Rhode Island State House Reviews

Tallest marble capital dome in US. Great view from the train stations. Tours daily

If you found this review helpful please note below and consider adding this reminder to your own reviews. I appreciate being reminded.

At first sight this building was, although not massive, eye catching and beautiful.

We had heard that the free tour was worth trying and so on our last day in Providence decided to join it...what a pleasant and interesting surprise it was.

There was a fascinating history to this marble building and we learnt loads about the history of the building and the state of Rhode Island's role in the American revolution.

Our guide was extremely passionate about the tour and the subject matter and that certainly came across. The tour was free and lasted around an hour (it's not a huge building)...if you get the chance it's a great way to spend an hour...and we learnt so much about how American politics work.

Yikes, have you all ever heard of 'public' or 'visitor' parking? Won't go back. Rainy day but would have had to park at mall, abt 1/4 mi. away. Not even a 'drop off' place? ??

Very nice building perched above the downtown area. Two Civil War era cannon in the entrance lobby, one from Bull Run and the other from Gettysburg. The interior of the dome is beautiful and visitors are allowed to wander the halls. A museum displays the Rhode Island state Charter. When we visited, there was no signage telling visitors about how to enter the building; the entrance is on the side at the top of the hill.

I’ve visited several capitals, and this one is really ornate. The ceilings, architecture, and woodwork are outstanding. The library has something special; the miniaturized RI flag that traveled to the moon along with some moon rocks. There is also a famous painting of George Washington in one of the presentation rooms. Worth a visit.

We took the free guided tour in the State House and thoroughly enjoyed it. Fascinating history and a beautiful building.

The building is very, very impressive and worth seeing. The standard tour was fine but the guide was hopeless at answering questions beyond the basic info. If you are really interested, it would ask Deena (of Tours by Deena) to give a tour. That would not be free but would be much more informative.

Took some very nice pictures of the capitol and had great views from here on the steps. Nice park that surrounds the State house and is a good place to relax and get out of the sun

Just to walk up to this magnificent building makes you proud and reflect on the great people that built this country. Breathtaking! Wish I could have taken a tour, but it was closed. Good reason to visit Providence again

Definitely worth a stop in Providence, even if it's just to look around the building for a little bit. The inside is beautifully decorated and has several pieces of artwork and memorials to look at.

The free one-hour tour was expertly done and well worth the time. Ann was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic throughout the tour.

We did not expect a personalized two person tour but that is what we received. Our guide was excellent, catered to our interests and answered our questions. He was knowledgeable and helped us avoid the large school groups that were there. Rhode Island has a very nice state house.

We weren't even sure if we could go in (no obvious signs). But once inside it is well worth a visit. There are free guided tours and some impressive interiors. This building is beautiful both inside and out.

I walked there early in a Saturday before the traffic started. Great shots and a beautiful building. They offer tours through the week (self or guided), but are generally closed on the weekend.
It was nice walking around the area; also a short walk down to the Roger Williams National Memorial.

I have visited a couple of times, but never realized that they offer free guided tours on weekdays. My guide was extremely knowledgeable and I learned a lot about the building and its history. It is really a magnificent work of art/architecture!

The Rhode Island state house must be one of the most beautiful state houses in the country. Both inside and out. Built back around 1900 it is now on the historic register. Browsing around, I was inspired by the murals, make sure to look up in the rotunda, the statutes, paintings and artifacts some from the civil war. You first have to admire the state house from what is actually the back. This is the view from downtown. Best to see it from the massive tree and grass lawn that leads from Providence Place Mall and the Amtrak train station all the way up to the state house. The front and entrance is actually on Smith street. Once inside you can take a free guided tour which I did not know about at the time, but it is available 4-5 times a day. Although I saw a lot you may see more with the tour. But in any event, you will be enthralled with the history, spectacular architecture, marble columns, and culture from not only Rhode Island but the United States in its early days.

The building itself is phenomenal. The architecture and history are so well preserved that it's hard not to enjoy a tour of this place. I took a tour when I was younger and recently went back to find how worth it it was. It was during the summer so it was very warm as the building does not have AC, so definitely keep that in mind if you plan on going. The tour guide, Catherine, was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. She would not hesitate to answer any questions if asked. My overall experience was positive because of the service and information the State House provided.

We took the 11am tour on a quiet morning, only 6 of us in total who were taken round in about 45 minutes by the main guide and some of her interns who were training. They were all really good, although a lot of it was learnt by rote.

The inside is dramatic and stunning, with paintings, sculptures and gleaming marble abound. You can visit the senate and house chambers, see the beautiful dome ceiling and hear about the history of the place.

Don't worry if you can't meet one of the tour times, just pop into the visitor centre and pick up a self guide map, and wander around the place at your leisure.

Planning on the self guided tour as a brief stop and happened on a 10:30 docent tour. She was excellent in speaking of the history, architecture and happenings of the capitol building. The tour was inclusive and informative. Would say it was an hour well spent.

We have been here many times. I recommend going with a tour group! The library is my favorite room.

Took my 9-year-old son, he had a blast but got a little tired towards the end.

What beautiful architecture! We went in to look around and were guided to the library on the second floor, where a free half-hour tour was starting. We got to hear about the history of the building and its very impressive and beautiful architectural details and also got to enter and see the chambers of the house and the senate. Oh! And there's a huge Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington to see -- with the image of his face that's on our dollar bills. Very recommended -- seeing this building doesn't take long and is well worth it.

I came to Providence, RI for a conference and decided to stay for a few extra days. Per recommendation by a friend I went to the RI State House. Amazing experience. We did a guided tour by Anne, which lasted about 50 minutes. I learned so much in that time, and especially about the United States and how integral Rhode Island was in getting the Bill of Rights and all the freedoms we enjoy today in the US Constitution. I recommend it to all!

This is architecture with a Capital A. Beautiful building that sits overlooking Providence. Stunning presence.

As part of our bus tour we were given a guided tour of the state house. It was under renovations inside so we did not get full view of the dome view but we did get to see the governor as we waited for the elevator.

Beautiful building with 4th largest marble dome in the world according to the brochure. Visited on a hot summer day. Not much activity in the state house. Very quiet. No real visitor center. Very majestically exterior.

The Rhode Island state house is by far one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire state of Rhode Island. I saw it both by day and by night and it always looked very nice. It's design and architecture are reminiscent of the Capitol building in Washington DC. It looks grandiose from any direction you observe it from. We walked all around the building admiring it from different angles. One night we saw it all lit up by the lights and it was a clear night with a full moon over the state house. Stunning! We never got a chance to take a tour inside, but will do that next time we're in town. We took various nice pics of this building and recommend it to anyone who is in Providence looking for a nice attraction/site to visit and admire. The grounds around the state house were spacious for walking and hanging out and we saw people laying out on blankets in the surrounding park.

Rhode Island has a beautiful statehouse which is rich in history. Guided tours are available which cover interests for all ages.

We made a quick stop here and really enjoyed it. Our timing of stopping around lunchtime didn't match up with the tours, but you can see quite bit on your own, including the Royal Charter from 1663 in the museum. The staff was very friendly, from the security guard to the women in the visitors center. We got a parking spot at a meter near the building without a problem. It was free, and well worth a stop.

Beautiful building in the center of the city. Absolutely worth seeing while in Providence. There is a free thirty minute tour as well.

Had a devil of a job to find the Providence State House. No signposts around the city to guide us by car. Even at the actual Smith Street we had to pay 25c per 12mins in roadside parking.
We make a point of "doing" capitol buildings.
Apart from the magnificent facade, don't bother going to it. Very disappointed.
The visitor center was shut at 2.45pm on our arrival, posted as closing at 4.30.
The central dome was fantastic and impressive, but the rest of the rooms were not.
This is just a state house, not amongst the ranks of the 12 Capitols we have visited in last 5 years.

The country's second largest unsupported dome is really great to see. I only go there to protest or support bills being considered. Even then the legislators here are mostly the "once I'm in office i'll stay here forever and they don't seam to care too much for any of the opions of the voters once there "in" :(

A pleasant walk from the hotel, nice much to say. Well groomed landscape. Otherwise, nothing special to mention

The rotunda is being restored so there is scaffolding everywhere but you can at least see pictures of what it's going to look like. Hard to find the entrance but the security guards were very helpful and even let us in the employee entrance, still had to go through the metal detector but he was so helpful and pointed out the elevator to get to the few places left to see during the construction. The library should not be missed as it's very beautiful. The chambers are small but tastefully decorated and the reception room has a very beautiful chandelier. Parking at meters with cash only allow you 30 minutes for 75 cents. And 30 minutes is the limit. Suggest you use the mall parking as it's just across the street.

Providence Rhode Island has one of the nicest State Houses around. It is maintained to peak perfection! At night it is all lit up and it really makes a positive statement for the area and for Rhode Island. When I am back in the area, I will definitely take a tour of the inside.

One great thing about this capitol building is how much they engage children visiting from schools on field trips, even letting them sit in the chambers and vote on mock legislation like whether or not to discontinue homework. One bad thing is that if you prefer to visit the capitol in a much quieter setting without 500 kids in your photos, you might better check their schedule for field trips. We did not have flexibility on our time of visit, so we happened to be there with about 20 school buses of kids. This meant that even though we hoped for a guided tour, all of the guides were taken on those school groups. As for the building itself, it is certainly nice, as most capitols are, and worth the visit if you are in Providence. Parking was fairly easy on street within walking distance.

The RI State House is a magnificent building. Standing atop one of the largest unsupported marble domes in the world is our Independent Man. He symbolizes the unique qualities of the Ocean State. The Governor's office along with the Senate and House of Representatives' chambers are beautiful to see along with the State Library and the original copy of the King's Charter that allowed the establishment of Roger Williams' Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to become a Royal Colony.

Do the tour with a guide. They are very informative and you will learn a lot about one of the most beautiful state capitol buildings in the country. The state capitol is a suitable visit for people of all ages. They are currently doing renovation work but having also done this tour years ago, I can say that once this is done the place will revert back to its glorious self.

Went there on a Saturday morning and the building was closed to public, but the building itself was magnificent on the outside, of a unique white. The inside hall seen through the locked door was lovely, a large staircase with some golden decorations could be seen. And while contemplating the dome, a big bird of prey was circling around it, making it seem so big. Closed on weekends.

