Building, Tower, Educational and Virtual Tours
Building Tour
Guided tours are subject to Capitol operations. They are available daily at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Capitol tours start at the state seal in the Rotunda. Knowledgeable guides share information about the history of Oregon, the State Capitol, and the legislative process. Walk-in visitors are welcome. Capitol tours can also be combined with tower tours during tower season, where you can visit the Oregon Pioneer atop the Capitol up close. Call 503-986-1388 for a current schedule. When guided tours are not available, you can take a self-guided tour of the building.
List of Guided Tour Stops:
- Rotunda
- House Chamber
- Senate Chamber
- Governor's Ceremonial Office (if available)
- Governor's balcony, overlooking the Rotunda
- Governor's portrait hallway, 2nd floor
Tower Tours
30-minute public Tower Tours are offered to the public at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. during tower season (July 1 to the last day of September). Tower Tours are capacity controlled and weather dependent. Please call ahead if you have any questions. If the tower isn't open or you are unable to climb the 121 steps, you can take a virtual tour of the observation deck.
Educational Tours
Guided, in-classroom, virtual tours of both the building and tower are available for fourth-grade and older school students. To learn more about these tours, visit here, or call 503-986-1388 for more information.
Virtual Tours
We offer a wonderful virtual tour with audio guide in English, Spanish and Mandarin languages. You can explore this tour at home, or listen to the audio guide as an accompaniment to your Capitol visit.
Seasons at the Capitol
Your Capitol changes with the seasons: bustling during lawmaking sessions and lively during special and seasonal events.
- Guided Tour Season: January - November
- Guided Tower Tour Season: July 1 - September 30
- Self-Guided Tour Season: Year-round
- School Tour Season: September 2 - May 30
- Legislative Session: February (35 days, even numbered years)
- Legislative Session: January - June (160 days, odd numbered years)
- Cherry Blossom Season: March - April
- Holidays at the Capitol: December
Holiday Closures
The Capitol is closed on the weekend and on the following holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Veteran's Day
- Thanksgiving Day and the following day
- Christmas Day
Explore Your Capitol Yourself
Watch Your Legislators in Action
Learn how ideas become laws. During normal operating legislative sessions, observe House and Senate floor sessions and committee meetings in person or watch them live online. Click here to find out when the Oregon Legislature is in session.
Self-Guided Building Tours
You can explore the Capitol on your own from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday year-round. Pick up a brochure of building highlights, as well as information about exhibits and artwork, at the information desk on the first floor. Or, you can use the virtual tour's audio guide in English, Spanish and Mandarin as you explore the building at your own pace.
List of Additional Capitol Tour Stops
In addition to the stops offered in the guided tour, other areas to tour on your own are:
- Welcome Center
- Capitol front step monuments, facing the Capitol Mall
- Hearing room 50
- Galleria exhibits
- State Capitol State Park and the Capitol Mall
State Capitol State Park
Oregon's State Capitol State Park is owned by the people of Oregon. The grounds tell a story of Oregon's history, through architecture, botany and art. Statues of historic Oregon figures, WWII Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Medal of Honor Memorial, Liberty Bell replica, marble intaglio sculptures, special plantings and commemorative markers all create a sense of history and place in the grounds surrounding the Capitol. View State Capitol State Park self-guided walking tour brochure.
