Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Montana State Capitol, Helena, MT

Photo: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffFree

Montana State Capitol

1301 East 6th Ave · Helena, MT

Why you should go…

Montana's statehouse, built of Montana sandstone and granite, was completed in 1902, gained east and west wings between 1909 and 1912, and wears a copper-covered dome. In the House chamber hangs Charles M. Russell's 1912 painting of Lewis and Clark meeting the Salish at Ross' Hole, 25 feet long and 12 feet high. The Montana Historical Society leads hour-long tours from the first-floor information desk, where you can also pick up self-guiding booklets and a kids' scavenger hunt.

  • #state capitol
  • #guided tour
  • #architecture
  • #western art

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 Montana 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.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Montana's Yellowstone Country

    Free

    Regional tourism office promoting south central Montana's five counties and the northern gateways to Yellowstone National Park.

    1.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Tours
    Outdoor Adventure

    Gates of the Mountains

    $25–$50

    Ride a two-hour boat cruise through the limestone canyon on the Missouri River that Meriwether Lewis named in 1805.

    17 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

    Free

    Tour a working cattle ranch from the open-range era, with a historic ranch house, living history and walking trails.

    36 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Old Montana Prison Museum Complex

    Under $25

    Five museums inside a former territorial prison, covering Montana history, antique cars and vintage toys.

    37 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Quirky Fun

    Berkeley Pit

    Under $25

    Look out from a viewing stand over a mile-long former open-pit copper mine that is slowly filling with acidic water.

    46 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Anaconda

    Free

    Historic copper-smelting town in southwest Montana between Yellowstone and Glacier, with a downtown visitor center.

    54 mi awayMore like this