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North Dakota State Capitol, Bismarck, ND

Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingFreeHistory Buff

North Dakota State Capitol

600 East Boulevard Ave · Bismarck, ND

Why you should go…

Completed in 1934, the North Dakota State Capitol is a 21-story Art Deco tower nicknamed the Skyscraper on the Prairie. Guided tours cover the building's public areas, and the 18th-floor observation deck looks out up to 35 miles on a clear day and hosts a changing gallery of local art and historical photos. The 160-acre grounds have walking routes, an arboretum trail with petrified tree stumps, and statues including Sakakawea.

  • #state capitol
  • #observation deck
  • #art deco
  • #guided tour
  • #capitol grounds

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 North Dakota 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.

  • Museums
    Free

    North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum

    Free

    Walk four galleries of North Dakota history, from dinosaur fossils and early peoples to the present day, on the State Capitol grounds.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    North Dakota Tourism Division

    Free

    North Dakota's state tourism office in Bismarck, promoting travel and publishing the official state travel guide.

    0.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park

    Under $25

    Walk a reconstructed Mandan earthlodge village and the rebuilt Custer House at a frontier fort site above the Missouri River.

    4.8 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

    Free

    Enter a reconstructed earthlodge and walk prairie trails past the lodge depressions of Hidatsa villages on the Knife River.

    47 mi awayMore like this