Playing “I Spy” While Touring the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, VA
Whenever our family visits a capital city, we always make time to tour the State Capitol. We love learning about a state’s history, its involvement in American history, and learning fun state trivia and what makes each state unique. This summer, we stopped in Richmond for a second tour (we originally visited in 2014 before we started publishing our blog) of the Virginia State Capitol and enjoyed touring the House and Senate Chambers and other significant spaces throughout the Capitol.
The original Virginia State Capitol was designed by principle architect Thomas Jefferson (read about our adventures at his home, Monticello) in 1785. Jefferson was serving as US Minister to France at the time and was inspired by French architecture and the Roman Temples. He designed the building to mirror a classical Roman temple. Known as “Jefferson’s Temple to Democracy”, the original building opened for the General Assembly in 1788 and members of the Executive and Judicial Branches joined in 1789.
The wings for the House of Delegates and Senate were opened in 1906 and are still in use today, while the Executive Branches and Judicial offices are located in buildings that line Capitol Square. In 2024, the general Assembly Building opened, with 14 floors of offices for Senators and Delegates, as well as meeting spaces and a tunnel that connected the GA building to the Capitol building. The Capitol went through an extensive restoration and expansion from 2004-2007, which included the additional of an underground extension and Visitor Center, as well as meeting and exhibition spaces.
Travel Tips:
Playing I Spy While on Tour:
- Read the steps to how a bill becomes a law in the Lobby Exhibit.
- Count the ships in the 1949 painting “The Arrival of the First Permanent English Settlers Off Jamestown” by Griffith Bailey Coale depicting the arrival of the English settlers in the Chesapeake Bay in the Old Senate Chamber.
- Check out the signatures of a copy of a 1817 copy of the Declaration of Independence. The copy was etched onto a copper plate back in 1817 and about 1700 copies were produced and distributed to descendants of the original signers. One copy is now on display in the Capitol and a copy of the copy is on display in the Jefferson Room.
- Check the time from a 300 year old English dial clock in the Jefferson Room. The clock was a gift to the Commonwealth from Lady Astor who was born in Richmond, moved to England and married Lord Waldorf Astor, and later became the first woman elected to English Parliament in 1919 (two years before women could vote in America). The clock has to be recranked by hand every eight days, but keeps perfect time.
- Count the busts of all former US presidents who were born in Virginia in the Rotunda. There’s also a sculpture of George Washington (the only sculpture he posed for) made from 18 tons of marble.
- Find the ceremonial mace on display in the Old House Chamber. Used to begin each session with a declaration that “everyone who has business can stay, and everyone who does not must leave” it is carried by the Speaker of the House from the old chamber to the current House Chamber each day the House is in session. The room was officially used by the House of Delegates from 1788 until 1904. Aaron Burr was acquitted of treason in this room, and Robert E Lee was given command of the Confederate forces in the chamber.
- See the coaster (used to protect the antique desks from water stains from drinks) and electronic buttons on each delegate’s desk in the House of Delegates Chambers. Virginians elect 100 House delegates, who serve two year terms and earn a $17.3K annual, part time salary and 40 senators, who serve four year terms and earn a $18K part time annual salary. Governors serve four year terms and may be elected more than once, but cannot serve consecutive terms. The desks, dating back to the 1904 renovation, have since been modernized with microphones and five call buttons for various tasks.
- Look for the Virginia seal all around the complex- etched in the door knobs for each door and on the ground leading up to the Visitor Center and front of the State House
- Head to the third floor after the tour and see portraits of every governor of Virginia. Governors are allowed to choose their own artists to paint them in any context the governor wishes. The Capitol has over 130 paintings, portraits, and statues in its collection- most of which are on display throughout the Capitol and General Assembly Building.
- Walk the grounds of Capitol Square and see the 60 foot George Washington Equestrian Monument; statues honoring Governor William Smith, Edgar Allen Poe, General Thomas J. Jackson, and Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire; memorials honoring Virginian Indians, Virginia Women, the Civil Rights Movement, and Public Safety; and beautiful gardens and a large fountain.
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If you have additional time to explore the area, check out the Executive Mansion, which offers guided tours on a limited basis- more information here.
Looking for other state Capitol tours? Check out our features of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island (#5), Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Arkansas (#6), Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming.