One of the grand American state houses, the Rhode Island state house is a must visit location. Beautiful rolling lawns with lush frontage and amazing marble and stone work. Can't miss!

This very large and beautiful capital building is just steps away from the Providence train station. Definitely worth a look, even from afar, if you stop by!

A great place to bring your kids who are interested in history. This building is huge and beautiful. If you are ever in Providence, RI then this is a place to be looking at. The grounds are kept nice and clean. There is a fee for parking in the area though so be warned.

Thats a nice place to relaxing. a nice, old building. directly next to the shoping center. Central point to start sight seeing

State House location sets on a small hill above parts of the city. The days we were in town the building was closed. Nice setting for photo's.

Amazing, staggeringly impressive place, and the excellent FREE tours are done as part of a student work experience scheme. I stayed here for far longer than intended as i felt so relaxed. The security scan you and your bags as you go in; They were very welcoming and friendly.
The tour guide (Sawyer) was very knowledgeable and approachable for any questions
For a tour of this quality and as part of a project to help students get experience, this is commendable.
Thank you.
Only thing, no recycling facilities in the cafe that i could see.

Beautiful state house. Have never personally gone into it but nonetheless gorgeous day or night! You can get up close and take great pictures at night aswell as in the daytime

I have been to many state house visits as it is something I enjoy while visiting new states. I really enjoyed my visit to the RI state house but would have enjoyed it more if there were someone to give a tour. The office was closed and no one was around to give tours. However the building was very pretty.

We planned on doing the self-guided tour, because we arrived too late for the guided tour. However, we ran into the tour after about 10 minutes and joined up with them. We are glad that we did, because the tour guide offered a lot of information that we would have missed.

A McKim, Mead and White treasure, beautiful Gilded Age classicism (dome! murals! statues! marble!), but easily taken in within an hour.

Not too much to see on the inside as there was a scaffolding all the way from the central floor and up to the central dome. We did however stroll around seeing the two chambers and the representation room. From the outside the building looks wonderful - especially at night with the floodlights on.

A friend recommended coming to the State House when they offered a guided tour - and it was well worth it! You learn so much about the history of Rhode Island and of the State House itself. Very well done. It is a beautiful building and sits prominently on a small bluff with a view of downtown. Inside the dome, the view looking up was spectacular! Also - don't miss the exhibits as you enter - which include the famous Gettysburg Canon. Beautiful setting and a nice way to spend several hours.

A beautiful building on a hill over looking the city. Plenty of parking available and large grassy areas surround the building. Worth a visit.

Very typical of most state capitols. A few cool things here - a cannon from Gettysburg, many really old battle flags, a replica of the Liberty Bell, the Royal Charter Museum (a definite must to view!), and the state reception room.

Only open for tours during the week. This building is especially worth a look even if you only get to see the outside. Perched high on a hill it is hard to miss if you are in Providence RI. The building dates to early 1900's and has a self supporting marble dome. It is as impressive from the back side as it is from the front. Take the time to go walk up the front steps for a view of the city.

Providence Rhode Island has one of the best looking State Houses around. They maintain it just wonderfully! At night it is all light up like a bright beacon of hope.

Beautiful building and grounds filled with so much of the state's history. Always recommend taking a tour of the building, whether it be a guided tour as we had or self-guided.

Very interesting place to visit. There is fabulous library which is taking your breath away! Also super friendly people are working there and very helpful. You can have a free tour!

I lived in RI a long time ago, but never made it to the state house. Decided to visit it this trip. It is a beautiful building with a ton of history inside. I thought our tour guide extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The room where they keep the original RI charter is awesome. It is worth the visit.

This is a nice building. Similar to other Capitol buildings you would see in other states. I find the architecture to be beautiful, but children probably wouldn't really enjoy it. It's right across the street from the train station and Providence Place Mall, so it's easy to get there by bus or walking. Parking can be difficult though. I would suggest parking at the mall and walking over.

Rhode Island's state house is grand and elegant. Its stately facade is comparable with the White House. Unfortunately it has a poor maintenance and the building is now grey in color.

We visited the State House on October 1. After the security check we went to the library on the second floor for the guided tour. Unfortunately the chamber and senate are closed for renovations.

As part of our quest to tour all of the U S state capitol buildings, we stopped in Providence to visit Rhode Island’s statehouse. Unfortunately, the restoration of the rotunda was still in progress, and we did not get to see what is probably the most beautiful and impressive part of the building. We did get to see the house and senate chambers which were just ok, and we saw the library and a stateroom which were both magnificent. Our tour guide conducted a very good tour. We were glad that we stopped, just disappointed that we didn’t get to see the rotunda.

Nice photo ops at the top of the staircase. Very majestic building.
Very close to the Providence mall (where you can park)

Great tour! Shane did a great job. Well worth your time. Providence is a great place to visit . Didn’t realize it had such steep streets.

Rhode Island State House is a Beautiful Place to Visit,A lot of History there,I grew up in the Neighborhood and They use to let Us Play Baseball,Football Sledding on The Lawn,,Was there all the time with my Brothers and Friends. Great Memories there...

The Rhode Island State House is very impressive. The dome is incredible. The guided tour is wonderful and you walk away learning more about the history of this wonderful State.

The docent who showed us this lovely Capitol building shared her knowledge enthusiastically. This building is well worth visiting when you are in Providence.

Excellent tour by Ann. Very informative. She is a great tour guide. The tour lasted for an hour, and she was able to answer all the questions that the guests had asked her. Beautiful capitol.

While in Providence this a must see as it is an attractive State Capitol and always interesting as you tour through. It's rotunda is beautiful, If you are able to latch on to a walking tour that is always a plus but if not self guided is just fine. We were able to walk with a young man who had a keen interest in his new job as a guide and we enjoyed his efforts to inform us about all that we saw.

One of the nicer capitol buildings. Very small compared to some states, but lovely to see. Great stained glass and lots of marble.

Did not go inside as it was closed, but it looks great from the outside. Very close to the main train station, well worth wandering around.

A stately building. When you think about what a capital building is supposed to look like this is it. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to go inside of this public building but I could imagine what it would look like just by what I see from outside. Next time I visit it will definitely be a part of my things to do.

we did not went inside, however we walk around enjoy the walk and the amazing weather, roll like a child down the hill the left :)

We visit state capitols every chance we get. This Capitol is beautiful from the outside and has striking marble and gold inside. It looks large from the outside, but we were surprised to see how small the Senate chambers are. There is a lovely but small State Library to visit. There were no Supreme Court chambers and the guide said she thought there once had been but she didn't know where in the building.

The free tour only took about 30 minutes and while interesting, the guide seemed to just be reciting rather than having real enthusiasm for the building , the proceedings or her job as guide. For example, guides generally know how many members from each party sit in the house and senate.

We loved seeing the Gettysburg Gun, the ORIGINaL portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, and the Charter. Tour was worth it just to see those.

There is a nice little brochure for a self guided tour. We found out after the fact there is free handicapped parking in the legislative parking lot as well as directly across the street from the north visitors' entrance.

Stopped in since we were driving down 95 towards New York. It was right off the highway. This is a gorgeous building and it was practically deserted on a Sunday afternoon. Next time we will take the tour!!

Loved the building but disappointed in the young man that was our guide.
He stated the population of RI was 500,000(wrong), only knew the name of 1 of 2 federal senators and was unsure of the industries of the state and a few other questions he could not answer.
In reply to a question he could not answer he would say” I don’t know, that’s above my pay grade “ Yikes ! Taxpayers pay their salaries- the guides need to be better informed!

Sadly, the building was closed to visitors when I went, so I wasn't able to get inside, and can't comment on that element in my review. However, from outside, the building is majestic to look at and photograph. It's in a central location in Providence, perched up on a hill, so it's visible from quite long distances away.

Built in the late 19th Century, the building is a National Historic Site, and with good reason. The architecture, like many state buildings, is very beautiful, similar to the Capitol Building in DC. Walking up the steps in front of the building left me awe-struck at the sheer scale of it, and this made me all the more disappointed I couldn't get inside and look around.

Ah well, next time I'm in RI, I'll be back.

It is a beautiful state house: small, colorful, full of personality, just like the state of RI. Make sure you don t miss the library

This is the 48th State Capitol we've visited. We've now been to all the lower 48 state capitols!

Parking here was very limited. We were fortunate to see a car pulling out from a street metered parking spot and was able to take it. The meters say they take coins or credit cards. We tried using coins but the meter kept our coins and did not add any time to our meter. So we had to pay more using our credit card. So if you are at a metered spot, just use your credit card so you don't lose any quarters like we did!

This is a beautiful state capitol. They have a chandelier hanging inside the dome and if you look beyond that, you will see historic groups of people painted along the inside edge circling the dome!

The Rhode Island Statehouse is one of the most beautiful statehouses that I have yet to see.
Marble on the outside leads to marble on the inside. There is a small museum inside and a small gift shop.
The grounds around the building are well kept and if it is a nice day, kick off your shoes and enjoy!

I have been outside and if is a very large piece of architecture.
Sadly, I visited on labor day. No tour available. Walking the outside was good to see.

Have to visit the state capital and had some good stories to share. The tour guide knew his stuff and had plenty of info to share with us. Whether it was how Rhode Island got it's name or why there was 2 pounds of gun powder in a cannonball in the lobby. Not a lot about the state itself like other capitals but still worth the visit

The architecture was amazing and the "fun facts" kept us laughing. The tour guide was well informed about not only the State House but also about local parks and places to visit. Tour was just the right length of time.

The RI Statehouse in downtown Providence is a destination in and of itself. The building is simply majestic and interesting to tour. The building is visible from many points in the city, especially when it is illuminated on special,occasions.

Beautiful, ornate building located in the middle of Providence and giving way to an amazing city landscape.
It is located near a shopping mall; it's easy to access and parking is convenient.
The building itself is great to admire and the history behind it makes it even more interesting.
Such a nice spot to visit while in Providence

If you are in Providence visiting, this attraction is hard to miss. Coming in by train - you will see it. Going to the mall - you will see it. The building itself is quite remarkable, tons of marble and gold.

