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Kansas State Capitol, Topeka, KS

Photo: Nils Huenerfuerst, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffFreeRainy-Day Pick

Kansas State Capitol

SW 8th Ave between SW Harrison St and SW Van Buren St · Topeka, KS

Why you should go…

The Kansas State Capitol took 37 years to build and was finished in 1903 on 20 acres in downtown Topeka. Free guided tours lead you up 296 steps to the top of the dome, where you can walk the outside balcony for views over the city. On the second floor, John Steuart Curry's mural Tragic Prelude shows a towering John Brown, and the bronze Ad Astra statue of a Kansa Native American tops the dome.

  • #state capitol
  • #dome tour
  • #murals
  • #historic architecture

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Kansas State Capitol, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Kansas Tourism

    Free

    The official state tourism office, promoting travel and trip planning across Kansas.

    Right next doorMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

    Free

    Tour the former Monroe Elementary School, where exhibits trace school segregation and the 1954 Supreme Court ruling.

    0.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Topeka

    Free

    The Kansas state capital, home to the domed Capitol building and several museums.

    0.7 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Territorial Capital Museum

    Free

    Lecompton, Kansas museum run by the Lecompton Historical Society covering the town's role in the Bleeding Kansas territorial era.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Kansas Speedway

    $25–$50

    Watch NASCAR race weekends on a 1.5-mile tri-oval in Kansas City, Kansas, or book a group tour of the track.

    46 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Eat & Drink
    Family Favorite

    Dave & Buster's Kansas City

    $25–$50

    A restaurant, sports bar, and arcade in the Village West district of Kansas City, Kansas, with dining and hundreds of games.

    46 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink