The setup was absolutely amazing, one of the most gorgeous buildings in Baton Rouge!

Cynthia Main

Sad.... An old state capital built by the Confederates, aka enslaved Africans. Hidden Confederate memorabilia in the corners and failed attempts at Congress by different senators from the state. I literally got sick to my stomach and had to leave. There is no value in visiting this place other than the beauty of the outside of the building

Mrs. Diane Black

Awesome tour. Beautiful place.

janeal kitchens

Very cool. Looked like a castle outside.

Kasey Bella

Very informational. Definitely a beautiful piece of history.

Mike Morell

Nice place to walk through and check history out.

Rocky Able

Great place to visit and knowing more about Louisiana. It is so pretty inside. It is worth to enter and it is free

Tanya Phillips

Very helpful,fun,and so beautiful.I hope everyone takes thier family

Bradford Smith

Beautiful place that not enough people have experienced.

Russell Leier

Free self guided tours. Can view in less than an hour depending on the revolving exhibits and how much time is spent reading each display. Architecture is interesting. The spiral staircase and the stained glass are amazing. The huge pocket doors were a surprise.

Lucas Coleman

My girlfriend and I learned so much! First time back since we were both in grade school.

Mark Manno

Really Worth seeing

pNathan Brewer

Great Architecture, filled with wonderful information and history.

Sarah Senne

So gorgeous!

Chloe Higgins

I had a prom here and it was beautiful!

Cori Kelly

So beautiful inside great for tourists and shows so much history

Chuck McCormick

Really enjoyed our time there. Beautiful place. Make sure you see the Ghost in the Capitol movie. It is interactive and well worth your time. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

M K

Very nice piece of southern history. If you are in town you got to see it. Staff is very helpful. Admission is free

Sherry Engelbert

Great history & the Architecture was fantastic.

Ryan Wockenfuss

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.

Kaleena Emery

The "movie" is fantastic! We weren't really interested, but the lady persisted. It ended up being one of our favorite things of our trip. The architectural elements were wonderful, of course. We parked a bit of a distance away and walked the rest. The exhibits throughout were interesting to the whole family (my kids were ages 6-11 at the time). We did not plan for enough time here, however, so we did leave without enjoying everything there was to see. We stopped a pair of ladies to ask a question and they were so friendly and eager to share their knowledge. Definitely a place we'd like to go back to.

ff gg

Outside nice overlook!

Mike Gravois

Free admission. Worth a walk in.

Steven Frazier

Mark Twain said it was ugliest, one time I disagree! Baton Rouge Blues Fest 2019

sparkles cupcakes

My daughter has been obsessed with Louisiana history so I took her here and she loved it. Our guide was extremely nice and was patient as my daughter asked 3,000 questions!

Cedric White

Great details about Louisiana History.

Nick W

Very much worth stopping to see!

Martha Bonnett

Loved the visit! The tour guide was awesome.

Matt Grove

If you have some free time stop in. You won't regret it. Excellent piece of southern history

andrew vigueira

Great place to view Louisana's history in a beautifully restored building and grounds.

Amanda Moore

Beautiful building! We didn't go on the tour, just stopped by to see the outside of the building.

Enzo Benoit-Jeannin

Beautiful garden, amazing roof from the inside with tempered glass. It's really good to learn Louisiana's history

Gina Bunger

Magnificent stained glass, spend the $3 for the movie it's excellent with glass breaking, fire & ghost all around you in a Disney style extended reality in 4D film. The effects are in the audience room not just on a screen. Super!

Jose Solorzano

When I first saw this building from afar, I though it was some kind of ancient castle and was curious as to its origins. I was with a friend visiting from out of the state and we checked this place and were blown away at the rich history and sheer beauty of the building. Any Louisiana resident should must certainly give this place a visit!

John Smith

This is definitely worth an hour of your time. No admission, but the ghost story experience is worth the $3 per person that they charge. It was made by Disney imagineers and it really shows, great effects and fun atmosphere mixed with history and told in a fun way! A great stop for history, art, and architecture.

Eric Chauvin

Great place filled with history

Mindy

Absolutely amazing. Worth the time to go through

Allie Harris

Historic building with beautiful architecture and scenery. It is under construction outside but it is well worth the visit. Lovely garden... and inside.

Lloyd Orriel

Free to go in. Stained glass windows are a must eee

Crystal Ahrens

If you are looking for a great way to spend a Saturday morning the Old State Capitol is legit fun for everyone! They do a great job making the exhibits interactive and educational. The building in an of itself is beautiful and so fun to see!

Lori

Beautiful place to visit, plenty of photo opportunities and history to be learned.