Went there during Brown graduation weekend. Beautiful building outside and in.
We dd the self tour. Assembly wasn't in session so nobody around and got to view the legislative chambers up close.
Really fascinating exhibit with the original state charter.

The state house is very big and extremely nice inside and out. I took a guided tour that lasted about an hour and it was free! The dome was under construction but it did not take away from the tour in any way.

I visited the State House in the late afternoon and was amazed by how quiet it was. With only a handful of people in the area I was able to take many pictures of the impressive architecture and marble work. I am not sure if this is typical of most weekdays, but I would highly recommend this time if you want to avoid crowds.

We visited Providence during the Columbus weekend and unfortunately the State House was closed. But we checked the building from outside. It's has a nice architecture and a beautiful garden around.
It also has nice views over the city.

Tours are 45 min long and informative. Not much of a gift shop. Pretty standard as far as statehouses go, nothing really stood out as unique. Just the usual marble columns, House, Senate, Library etc

This building is at the end of an uphill walk facing the street so that it's full beauty is seen. It is classic with it's dome and structure, just beautiful. Unfortunately I cold not get in the day I was there but even from outside, it was worth seeing.

This state house is a historical building. The dome of the State House is the third-largest self-supporting marble dome in the world.

We were lucky the security let us in for a short walk. The dome is magnificent. We also were able to look at the court room.

Had an hour to kill and as a former politician, decided to stop in. Very beautiful building and an extremely helpful staff. Wish I had more time to spend there

We went on a trip with the family and decided on some sight seeing while in town. The grounds leading up to the building are well kept and was quite beautiful. It was nice to see giving everything that has been going on lately. If you are into photography, the area and building itself are a great backdrop. We weren't able to take the tour of inside of the building but walking around the grounds and taking in the architecture of the building itself was amazing. I could only imagine what it looked like inside. There weren't many people around so we were able to take advantage of having the space to ourselves for a bit. It's funny how peaceful it was even with cars passing and the mall across the street. It's definitely a must see.

We was going to Newport Rhodes Island but our flight was into Providence so we thought we would visit the State Building. we walked around and enjoyed our viist.

Hard to believe that such a grand place is the state house of the smallest state in the Union. Architectural wonder with beautiful works of art inside.

We always enjoy visiting State Houses when the opportunity presents itself. Rhode Island was a classic! Wonderful architecture, lots of history, and the self-supporting dome is cool. Make sure to visit the Royal Charter Museum, which contains the Royal Charter of 1663 presented to Roger Williams by Charles II of England.

This visit we took a tour which lasted about 45 minutes. Interesting to see Senate, House, Governor's reception room, and original Royal Charter in the Museum. The dome is undergoing restoration.

We went to the state house & did a self-guided tour.Its an impressive building with statues, a civil war cannon and beautiful ceilings . On the third floor you can get a closer view of the impressive rotunda & it's murals as well as gain access to the public galleries for the House & Senate chambers.On the second floor is the State House library where guided tours leave on the hour. The library is also a beautifully decorated three-tiered room with an ornate ceiling finished with gold leaf. On the first floor is the Royal Charter Museum which contains many historic documents & artifacts.

Unfortunately it i not open on the weekend, but if you can go during the week, the State House tour is really good. They are usually led by Johnson & Wales students tourism students. They give you good history, interesting facts and take you into both the senate and the house, the governor's reception room (WOnderful view from the balcony) and the library (absolutely gorgeous). Also be sure to see the original state charter. The Royal Charter of 1663 was a document granted by King Charles II of England to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It allowed settlers in Rhode Island to govern their own colony and guaranteed their individual freedom of religion. It is a beautifully illuminated scroll and you can see it upclose!

We went in the last tour of the day, and were the only two guests.
The guides are students from Rhode Island College and the tours are a joint venture between the State House and the college.
Tours last about 50-60 minutes and take you through the main atrium, into the Senate and the House, the Library and also the archive.
Our guide Shane was fabulous - passionate and well informed, and happy to answer all our questions.
The tour is free and the guides are not allowed to accept tips.
Excellent tour.

The RI State House is just gorgeous. If you get a chance to visit and get a tour, do it. There is a ton of history and the building is so pretty.

Unfortunately we only had time to walk the portico, steps, and grounds of this stunning historic state house. One can only imagine the carriages of a time long past approaching along the tree lined entry of this impressive building and pulling into the grand covered rear entry. Hope to return and have an opportunity to take the inside tour.

This is one of the most beautiful state capitals in the United States. It predominates the city with its imposing structure and can be appreciated from various vantage points throughout the city.

Looking for something educational to do that's actually free? Come visit the Rhode Island State House Monday through Friday during business hours. Impressive structure with lots to see.

Beautiful old building. Was told it is one of the largest domes in the world. Beautiful place to see in Rhode ISland.

Take the half hour free guided tour, worth your time. See the House and Senate chambers, the library, portraits of former governors, portrait of George Washington painted by our very own Gilbert Stuart and learn about the history of this beautiful building. Dome is a beautiful piece of architecture.

Taking a free tour of the State House is a great treat! On the outside, it has the most beautiful Italian architecture outside of DC. On the inside there are a number of interesting historical artifacts with great stories, including a cannon from the Civil War. Fun for the whole family!

Our tour guide was sensational. I learned a ton about Rhode Island and enjoyed the architecture in this really impressive state building. The ladies in the library would full of courtesy, interesting historical stories and pride which really made the experience. Thank you ladies!

The dome is incredible. Free supported marble done? I may not have the facts straight, but amazing. We were able to wonder around and saw some sessions. Always cool to see the process. Super happy to see positive votes supporting many health related issues.

I love visiting capitol cities! And Rhode Island's capitol did not let me down! It is a rather pretty setting, and the building itself was pristine. So pretty in fact, that there were not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 wedding photo shoots happening on site at the same time on a September weekend afternoon!
If you like checking out capitol buildings, don't pass this one up. Plus, the rest of the city has a lot to offer within walking distance.

My wife and I try to visit the state houses when traveling and both thought this state house had a lot of charm. There are plenty of parking spots available and a large area to walk about and enjoy the scenary. I like how they have a speaking area on the steps which allows a lot of great photo opportunities.

If you are visiting the downtown Providence area you need to visit this state house!

I went to Providence on a Sunday so there wasn't much going on and State House was closed but I took some amazing pictures! State House sticks out as one of the most impressive landmarks to see. The grounds were immaculate and offered great views of the surrounding city. I'm hoping to return this year to get the full tour which I'm looking forward to!

A beautiful statehouse designed by Stanford White's firm. An original Gilbert Stuart painting of George Washington, an amazing library with really nice librarians working there, Civil War cannon in the lobby -- every square foot is packed with something more wonderful and beautiful.

Informative tour and a beautiful State House. And we used it as our directional point as we were walking about the city. If we could see the State House, we knew we couldn't get too lost.

We booked a tour of this very scenic State House and were pleasantly surprised. We had a great tour guide who was very informative as to the history of this smallest state in the US, but with an amazing history. This tour is free, as is admission, but it is recommended you book in advance online, although two people joined our tour that just showed up last minute.
The State House is currently being refurbished in the middle but you can still see everything. Make sure you visit the air conditioned museum on the lower floor which houses original documents from 100's of years ago. The rest of the building is not air conditioned.
Well worth an hour or so of your time!

Can I give more than 5 stars? We enjoy visiting state capitols and this by far was the best tour we have experienced. Our guide, Shane has an excellent knowledge of the building, the government and Rhode Island history. I highly recommend taking this tour

The State House is very impressive. The State Room, the library and the gift shop are worth a visit,

After viewing the state house from Prospect Park, I made the relatively short walk to the state house itself. I was impressed by the marble building as well as the grounds as walked the perimeter of the entire property. I plan on returning some day in the future to take one of the weekday tours of the inside of the building.

A nice visit very interesting building and history tour was excellent and all staff were very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Well worth a diversion on your trip.

This was my favorite tour in Providence. Tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all questions. Beautiful building with so much history about the state of Rhode Island and the US. Worth checking it out.

First of all, the building and the grounds are absolutely gorgeous! They are very well maintained. We went on a beautiful sunny day, which added to the splendor of the outside of the building and grounds. No doubt that the autumn would make it look spectacular as well.

We went for a 1pm tour of the building. We got there a little early and the security guard was very easy to deal with. After walking through the metal detector, he told us where to meet for the tour but said in the meantime we can explore ourselves. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. It was a nice small group, which made touring easy and pleasant. We got to check out all the major rooms and sit in them and touch things (some places make you look through the door way and that's it). He explained all sorts of things about the present and past regarding each room and hallway. The House and Senate meeting rooms are very cool. The public (not a lending) library is gorgeous. I don't even want to give away any more about it because you all need to see it for itself. It was a very chill tour and he made it fun to learn. They also do school and other group tours if that is something you are looking for. There was a group of young students finishing their tour when we got there. After the tour, they let us explore everything we were shown on our own, which was very cool. I highly recommend visiting. And bring your camera! The tour is about 45 minutes long but I recommend giving yourself more time than that so after the tour you can explore on your own. I was told by other people that it's a nice place to sit outside and enjoy a sandwich or read a book in the sunshine.

My husband likes to visit state houses whenever he can-- He's been to around 20 of them. He said this was one of the best he's seen. It's definitely one of the biggest I've seen with him. The grounds were very pretty and we enjoyed just hanging out on the lawn on a sunday afternoon for a bit with our sun. There is metered parking around the perimeter.

I really enjoyed my visit to the State House. I have visited more than half of the state capitol buildings in the US and this one certainly ranks favorably among them. The building sets majestically on a hill and creates an impressive view from the edge of town. The architecture is classically styled with a traditional domed appearance and was modeled after the US Capitol Building in Washington. It was built from white Georgian marble and is the fourth largest, self-supported marble dome in the world after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Minnesota State Capitol and the Taj Mahal in India.

