Tours
The State House Tour Office offers tours of the State House every weekday, excluding holidays. The Tour Office staff can most easily facilitate tours to medium- and large-size groups by advanced scheduling during the week. Note: Weekend Visitors must enter at the State House's west doors.
Three types of scheduled tours are offered. Each is tailored to the age of the tour group.
Welcome Tour
The Welcome Tour is an orientation lecture held in the Rotunda. It is 15 minutes in length and will orient guests to the building. Guests can then tour the building on their own. Guests will not have access to executive, legislative, or judicial rooms or offices, as they will not be accompanied by a tour guide. *The Welcome Tour is not available on the weekend.
Express Tour
The Express Tour gives an overview of the building with a guided view of the House and Senate Chambers and the Supreme Court. This tour is 30-45 minutes in length, depending upon the schedule of the group and the tour guide.
State House Tour
As many as 120 people, including students and teachers, can be scheduled at one time for the State House Tour. This tour is 90 minutes in length and combines building history and architectural information with education. The group will visit an example of an office in each branch of government, depending upon availability.
If schedules permit, an elected official may address the group. Depending on the Court schedule, the group will be allowed to see the Supreme Court Chamber. The House and Senate Chambers will also be viewed, either from the floors of the Chambers themselves or from the visitors' galleries.
Legislators are notified of tour groups coming from their home districts, and groups can request that their local senator(s) and representative(s) be invited to speak. Of course, a legislator's attendance at such a tour is entirely at the discretion of the legislator, and scheduling difficulties can arise, particularly during legislative session.