Hrushikesh Vasista

Scenic place... green lawns in front, water fountains, a battle ship in the river nearby. Great for photography

Micifus Johnson

Free on Tuesdays, who wouldn't take advantage of that? It's way better than when I was a kid. Free range exploration, beautiful vaulted ceilings, remarkable glassworks, and packed with history regarding our state. For a couple bucks extra, you can watch a video about the ghost they suspect haunts the building. My favorite part was the governor's office where you can take pictures with props behind a podium and you can also watch short clips featuring past governors. Rekindle your love for Huey P. Long. Donations are welcomed. The gift shop has neat items for sale, too.

Betty Diaz

Was just ok.

Jim Love

Interesting exhibits. H/C accessible

Katherine

Beautiful, well maintained, interesting, and FREE!

Chee Jenki

Great for history

Monique Rice

What a gorgeous place that captures so much history! We were visiting on business and always love exploring the local area. They didn’t disappoint !

jamie Ruiz

Beautiful building and nice staff. Exhibits were nice, but small. Quite a few large empty rooms. Interesting to see.

Apr!L Cherie

HAUNTED!!! Absolutely beautiful piece of history everyone should see at least once. I've been probably 8 times! Friendly staff. It's gorgeous. Perfect location for pictures with fancy backgrounds and stained glass ceiling and windows. Perfect for a quick visit or for hosting an event including wedding parties. Pictures and selfies are allowed without flash. Though if you want to use a professional camera and or use flash they charge a fee but it's not expensive and will be the most beautiful photos you own. The photos attached are me and my friend in costume and taken on a Samsung note 5.

Brady Adamowicz

Really cool spot with a great staff. Here you'll learn a bit about the founders of Louisiana's diverse culture and a great deal about both the old capital and Louisiana's most controversial governor (Long). Watch the movie; you won't be disappointed. Definitely a cool attraction in the heart of downtown.

Bob Lombard

Amazing spiral staircase and stained glass make for a unique building. Both chamber rooms open and some historical exhibits throughout.

Deb S.

This is amazing so much info beautiful deco self guided so you can spend the whole day if needed.

Nancy Vela

Must visit place !!

pascal czymniewski

Beautiful place and free access

Mark Biletnikoff

Researching and re- discovering the amazing architecture and history of iur old state capitol. This building is amazing. If you have never been or outs been a while I recommend taking time to discover its history.

Simone Kaczmarz

Nice staff, amazing building. Definately a place to visit!

KF5TQN KF5TQN

Loathed and despised by Samuel Clemons, but it's a nice place.

Peyton Wood

Very beautiful building and love that it’s free. The Huey P Long exhibit was great! Just wish building could be restored to more of its original state instead of looking like a wedding facility

Warner Arthur

Wonderful place to visit. The scarey movie was great

Denzel W

Very enlightening experience on Louisiana's past. Exhibit has changed alot there are more interactive things to indulge in as well as more information to review.

Tonya Chambers

It's a great place to learn about Louisiana history.

Kenneth Ritenour

Beautifully restored old building. Wonderful stained glass and spiral staircase

Jan Mardis

Learned a lot about Louisiana State history. Fascinating story about the fire and also about when the governor got shot.

Siavash Sarrafan

It's certainly the prettier of the two capitols we have in BR.

Christopher Marshall

The people are so sweet and nice.

Carrie McGehee

Nice place to visit full of good information on our state capital.

Amber Briones

This was beautiful. We went here for a field trip. Our guide was very engaging and knowledgeable.

Carla Sessions

Beautiful building! Must see in Baton Rouge.

Nadine Davis

If you like history it's a great place and doesn't take a lot of time.

Emma Sanchez

The Old Louisiana State Capitol, also known as the State House, the Louisiana Castle, the Castle of Baton Rouge, the Castle on the River, the Museum of Political History or simply the Old Capitol Building, is a historic government building that housed the Louisiana State Legislature from the mid-19th century until the current capitol tower building was constructed in 1929-1932. Located at 100 North Boulevard in Baton Rouge, it was built to both look like and function like a castle. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Today, it is a museum. Restored in the 1990s, the Old State Capitol is now the Museum of Political History, within walking distance of the current capitol tower and many culturally significant buildings in downtown Baton Rouge, including the Old Louisiana Governor's Mansion, the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum, St. Joseph Cathedral and the Shaw Center. The Museum of Political History features attractions and exhibits showcasing the building as an architectural treasure and highlighting historic artifacts. One of the most interesting features is an interactive gallery that focuses on past state governors, including infamous Huey P. Long. Admission to the museum is free and the building is wheelchair accessible.