The grounds surrounding the capitol are quite nice in themselves, especially the long sloping lawn leading down from the capitol toward Gaspee St. The visitor entrance is on the Smith St. side. Guests are asked to pass through a metal detector upon initial access to the building. The helpful security staff person manning the entrance made me aware of a self-guided tour guide that was available, the sheet for which could be found in the library. I would highly recommend making use of this as it allows a self-directed, self-paced tour that can include the items of greatest interest to you. In my case, I had a limited amount of time and this allowed me to make the best use of it.

The most interesting features for me were the rotunda, which allowed some wonderful looks at the underside of the dome as well as a good panoramic view of the heart of the capitol. The North Portico entry featured some Civil War paraphernalia related to the participation of Rhode Island's units in battle. The cannons there were used in Pickett's charge at Gettysburg and at the Battle of Bull Run. The legislative chambers are always worthwhile to see in any capitol building and those halls were also quite impressive in this facility as well. An original copy of Rhode Island native Gilbert Stuart's famous portrait of George Washington hangs in the State Reception Room. The portraits of past governors provided interesting viewing as they do in most state capitol buildings.

Overall, if you have any interest either in architecture or local history, this is a place you should see if you have some time to spare while in Providence. I am personally on a quest to see all 50 state capitol buildings so this was well worth my time. But if this sort of opportunity evokes curiosity, spend 30 minutes or an hour to walk through (and around!!).

The state house is located on a small hill and is visible from many of the neighborhoods. This visit, the dome was illuminated with red light which celebrated that February is Heart or Cardiovascular month. The state house is built in a very striking neoclassical style and is definitely deserving of a drive by or visit when you are in Providence

The tour is free and amazing! The dome is magnificent! There is so much original art work on display, it also feels like a museum.

Definitely a much nicer state house than the one in Boston. Beautifully lit, we didn't make it in time to go inside. I would come back to see if just off the photos that are posted on trip advisor.

Yes, RI is the smallest state, but we have the grandest state house in the country. It is capped by one of only five unsupported marble domes in the world, and the nation's capital is not one of them. Well worth the trip to this building set spectacularly on a hill of lawn. If you arrive by train, come out of the station through the FRONT doors, and have your eyes knocked out.

On my first trip to Providence for business, I only had enough time to fit in one tourist stop on my way to the airport for my flight home, and I chose the state house. Parking was a breeze, there was plenty of spots on the road right across from the building's main entrance. It only cost $2.50 for 2 hours and that was plenty of time for me to explore. I chose to do a self-guided tour and had a nice time walking around on my own. My two favorite parts were the state library (housed within the building) and the Charter Museum. The library was just beautiful; ornate and several levels with cool staircases and even the details of the lights were impressive. The staff person on duty was friendly and it is the room where tours usually begin. The Charter Museum is really just a small exhibit with an entrance that looks like all the other government rooms, but don't be fooled, go in and check it out. Besides it being the only air conditioned room (it was a hot June day), it also had very interesting information. I had no idea that Rhode Island was ahead of their time in seeking freedom of religion and other concepts of tolerance. Some really neat artifacts like an antique compass as well. The gift shop in the capitol was small but offered some free brochures and a worker gave me a lot of background and history about the state and building. There are two big points to see, including a replica of the liberty bell and the portrait of George Washington - the original was done by a Rhode Island artist. There are lots of paintings, hallways and staircases to explore. Don't forget to sign the guest book! Great historical spot to visit when in Providence.

The RI State House is one of the most beautiful building in the great city of Providence. Stop in to see the great artifacts that make this city so great!

Been to many state houses and this one is impressive from the outside. Did not have time for the tour but peaked in to both legislative chambers which were not as ornate as other State Houses

Although it is a breathtaking building you can clearly see the neglect. The current administration is not maintaining the building very well, rust, flaking paint, worn and faded window treatments scene from the outside. Upon entering you are rudely accosted by a security guard dressed in fluorescent green clothes and armed to the hilt.The security area is huge and takes up a lot of necessary space taking away from the sense of history. The guard was not very chatty just gruff and suspicious of you. The interior is beautiful but again not well maintained. There are a few historical displays but again dusty and dingy. The information cards are all worn and faded. It was disappointing to see how shabby our state capitol is.

Some may view the state house as a mini US Capitol Building. It sits atop a hill over looking the city, providing wonderful views. Worth the walk!

This landmark and center of Rhode Island's government, designed by the era's greatest commercial architectural firms, McKim, Mead & White.

It is a beautiful building and albeit it not large, its prominence is in its architectural, historical and governmental importance.

The stone is so beautiful and delicate
Despite its similarities with D.C. buildings, the R.I. State House is definitely more European and extravagant in my opinion

This is an interesting place to visit. The state house is quite big and there is a pretty decent sized park around. There are a few restaurants in this era. We were able to find parking pretty easily here (paid parking).

I recently visited the state of Rhode Island for the first time Labor Day, and I wanted to see its Capitol because these structures reflect the way people in the state wish to be seen. Unfortunately, on holidays, the building is closed; however, we were able to enjoy the exterior and beautiful grounds.

The structure is an incredible white marble facade including its impressive dome which is the heaviest dome in the United States. While a little smaller than the US Capitol and other states, it is impressively situated on a hill overlooking downtown Providence and can be seen from all over the city. It is also surrounded by lush grove of green trees that provide great shade as you walk around.

Interesting facts are that the current State House was finished in 1901 and not until then did the Rhode Island state government have a permanent home. Prior the current building, the capitol was rotated, common in southern New England, between Providence and Newport and in colonial times, the 5 RI county seats all share the capitol. Lastly, the Capitol is topped by a gold statue known as "The independent Man", a tribute to the independence of colonial founder, Roger Williams. Currently it is under renovation including new gold plating.

My wife and I make it a point to visit the State Houses while we tour. You can tour yourself, or take the hour docent led tour - we highly recommend this as you'll get a wonderful history lesson. Our docent was extremely informative and took pride in her role as guide and ambassador. All state house employees were very courteous, from the security guards to the gift shop attendants. In fact we couldn't find the building entrance; a nice lady directed us to take a short cut over the lawn rather than walk the perimeter. Your tour starts in the library which is amazing; its ceiling is designed to resemble a leather bound book. The state house has the fourth largest self supporting dome in the world, next to St. Peters in the Vatican, Minnesota's capitol, and the Taj Mahal! The Rotunda offers several scenes of the state's history, including murals of its founder Roger Williams and the native indigenous tribes. Both the Senate and House are beautiful, as we were able to view both. Two interesting stops included seeing two revolutionary cannons and viewing the Royal Charter of 1663 in the Royal Charter museum. Finally, as with all tours - we ended up in the gift shop! Well done!

The Rhode Island State House, is a very unique building! Unlike most all other statehouses, this one, Louisiana, Nebraska, and, Arizona, are decidedly different in their architecture. The view of it or from it are beautiful, and, the guided tour was very good!

The visitor center inside the building was closed with no explanation and a woman randomly volunteered to provide a tour (thank you) but we self-guided with my own research. It's a terrific structure with some things to see but it doesn't take too long to do that. We did not park as we walked here .

a wonderful State House building and grounds. Vistit the location and learn the history of the State of R.I. and Prov. Plantations as we are known. Marble from local areas make up the building and the grounds are large and well laid out.In R..I. a nice place to visit.

Well, there's quite frankly not a lot to do in Providence. No knocks on the city, it's nice and pretty, just lacking in interesting landmarks or otherwise. However, and notably, the State Capitol building is quite nice. Even has marble stairs outside. I enjoyed visiting it at sunset.

A nice and beautiful state house. The security was so good that he allowed me to come in even though it was already after office hours. It was a beautiful inside and out. There were a lot of memorabilia on display. The dome inside is beautiful.

Time well spent checking out the exterior and the interior. Beautiful building especially for so small a state.

I love visiting state capitols and getting to see the inner workings of things so this was right up my alley. Parking to get inside was a bit tricky. Had to settle for street parking but still a very cool experience.

Beautiful building and worth the time it takes to walk around the entire "circle" where the State House stands majestically over downtown Providence. Guided tours or self-tours are available and provide a good way to see the interior. Be sure to view the building at dusk, when it is illuminated on the outside. This was the highlight of our visit to Providence!

This capital building looks a lot like the capital building... because it is a replica.. it is a great place to take the family and feel the power of a rising us government... in RI which helped shape many things including the bill of rights and freedom of religion.. take time out with the family for the building and the history

Metered parking on North side of building. ... have quarters. You enter in the North side which is actually the back of the building.

They have guided tours, we jumped on one in process.

Beautiful dome. They have many historic flags by the south side across from the main entrance.

The lady in the Capitol Visitor Center was helpful.

Roger Williams National Park only 5 minute drive away. A must see.

After visiting Providence, and being less than impressed with much of the downtown architecture, coming across the State House was was a nice surprise!

I was impressed by the maintenance of the structure; the statue on top is clearly cleaned regularly, as it displayed no tarnishing of any kind. In addition, the building was gleaming bright white, and the grounds are also well-maintained.

This would be a great place to enjoy a picnic on a warm afternoon!

The Rhode Island State House is one of the most impressive buildings in Providence-- it looks like a mini-US capitol. The marble clad exterior is not as impressive as the interior of this 20th century building. There's a beautiful dome and wonderful artwork scatterd all around this historic building! I highly recommend taking a guided tour of the building-- you learn a lot about the history and interesting facts about this building. This is truly a classical Gilded Age style architecural form, and whether you're just a tourist or a passionate architect, this building has something for everyone. The library is beautiful and has a lot of old books, and even the bathrooms were insanely grand.

Highly recommend the free guided tour leaving on the hour as it allows you to see some of the senate and house rooms, and also gives you a valuable lesson in civics!

To an English visitor, the chance to wander into and around a seat of government so easily is something not to be missed. Aided by the fact that the state house is a lovely building to look at makes it a no-brainer. We started with the guided tour - they use interns to lead this and this can be a little hit and miss as they can be inexperienced and nervous, but they warmed up as they went along. It was interesting and we visited all the key rooms apart from one where a reception was being held, but the document room and the library are fascinating. Once the tour is finished, then you can wander around independently which we did. Back to the document room to see original documents explaining how Rhode Island developed, its acceptance of different religions (after early Quakers were executed), getting its charter from Charles II and understanding why it wanted further guarantees on religious tolerance and rights before joining in with other states. Further questions were answered by the librarian as we walked in here again before exiting past the Gettysburg and Bunker Hill guns that are positioned in the entrance hall. Well worth a visit.

to learn a lot about RI you should take a tour of it with a guide. They will show you the entire building including hidden rooms and doors and stairs. They also will take you to see historic items that helped found the State of RI. If you call you can find out what time tours leave. Small restaurant downstairs run by the blind and it would be good if you could support this place. Such nice people and the food is good.

Enter on the side with the driveway; there is no public access from the tree-lined large-stairway side. You will go through security. There are many historical exhibits, but remember this is a working building. We toured close to closing time (5PM) and were able to view the interior dome (beautiful), both cabinets, and the reception hall. To get a historical perspective, go a bit earlier (4PM) and start with the gift shop/visitor's center to the left after getting through security.

We were fortunate that the city had an open house of various attractions the Saturday that we visited. We got tours of senate chamber, library and state reception area. The capitol is in traditional form as many others in US, and has got a great rotunda.

We really enjoyed our tour as it gave us a lot of information on the state and the building itself was absolutely stunning. Make time for this stop!

Rhode Island may the the smallest state in the union but its State House is second to none in terms of beauty. The majestic exterior is picture-worthy on its own but the architecture and design of the interior is truly breathtaking.

I spent many years working in this building and it holds a special place in my heart! It is a stunning building abounding with history....VISIT!

Definitely, it is one of the most popular attractions in RI. We made a reservation online for a tour before we went there. The tour guide is extremely nice and knowledgable and she showed me around the State House. It is the forth biggest self-supported marble dome in the world and it worths 1.1 billion dollar nowadays. There are a lot to see in the State House and the house chamber is big and gorgeous. I can even go inside and touch the facilities which is so cool. Good experience but it is tired walking all the stairs.

Was interesting, but not much to see . Signage could be better to show proper entrance. Tours could have been held closer.

This is quite an imoressive building. Curiosly it offers tours but we did not know this. And the tours are free.I think it is worth the pop in.

The architects for the Providence State House saw the beauty of placing it on top of a hill overlooking the city. The building is slightly reminiscent of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., with its tall central dome and two assemblies on either side.
We were able to take a self-guided tour through the building with its expansive open area below the main dome. The impressive two-level library houses books and ledgers from the very beginning of the state's existence. This is worth a short visit on your next visit to Providence.

IAny time you visit a State house ther is a lot of walking and steps but well worth it. The guided tour leader was very knowledgable and gave a good presentation. Many pictures depicting the history of the state and pictures of Governors. Another beautiful dome.

My wife and I visited recently, but you could not see much inside due to the extensive renovations. I would recommend waiting until they are finished.

We visited recently. Quick visit and free. Beautiful building, self tour. We loved the meeting room - very pretty, nice note from the Governor welcoming you. When we were there, the door to the balcony was open so we took advantage of the pretty day and went out and got some photos of the city.

My husband, son, and I visited here recently. The house itself is beautiful with marble everywhere. There was ample free parking to the left of the house. It is a much easier trip to get here than I had imagined. Our tour guide was wonderful and gave lots of information about Rhode Island. Recommend highly if you are in the vicinity.

Very accessible, parking easy on weekday I was there (part-time legislature in recess), all marble. I had mostly done a quick self tour - this is not a huge building - but chatted with a lady in the library before discovering she would be shortly leading a guided tour. Though clearly timed to a 't' - she was a gem and hit all the highlights. The library in particular is worth looking around. Two interesting 2025 tidbits: lots of Pride flags on the legislative desks; must be a welcoming state - never really thought about it. And the legislature has gone to great and silly expense of changing the state name because of a word that had nothing to do with any present day understanding was apparently declared offensive. One step forward, one step sideways....

The building is very nice and has a lot of interesting points. You can do a self guided tour during business hours or they offer free guided tours on the hour.

This is one of the most beautiful capital buildings we’ve visited (and we’ve been to all 50 states in the last 4 years.) we were especially pleased to see the Rhode Island Liberty Bell replica in a place of prestige. Bravo, Providence!

I had wanted to visit the state house for a while and was not disappointed! A totally stunning building in an impressive location above the city of Providence. Amazing architecture with an equally impressive interior, which you are allowed to walk around at you leisure. There are also guided tours of the building.

We went in on a spur-of-the-moment one rainy day having seen the website advertising free tours. What a treat! This is a beautiful building with many fine features, built in the style of the Capitol. Our guide was well-versed in his subject and answered our questions with aplomb. There is a significant amount of United States history tied in with the state of Rhode Island and the tour makes much of its early role in shaping the nation. The tour takes in some fine spaces (library, both chambers, official reception chamber) and all are worth of close inspection. Lastly, the small museum dedicated to the charter given to Rhode Island by Charles II is also very worthwhile. Highly recommended.

Great architecture, interesting reviews on past governors, a working museum . Fascinating and unexpected

This is a great photo opportunity as the leafs are changing. Enjoy this special landmark during the best time of year if you can.

Very good free entry spot. Interesting to see the mechanics of local government. very cool library and exhibits

This is a nice walk from the Omni Providence Hotel to the State House and downtown area. From here you can head near the university area to the courthouse and to centre of downtown by foot.

Toured the Senate and Representatives chambers, Did you know that this state;s name is :The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations? I learnt that and a lot more! Beautiful rooms bur not air conditioned. A lot of steps to gain entrance. Elevator inside.

Beautiful building and easy to see from afar. Grounds surrounding well maintained. Worth visiting. Good opportunity for great photos. There are plenty parkings around. Also there is Amtrak Station across a street.

My friend and I decided to check out Providence for the weekend. We live in NYC and the bus was just 3 hours and cost $10. So why not? I strongly recommend coming to Providence. The State House was among our best highlights. Not only is the domed building majestic, but our guide was so friendly and engaging. Even though we were the only 2 on the tour, she still spent an hour showing us everything and telling us the history, as if we were valued guests. If you live in NYC you owe it to yourself to take a weekend away and check out Providence and the State House. We stayed at Providence Hostel, that cost us just $35 and was very cozy. The State House tour was free, so for under $100 we had a great weekend away (and that price included both transportation and accommodation, so you really don't have any excuse).

Well worth a few hours it took to visit this historical and beautiful building. Can do a self guided tour, or a guided tour is available every hour.

Booked a free one hour tour and it was really worthwhile. Our guide was so very welcoming with lots of interesting information to impart. A grand historic building with plenty to see.

Very helpful and friendly staff. Free to enter. Not much to see but still an interesting experience. Illuminated at night.

The Rhode Island State House was built in 1895 of white Georgia marble. Their brochure claims it has the 4 largest self-supporting marble covered dome in the world - the largest being St. Peter's in Vatican City.
They offer self guided or guided tours. We opted for the Self guided. Be aware that you have to go thru security. Spouse had to temporarily give up his pocket knife. Also no air conditioning.
There are lots of old furnishings and lamps and artwork. You are free to roam around many places. We were able to look into the house and Senate chambers - all very old and sedate looking with the Senate chambers being more plush.
There is a room on the first floor, the Royal Charter Museum. It contains priceless documents and artifacts and the room is light and air controlled. I felt like I was being gassed and could not remain in the room. In the State reception room is a large picture of George Washington, an original by Gilbert Stuart.
We did not go up to the 3rd floor and I don't see any reference to it in the brochure.
Tours are free. You could spend 15 minutes here or 2 hours especially if you are a history buff. It was interesting to find out that Rhode Island was ahead of its time in regard to freedoms and tolerances for all people.
Parking on the street was easy the day we were there.

I live nearby and went a couple of years ago. Had no idea they had nice learned student guides. I was impressed the entire experience.

We did a tour of the State House with Ashley and Sean, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Our tour guides were very knowledgeable and had answers for all of our questions. They took us into both chambers and pointed out interesting facts that you would have never known.

The tours are free and give you a great idea of the history of Rhode Island, as well as the current atmosphere of the state. Located right next to the Providence Train Station, it is so easy to walk to once you arrive in Providence.

In my opinion, this State House building is just beautiful! No tour, but just walked the grounds and took pictures. Yes, if you have read my other posts, there is a dome! And, well, I LOVED IT!! I think to miss out on seeing the aesthetic value of the Providence RI State House would just not be right! It was a great site to see after spending time on Martha's Vineyard and heading back to the Boston Airport. Take the stop...well worth it.

We arrived at around noon when no guided tours are typically scheduled. We had planned to do a self-guided tour since we were pressed for time. However, the staff generously treated to a 40 minute guided tour just for us. We were impressed with the guides enthusiasm for the beautiful McKim, Mead and White building along with her pride in Rhode Island. Lots of stories about Roger Williams and what he meant to Rhode Island along with lots of other interesting history and information about the design of the building. Worthwhile stop while in Providence! Metered parking near the entrance was very convenient.

The Providence Rhode Island State House is a wonderful place to spend a few hours taking in all the amazing history surrounding Rhode Island’s historical past! A wonderful FREE guided tour reveals many fascinating facts and artifacts about Rhode Island and colonial times. The dome and architecture are spectacular. The library is full of history and is where the tour begins. The chambers or the house and senate are restored to their original historical roots. The Charter Room holds Rhode Island’s Charter and is displayed in the same cases as found in Washington D.C. which hold the US Constitution.

Of modern note, there is a special plaque that has a miniature flag of Rhode Island that was on the moon when the astronaut’s visited. The plaque contains some (small) moon rocks from the Sea of Tranquility.

All in all, we had a wonderful, informative afternoon discovering how much we did not know about Rhode Island before embarking on the tour.

The view from the State House is nice. It's open to the public during working hours. There are metered parking s around.

Easy learning experience for those interested in how freedom of religion developed in 17th century America. John Clarke, King Phillip, and how and why Rhode Island came to be are the result of a visit. Anyone who enjoys history can't miss it.

The RI State house has the largest unsupported marble dome in the Western Hemisphere. The entire interior of the State House is beautiful, having probably had a restoration withing the past 20 years or so. This is a place you can spend close to an hour walking around and marveling at all the marble and woodwork and realize that they would never build something this expensive and beautiful today.