Bobbie Favaron

I've attended and set up numerous weddings at this venue. It's very elegant and the staff tends to all your needs. It's a good place to have weddings esspecially if your on a budget.

David Hoyt

Really cool museum and they have stuff for the kids to do, which is nice

Bob Davis

Cool place

Amber Cook

Quite enjoyable with the fam.

Alex Trevino

Really nice place to visit

Nitish Solanki

Nice Stairs and lot about Louisiana history

Sandra Jordan

Great place to visit on a rainy day. Take your time. This place has lots to look at. The architecture in this building is especially interesting.

joe stokes

Love this place been there three times

Jordan Chou

Beautiful castle and please check the open time if you want to visit inside.

Lashonda Wilson

Loved it

Cheri' Ben-Iesau

An architectural gem. A must visit for locals; highly recommended for tourists.

Jacob Pawelczyk

Beautiful building full of so much history. Definitely worth spending a few hours here to see the amazing architecture and read about the past events that took place in the Old Capital.

Philip Maxfield

Nice place but not very exciting.

Rene Reeves

A beautiful way to get out of the heat. It is a self tour free historical site open to the public. Get ready for a fantastic view of stain glass windows and antique wood!

Timothy Robare

Definitely worth seeing. Very interesting and beautiful. It's a fun experience

Yvonne Alley

Beautiful and free! I would pay for film, well done and good information presented in a high tech way!

Christian Bach Møller

Great experience, very informative and the place is beautiful. Additionally it's absolutely free of charge. We spend around 30 minutes there, to just walk around and have a look. They have some exhibitions on Louisiana and democracy in general, but the highlight was the staircase for sure. Looked like cathedral.

Ray Suggs

Lots of good history. Very interesting architecture and design.

Alex G

Beautiful and impressive building

Eddie Torea

Nice little jewel to visit along the walk. No cover to enter

Kenneth Moore

I had a really great time there. It has so much history behind the exhibits and a reasonable gift shop. Of all the exhibits, I found the Huey Long exhibit to be one of the best! And if you are really in to myths, they have a ghost exhibit that is phenomenal.

ryan Bond

Cool place to learn the history about Louisiana....

Gultekin Irengun

The multimedia show of history of the building was impressive. Very well done. Wish the King Arthur hall in Tintagel, Cornwall could do it similarly well.

Hufflepuff Book Nerd

I went for Youth Legislator this year and last year and it was the best experience ever. They made it an experience worth wild. I had new friends and had so much fun.

Nathan Stone

Great architecture and cultural experience

Alison Hungate

Interesting to see so many great artifacts!

P Lem

Admission is free. Enter on the north side which is the left side if you are facing the front with the stairs. Beautiful spiral staircase with a stained glass dome roof.

Kevin L

If you can only see 1 place in baton Rouge this is it. MUST SEE. Beautiful architecture in this place. FREE. Cool spiral stairway in the center looking up to a colorful stained glass dome. Beautiful building. Would definitely recommend to all. Very historical too.

Michael Liuzza

Top five visit in Baton Rouge. Historical, and looks like a castle!

Zackary Flansberry

This old State Capitol has been well refurbished as a museum, stands nicely in the middle of downtown from the outside and is architecturally impressive all around. The permanent exhibits are surprisingly informative to people who are not well-acquainted with Louisiana's political history or the American voting system. Plan on visiting for one to two hours.

James Hayes

You need to see the spiral staircase.

patience is key

This place is very well kept and taken care of! The staff are very well educated and there is a small theatre room in which a history of the building is displayed

tena ross

Beautiful!

Houston Texas

Old school architecture..love the view long live Porky SB13

Martha Prieto

Beautiful and very educational

Jonathan McKenzie

Historically significant, very informative, and a beautiful locale make this is awesome place to visit and learn about the state capital.

Kimberly Weese

A beautiful place to explore civil war era history.

Ms. I sing bad

Loved it and would recommend to come here! My Granddaughter kept saying "woah"

Connie King

Very interesting.

Darren Johnson

Beautiful place with lots of history

Terry Durnin

Great museum of Louisiana past. Kids really enjoyed the spiral staircase and stained glass.

Alex Harbert

Great venue for any special event

Patricia Washington

Very interesting

Rita Melssen

Friendly staff clean interesting

Chris Savoca

Thus is the most unique building I the south. Mark Twain referred to it as "the castle". And it is even more astounding in the lobby when you look up and see the stsined glass roof. It is even haunted!

Torey Bright

Beautiful place

Mr. Johnathan Harbert

An absolute beauty and a must drop in location. To see the beauty of old school architecture and a great display of history. New technology with the self guided tours makes it easy to know where you are and what is on display. I loved our visit and so did the rest of the family.