Far more sophisticated than some of its political inhabitants. But, that said, tour this fantastic building that anchors the city of Providence and is a constant reminder of the power of the people if they choose to wield it. I love my city and state and statehouse.

For being such a small
state Rhode Island has really had a great contribution to the United States. See the original colony charter, learn about Nathaniel Greene, see a cannon from the actual battle of Gettysburg and much more to see and learn. The chambers were closed due to renovation but I loved the tour, loved the library, the archives, the moon rock. It was a super impressive building from the gilded age and I loved learning about the Ocean State.

A real informative tour provided by an enthusiastic guide, Miranda who took pride in showing this lovely building. However what was most memorable was seeing the space dust collected from the Apollo 11 space mission. Your tour guide will explain more !!

This helps a visitor learn about Rhode Island state history. We had a good, free tour and especially enjoyed visiting the library and hearing about the dome and statue upon it.

We love to tour the capitols around the country and really enjoyed the guided tour in this one. Plenty of convenient parking.

...but it has a great state house, featuring a rare unsupported dome. You can enter and walk around for free, and it's worth doing so, even if parking proves to be a slight challenge. Very magnificent.

I am in Providence for a conference at the Convention Center. My family and I had some free time this morning and stopped at Panera at Providence Place (mall) for breakfast. We were pleasantly surprised to see how close we were to the State House. On a whim, we went on in for a free self-guided tour. If you are staying near the Convention Center and are looking for a relatively short, but interesting, view into Rhode Island history, I would highly recommend going to the State House.

This is a very impressive building. It clearly shows just how wealthy RI was. So much gilt on display.
We had an informative tour led by the excellent Ted. It was good to discover more about the early days of colonial settlement.

Perfect place to grab some quick wedding photos on the steps. Also has spectacular architecture and dome that it worth the trip inside--4th largest in the world!

Went here for my sisters graduation has not go in a long time it was nice to revisit and see the beautiful ceilings take many pics also bring quarters for the parking outside

On a hill looking toward the downtown, the Capitol Plaza is an impressive public space dominated by a c.1900 capitol building closely modeled on the US Capitol. Made of white Georgia model, the structure is pedantically classical, but done with attention to detail in all the architectural carving, laid out with faithful classical proportions, making a thoroughly impressive whole. For history and architecture buffs, it can't be missed.

I have been to the State House many times within the past half year, and have had nothing but good experiences. This building dates back to late 1900s and symbolizes the expansion of Rhode Island and the city of Providence. There is so much history inside the marble walls that makes visitors realize just how special Providence is. The state room was my favorite place to visit. This room is known as the governors reception room and has a beautiful painting of a blue sky on the ceiling. The tours are free, and the guides are great. They seem to know all the ins and outs of the state house and are very helpful to all types of visitors! This is a place I recommend for visitors and local rhode islanders to see!

The Rhode Island State House might not be big, but it's beautiful and majestic. A must see in Rhode Island for its history and beauty.

Picked up someone from the train station across the street. Dome is being renovated, but still worth a look. Gettysburg Cannon and Gilbert Stuart painting of GW the highlights, but library and chambers also nice.

Well worth time to take guided tour. Josh a young student with obvious pride and enthusiasm. Highlights of the tour are the rotunda,, library and information about the charter. Check out the state seal with full name. Be aware parking is on street at meter.

Walked around the State House while in Providence. It is an amazing building with opportunities for great views of providence when walking around the balcony areas. We didn’t get a chance to go inside, but the history about this building must be magnificent!

Walking around the grounds was a delight and it was spectacular inside. The tour guide was excellent and we were especially taken with the ceilings decorated with gold leaf and the dome was one of the most beautiful we have seen.

I took one of the daily tours that are offered and I enjoyed walking through the building. The marble is beautiful and the rooms that are open for viewing were worth seeing.

I walked the grounds and soaked up the vastness of this building!! It was amazing to see. The grounds are also beautiful. Must stop for a look while in Providence.

We have visited 33 capitals so we have a frame of comparison to go by.
This is a strictly plain Jane version- not much in the way of high design or exhibits.
There is metered street parking close by.
You will not need much time here.

While touring the city of providence going to the state house was highly recommended by some park rangers. We were glad we stopped in and walked through the areas that were open to the public. The dome of the state house is the third largest dome in the world. We were also able to see the original charter granted to Rhode Island.

Beautiful building, a must see. The tour guide was excellent and very informative. Enjoyed the visit here immensely!

Stopped in here on way back from a visit the RISD. Easy in and out. Spectacular library and the self-suspended ceiling are worth a look.

Another lovely capitol building with gleaming stonework and set in a nice parkland area but close to town centre. Free tours are provided but unfortunately not available on a sunday when we were there

Road Trip! Get there early and you can get a parking spot at a meter directly in front of the Capitol. It opens at 8:00 with the first tour at 9:00. The tour guides are volunteers from Rhode Island College. Our guide, Shane, was a history major and knew a tremendous amount about not only the State House, but also state history. Be sure to check out the cannons in the entry foyer. The one on the left as you enter has a great story! Capitol #26!

I've been to a lot of state houses across the USA. The one in Providence does not disappoint! Easy parking. Took a few photos and then it was time to move on. Definitely worth stopping by if you are in town!

The Providence State House is a gem! It's easily accessible, very impressive and very educational. They have both self guided tours and free guided tours that leave from the library.

If you want to see government in action (when they're in session), this is the place to go. Both the House and Senate chambers have public galleries for an up close and personal experience. Don't miss it!

The State House is right next to the Providence Place mall. You can park at the mall or park on the street. The views around the city are very nice there.

The tour guide was extremely friendly. Its amazing how much you can learn in an hour tour! The state house is very beautiful inside and out and I'm glad I decided to make the trip!

We went on a tour of the State House and really enjoyed ourselves. The building is beautiful and it is fun to see the rooms where the lawmakers meet, as well as historical documents about Rhode Island's beginnings. Ted was our tour guide and he was really wonderful. Thanks Ted!

The tour was fantastic and a learning experience. We recommend that before you visit other sites in Providence, you take the State House tour first. You will receive a complete history of RI and Roger Williams unique ideas about religious freedom and freedom of ideas. I brought my friend on a recommendation of my daughters, and she was enthralled with the tour.

I went there for Greek independence day event and I was amazed on how nice this State house looked compare to anything else in the area was by far the nicest building.

Our knowledge of Rhode Island's history was very limited, and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the State House – particularly the low-key, but very 'professional' commentary provided by the politics student from Rhode Island College. He didn't try to gloss-over the less savoury historical aspects, including the significance of the slave trade.
The beautiful building itself is well worth a visit, but one of the free guided tours is highly recommended.

You can't miss this place from anywhere in town, as it is enormous. The nice and informative police officer in the front told us this is the largest state house, and it just happens to.l be in the smallest state in the USA. This is a gorgeous architectural masterpiece inside and out. The white marble on the outside is beautiful. Inside, the design and listings are beautiful. We took the self guided tour but they have guided tours every few hours as well that are free. We spent about an hour here, and we saw just about everything. You can see the library, the senate, and the house chambers. We actually got to see the governor walk in as we were walking out. Pretty cool!!!

This building anchors the city and is an imposing and magnetic attraction. And as usual the rotunda is impressive as is the Governor's reception area with its original of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart.
Past that it is a fairly "plain jane" building. The Senate chamber is an embarrassment. Scarlett O'hara wouldn't make a dress out of those deep green curtains that desperately need replaced.
It's worth a visit but temper your anticipation.

Beautiful architecture - great history, awesome rotunda and library - great artwork - friendly, helpful staff. Worth the stop and tour for an hour or so.

We were able to get a parking spot very close to the building. Meter parking with a lot of open spots. After a quick pass through security you are in the Rotunda. There is a beautiful staircase and nice art work above. The restrooms are really nice and clean and spacious . At the entrance there is a Civil War Cannon . Outside is very nice with a large green way.

A far too well-kept secret, this McKim, Mead White building, constructed between 1895 and 1900, is a true gem of design, art, and history. Beautifully restored, all aspects of the building are worth the visit. However, the State Library, located between the Senate and House Chambers on the second floor, is especially outstanding. Unfortunately, at the moment, the building is open only on weekdays. Hopefully, weekend openings will be funded in the future.

Really loved the building and consider it a must for anyone visiting Providence. You can elect to have a self guided tour or get someone to show you around all for free!
Have seen all of the New England state buildings and this one is very impressive.

it is a beautiful state house. It also has a beautiful lawn full of trees with shade, which makes it perfect for a picnic. It is also very close to the mall, the river walk way, and roger williams national park.

Overall a good State House. While we were there, Korean War veterans were being honored for the anniversary of the cease fire. A must see is the Royal Charter Room on the first floor. They have a 1663 Charter from King Charles II.

On my recent trip to Providence,I went to the Rhode Island State House.This idea of mine was provident.The free tour of the state capitol was very informative.I saw the interior of the spectacular dome,the original Royal Charter of 1663 which granted religious freedom to all who settled in Rhode Island,and Governor Gina Raimondi's State Reception Room.I saw fine portraits by Gilbert Stuart("George Washington")and American Historic Painter,Emanuel Leutze's portrait of Civil War Hero and Rhode Island Governor Ambrose Burnside.

For all those who have said they could not get a tour, please check the website in advance of your visit and you will know exactly when they give tours.

Ours was given by a young woman who was clearly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about her subject. She was personable and friendly and happy to answer any questions. Really beautiful building with a great view of Providence when standing in front of it.

Re: parking. We parked on the street - metered parking. No problem.

It ways a great tour of the State House. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. Unfortunately, part of it is under renovation. It supposed to be done by November. I would not mind going back again.

Excellent example of what our country's state capitals buildings look like. It commands power and beauty along with examples of where our democracy does it's business.

Was lucky enough to go twice when my daughter was in the Tiverton Middle School student councile. Our senator also treated us to a pizza lunch. This place is absouletty beatiful!!!! The voulenteer staff gives a wonderful tour and does a great job doing so. You can tell they love this place. If you get the oppunitunly go see it.

Visited late in the afternoon..the sun was going down and the entire building was bathed in a golden glow. No one was around. Amazing piece of architecture. Lovely grounds to stroll around in...great as part of a walking tour of central Providence.

I took a guided tour of the RI State House and it was most enjoyable. This magnificent building is filled with history and interesting objects, from moon rocks to 400-year-old documents. Tours are free of charge and the guide (Amy) really knew her stuff. Not to be missed if you're in Providence, but be aware that the building does not have air conditioning - so I'd recommend visiting it on a mild day.

If you are visiting Providence and have even the slightest interest in grand buildings then you should not miss State House. Free entry during the week will allow you to see a most spectacular building with what I was told was the fourth highest dome of any building in the USA. Contained within the building are the legislative chambers of Rhode Is. The building is quite spectacular and well worth seeing.

The State House is a beautiful building and it is a must see. As you walk in you instantly feel astonished by the beauty of it. The building is covered with nice Georgia marble and gold. The tour was very informational. They give you the background of the building with all of its history and the purpose of it. The tours are free so how could you not go in and learn some new information! The tour guide was delightful and asked me where I was from. It was a good experience!

The Rhode Island State House, the capitol of Rhode Island, is located in downtown Providence. Made from white Georgian marble, it is an eye-catching property, surrounded by greenery and trees. Exactly what you would imagine such a building to look like. In fact, we thought it looked stunning in the sunshine!

Our visit (THUR AUG 1, 2024) came towards the end of a 4 mile walk around Providence. Our intention was to visit the “nearby” Charter Museum, to see the original Rhode Island Royal Charter which was provided for the ‘Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations’ in 1633 by King Charles II. From what we could see on Google maps, the museum was next to the State House, and therefore would be easy enough to find, but we struggled to find it. It was due to close at 16:30 so we had to pick up our pace.

As we reached the rear of the State House, which looked as equally as impressive as the front, there was no sign of the museum. In fact there were no signs. We were unsure what to do, so nervously approached the main entrance of the grand building.

Now, we’ve never been inside a State House before, so we didn’t know what to expect behind the imposing doors. We quickly discovered that the building was in fact open to the public and the museum was somewhere inside!

Two friendly security guards took us through the airport-style security then we were on our own in a vast marble chamber with vaulted ceilings, numerous staircases, ornate furnishings and a gold statue* of a man. Wow!

It was a lot to take in and we nervously started to explore, lowering our voices in polite deference to our special surroundings, but not lingering too long at the many impressive things we encountered as the half past four closing time was fast approaching.

We crossed paths a couple of times with a lady we later learnt was from Texas, who was also looking for the Charter Museum. With only 15 minutes to go, we finally found it thanks to a discreet sign. The Charter Museum, it transpired, was in a discreet side room accessed via a door leading off from a nondescript corridor.

The lighting was subdued to protect the artefacts inside but the Royal Charter, made up of three large pieces of parchment, was illuminated and displayed behind protective glass. Written in old English, it was a challenge to decipher the wording but we got the gist of it. Kind of. The charter gave the Rhode Island settlers the right to govern their own colony plus the freedom of religion. Alas, there was no Royal signature at the end.

On display nearby were a replica of the British flag from the ship which carried the Charter, a portion of the box in which the Charter was sent and, more importantly, a cast of the Great Seal of Charles II. In the absence of the King’s signature, we assumed that the Great Seal was evidence enough to those 17th century settlers that the document was indeed genuine. Not that we were questioning it of course, and not that it mattered now. Too late. Independence had happened, but how good to see our countries’ shared history preserved and shared!

We were soon joined by the Texan lady and other visitors. She asked us if we were Scottish, so I replied: “Are you Canadian?” The joke, sadly, went over her heard, which is how we learnt she was from Austin, Texas. The conversation quickly moved on to the subject of guns in Texas, to which the other visitors said there were too many in that state. Guns, politics and religion are three things we never get into when travelling across the U.S., but thankfully the conversation ended without descending into a debate….in front of that Royal Charter!

During our short visit, in addition to the King Charles II Charter, we got to see:

The Independent Man. This newly restored gold statue stood close to the entrance of the State House and was what greeted us inside upon arrival*. Dating from 1899, it normally stands atop the State House’s dome and is expected to be returned there in the fall.

The bell from the U.S.S. Rhode Island (1906), a warship which served in anti-submarine patrols in the Atlantic during World War I.

Rhode Island’s September 11th Memorial, which was unveiled in 2022 and featured the names of 9 victims who came from Rhode Island. RIP. We paused there a few moments to pay our respects.

U.S. Marine Corps. statue and accompanying flags.

Declaration of Independence. A large embossed metallic copy was on display on the wall. Rhode Island was, of course, the first colony to declare independence and renounce allegiance to Great Britain’s King George III in 1776.

Liberty Bell replica, as commissioned by President Harry S. Trueman and gifted to each of the then 48 states by U.S. Treasury Department in 1950. Unlike the original in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which we visited in 2017, the Rhode Island replica has no crack!

The Senate Chamber and House Chamber. Bills, resolutions, laws, budgets and more - the place where decisions are made and debated!

We left the State House with one minute to spare, grateful to the people of Rhode Island for being so kind as to allow visitors into such an important building. How astonishing that residents and tourists alike can have access to the state’s seat of power.

That is a sign of true democracy.

Beautiful Capital Building and Lawn. We look a lot of amazing pictures near and under trees. Great place to stop and stretch your legs on a road trip.

Beautiful state house! We got there just in time before they closed for tours, but they let us stay later to explore! Gorgeous building and informative staff!

This was one of four state houses we saw on this roadtrip and probably the most impressive. It is a really lovely building with a pretty walk up from the front through a tree-lined walkway. There was a wedding couple having their pictures taken in the trees out front. Really worth visiting

This state house was entirely made of white marble and was so striking as it was set on a small hill surrounded by trees. It was worth the walk to get an up close and personal experience of going up the marble stairs and trying to get the best shot of the statute on the top of the rotunda. No lines, no fuss, no standing in line.

Nice location, good parking, nice grounds. Not a "destination" but a must when visiting Providence. Located near Providence mall, restaurants, river walk and theaters.

Our tour guide was Victoria, and she had many interesting nuggets of information to share about the statehouse. The building has some very nice features, primarily the central dome, but I would have to say, overall, not the most splendid capital we have seen.

The small Charter Museum was a plus.

We like state houses. Seen quite a few. This one had a nice dome, library, the State Room and a tiny history museum open. Very attractive, old-style ambience. Just my cup of tea. House and Senate chambers were not available for self-guided tours, unfortunately and they did not have a guided tour the day we went. I am sure they would have been nice to look at. If we come back to Providence, we'll try to come for a guided tour the next time and pick them up, then.

If you like state houses, you'll probably like this one, too and it's free to boot. And if you don't like state houses, it's free.

One of the nicest looking State Houses I've seen, looks like a miniature of the Capital Building in DC. Is also visible from most places around the city.

Stumbled across the state capitol after walking around waterplace park. It is a very impressive building with nice grounds surrounding it making for lovely photos. Would recommend visiting when in Providence, although we was not able to visit inside.

Although sharing the white grandiosity of the Capitol Building in D.C., this is just another State House. It is worth a closer look if you are going to the Amtrak station but otherwise fine viewed from across the river while wandering the historic quarter.

Beautiful Capitol (or State House, if you like it better). We didn’t get the tour and just walked everywhere on our own. Plenty of space to explore and learn more about the state

As we had only one full day in Providence, we decided to visit the State House. So impressive but very quiet for tour which you start in the Library. Wonderful building to see around and it is free.

This is l ike going to the capitol without the tourists. I fooled everyone of my friens with the selfies. A very nice building.

Beautiful, classical US sate house. Big and imposing, definitely worth a visit and viewing if you can make some time.

A beautiful building with lots of proud history. The beautiful dome and fine woodwork makes it a fine place to visit.

This is a beautiful building with lots of history. Too bad that the typical politician that has worked here has their hand in the public cookie jar.

The back steps were incredible . However, going around the vast porch area and thru the front door I was greeted with Security. They were pleasant, knowledgeable and gave me tips on a tour. Love the Library. A Must see!!!!

One of the things my wife and I love to do is visit the state capitols and statehouses.
We were thrilled to be able to visit the Rhode Island State House at Christmastime. A big reason was a lack of people as most people were at home and it was not the tourist season. The second big reason is the statehouse was decorated for the holiday.
It took little time for us to appreciate this building that is constructed of 327,000 cubic feet of white Georgia marble and 15 million bricks. What made our jaws drop was the dome. It is the fourth largest self-supported marble dome in the world. Wow!
During our time at the statehouse, we were able to go into many rooms, including the governor's briefing room. The artwork reminded us of buildings in Europe more than what one sees in the United States.
Admission to the Rhode Island State House is free and is on the edge of downtown Providence. It is definitely worth the journey (Go by foot!) to visit this lovely building.

The sheer size of this government building is astounding. Allow yourself enough time to walk around and take in the architecture and detail. Also be mindful of the geese haha.

The building itself is stunning. The free tour (every hour on the hour when we were there in early August) was well worth it -- very informative, in a friendly accessible way. Note that the central atrium is full of scaffolding for some renovations, reportedly until November 2016.

Guided tours (highly recommended) depart from the second floor State House Library. To get there, go through the main State House doors on the side of the building facing Smith Street. After the metal detector screening go straight ahead to the tunnel which leads to the State House Library. This is one of the better New England state houses - inside and out.

I compare it to other great classic buildings which I know and love in America. US Grant's mausoleum in New York (as I live there), The state house in Philadelphia has a similarly mesmerizing centralized effect. It is worthy of the grand buildings in Washington, DC. Perhaps the style of architecture may have sadly had its day but boy was that a beautiful day by God! We have become obsessed with utilitarian values. All the prime locations are already occupied by splendid old classics! There are some places where modern contemporary architects can experiment nonetheless, but the competition is very fierce.

We learned so much about the state of Rhode Island from our guide, She obviously loves this State! This is a beautiful building with a lot of history associated with it. The lobby holds a cannon from the Revolutionary War that up until 1962 could have blown up the whole place! They did take it away and removed the 100 year gun powder but the story is still fun to hear about! The building is not air conditioned but it was not too bad when we went in August.

We took a self-guided tour and enjoyed all the great décor in the building. There is a great display of cannon right as you come in - from Bull Run and Gettysburg. They are in the battle flag area. The legislative chambers are nice but not ornate as some. There is a large room used for events that is beautiful, and the rotunda is the prettiest area with an amazing mural at the top around the wall..

This was a beautiful building and great place to walk around to visit. This vacation we went to Capital/State House in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and this being one of biggest and best looking. However, this was our least favorite because of no tours and people were not friendly about answering questions and they treated us like we were annoyance to have walking around.

The "new" State House was completed in 1904. According to the Rhode Island Secretary of State's website, it contains 327,00 cubic feet of white Georgia marble, 15,000,000 bricks, and 1,309 tons of iron floor beams. It houses the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and general treasurer as well as the two house state legislature.

After eating at the mall, we decided to walk over to the State House for a tour. Beautiful building with some construction going on. Our tour guide was very knowledgable and was able to answer all our questions. Worth a stop.

My hubby and I walked the grounds in the evening, so the building wasn't open. The grounds are tidy and conveniently located to downtown and a shopping mall. The dome was lit up in rainbow colors for Pride Month, showing how progressive Rhode Island is.

Self-guided tour was impressive to say the least. Though not in session at the time of my visit, every area was accessible. So much history back to the 1600s was wonderful!

What a great and beautiful building to visit. We had a very nice tour of the building. The exterior and interior architecture is simply amazing!

Unfortunately it was closed the day we visited, but the building itself is worth the trip alone, even from the outside. Glad to have made the trek especially.

I did an internship at the State house and every time and got in it was amazing the walls are amazing the rooms, the library was my favorite space in the whole State House. it is always really clean and shinning.

The RI state capitol building has a stately dome and a fine exterior. Its two legislative chambers are worth a quick peek. Otherwise, the building is rather old fashioned and bland.

Once we got through the metal detectors, we were free to explore the main areas of the building. The rotunda is magnificent, from all floors of the building. A special treat is the room where the original 1663 charter of Rhode Island, the first document that guaranteed religious freedom in the colonies, is preserved. Rhode Island is where America's tradition of freedom of religion began, and it was fascinating to see the charter that first guaranteed that freedom.

Friendly knowledgeable staff showed us the hidden stair cases, the rotunda has a beautiful medallion on the floor.... If you have the time this free tour is something you will always remember!

Classical us building. Nice place to do a quick stop. 30 minutes should be enough. Landmark of providence

The Rhode Island State house is very beautiful. It is good to take a walk around and maybe spend some time on the grass. There is a small museum inside with a little bit of Rhode Island history. It is also close to the train station and the waterfire place.

Last minute planning and suggestion from a fellow visitor has me touring the state house. Looks like a nice building outside. Touring it sounds like a decent time-filler idea during my limited stay. It turned out to be phenomenal , eye-opening, enriching learning experience!
The legislative and executive branches of Rhode Island government run in this building. Built in late 1800's by famous architect McKim, Mead & White , whose works include Boston Public Library and NY Penn Station, the State House is a beautiful unique building. Materials chosen include marble from Georgia & Italy, real 24K karat gold painted by feather, oak & mahogany wood, etc, make this gem an architectural wonder! Awesome paintings and murals. The 4th largest free standing dome building has the bronze "independent man" on top!
Guided Tours run every hour from 9 am to 3 pm. To my fortune, I attended the last daily tour at 3 PM as Ann the experienced librarian guide offered me a one-on-one tour! Lot of rich history & Stories, from the Native American times & United States Founding to Civil War & WW II. See the government happenings of senate and house of representatives activities. Meaningful rooms to see include:
(1) The governor's meeting room, with real gold trim work and a reknowned, expensive George Washington portrait
(2) Senate Chamber
(3) The House Chamber
(4) Charter Museum : The original 200+ year old and preserved declaration of independence from Rhode Island is housed here.
Providence Rhode Island represents independence, freedom , and revival : Take this free guided tour and see for yourself why this is a must-see!

This is a very beautiful State house on the top of a hill in Providence R.I. It ha really good view of the city.

Fantastic visit to the State House!. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, despite the fact that it was very hot in the building (no air conditioning) when we were there in August and the temperature outside was 90+ degrees. It was a very interesting site to visit.

This was an interesting self-guided tour. Parking available within walking distance of the site. You will go through security when you enter, so no weapons or whatnot. There is an information room on the first floor to get a map of the building and any information.

And one of two (I believe) in the country with free standing domes- the other being the Capitol in Washington. Though the city has built up around it, it's setting allows it to be seen from just about anyplace in Rhode Island. Very impressive.

Rhode Island's historic State House is an architectural and historical gem. Make sure to get a tour from a docent, although it's not absolutely necessary. You'll see the dome from the rotunda and the House and Senate chambers, but check out the State Room and State Library, and don't forget to look up!

We booked a tour here with lukewarm expectations. We were pleasantly surprised with the craftsmanship and beauty of the building, as well as some of the historical artifacts and art on display.

The Capitol grounds are huge! Parking was surprisingly easy. It's metered, so bring change. We interrupted a press conference inside, for one of the candidates running for governor - a bit exciting for the kids, not so much for the newsmen. We did the self-guided tour and were done in under an hour.

We have been to 49 of the state capital buildings & this is one of the nicer ones. There was plenty of marble used in the construction of the building. In addition to the legislative chambers, there is an extensive library, a beautiful state reception room & many items associated with the history of the state you can see. We were able to park in 1 of just a few free parking spaces next to the train station. Most of the parking around the building is metered. This capital building is worth your time to visit.

We arrived without a prebooked tour arrangement. We were whisked through security and told to make our way to the Library on the next floor.
Ten minutes later a history graduate of the local university came to conduct us around the State House, for no cost!
This is a truly lovely building dating back to the turn of the 1900's, and is light and airy and has much marble in the hallways and stairs.
There were the Senate and Representatives chambers. Quite plainly decorated but everyone has a seat.
The chandelier in the hall is quite magnificent, as were the cannons!
The tour guide was confident and informative and gave just the right amount of speel.
Interesting and would recommend the State House for a visit.

Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the capital, it appeared to be closed (Friday afternoon) We were there well before the listed closing time but there was absolutely no one around and no cars in the lot. It is a beautiful building and hopefully we’ll be able to do a tour the next time we are in Providence.

Stopped for a quick photo visit on our journey to see every state capitol. Large, open and beautifully landscaped grounds with many angles for excellent pictures of the building. Easy access from highway and easy metered parking.

For some reason, the smaller states certainly seem to be compensating with some of the more opulent buildings I've seen around. My buddy and I stopped by a little after 9 on a weekday when the legislature was out of session. We waited outside the locked door of the tour office for about 10 minutes before eventually giving up and setting out on doing a self-guided tour, which is allowed. Can't recall any room we weren't able to access. We saw both chambers from both the ground and balcony levels, the State Room and State Library, and the RI Charter Museum. The RI Charter Museum I can't recommend enough; it gives you a great rundown of the founding and establishment of Rhode Island, and even includes the actual royal charter that granted Rhode Island's residents the freedom of religion and the freedom to govern their own colony. Next time you're in Providence, make sure you check out this exciting "gem".

Not only is this a big and good looking building it is full of history. This State building call itself, "the building of the people." And that it is. Full of Rhode Island facts and history. One should take advantage of the free tour and the beautiful architecture of this building. The stairway and Library are worth seeing,

Aiesha was our tour guide for the Rhode Island state house and she was very knowledgeable and good. We’ve visited a lot of state capitals. Some states don’t really care and don’t put forth much of an effort. Others are truly proud of their states and go above and beyond to share their love for their state with visitors. Rhode Island falls into the latter category. It isn’t the most lavish state capital we’ve visited, but the welcoming attitude of the staff made it one of the more fun state capitals to tour. Tip: if the Legislature is not in session, you can park in the Legislative parking lot on the left side of the capital.

I always have to visit this place, and sometimes I take walks with friends and family around the area. There is so much to learn.

This is a beautiful state capitol that was built in Georgia marble. The grounds surrounding the capitol are beautiful, especially like the red and white pad in front and back of the capitol. The staff were friendly and would answer any questions I would ask.

We visited the Rhodes Island State House during our trip in US. Very good services for guests with the opportunity to take a guided tour or some materials for a set guided visit. In the library are available materials for children too. The big Christmas tree and the special Christmas concert by the RI school children gift to all the state house a fascinating atmosphere. Very interesting the paper "How a bill become a law".

This probably isn't a fair review, but it's my approach on my first visit to the State House, which was during my morning run. There was a local school group competing/working out by repeatedly going up and down the entire flight of stairs in front of the State House, jamming out to music in the early morning hours of a Wednesday. Well of course I had to join, and proudly accomplished six trips up and down the entire stair set. Take that Stair Master!

Anne was an amazing tour guide. She informed us very well of the state house history. I could have listened to her for two hours rather than just one. Her professionalism was over and beyond any tour guide we’ve ever had.

I'm so glad we got up there. We thought we had missed the final guided tour of the day, and we would gladly have looked around on our own, but we were greeted with an additional tour by a student who was incredibly knowledgeable and could answer questions in addition to doing his programmed talk, which was highly detailed and took over an hour. This is a great place to learn why RI is what it is and how it got that way. Very rewarding and worth a couple hours for sure.

Closed to visitors when we visited but we still walked in the grounds. It's a very imposing building and we're sure it's just as grand from the inside. Incredible that such buildings were constructed at the birth of the Nation. There was obviously more wealth around than we appreciate.

I arrived during the tour guide's break, so I did the self guided tour. I wish I could've heard a tour guide's perspective. I couldn't figure out how to leave the facility! The gift shop employee was super sweet. It was the ONLY place to get Providence / Rhode Island souvenirs. I wasn't sure I was allowed to enter the Governor's room, but I got brave and entered. The library was to die for. I was glad that they were clear about the public being welcome. Very beautiful. Parking - make sure you have quarters! The meters don't do anything else, and you won't get your dime back! My kids would've been bored, so a family would not spend too much time here. The grounds and the outside of the building are VERY impressive! It's a must-do thing in Providence. There's not a whole lot else to tour or see, so go for it.