Old Capitol Museum
4.7(375)google
4.8(5)yelp
Historic BuildingHistoryEducationalIndoor
Overview
The Old Mississippi State Capitol, also known as Old Capitol Museum or Old State Capitol, served as the Mississippi statehouse from 1839 until 1903. The old state capitol was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969. In 1986, the structure was designated a Mississippi Landmark and became a National Historic Landmark in 1990.
Practical Info
MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
SunClosed
Suggested Duration1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeVisiting on weekday mornings between 9:30 AM and 12:00 PM during the vibrant spring or autumn semesters is ideal. This 1840 Greek Revival architectural masterpiece features a spectacular reverse spiral staircase inside the central rotures. Morning sunbeams pour down through the upper dome clerestories, beautifully lighting the historic legislative chambers when public and university foot traffic is lowest.
Getting ThereCommanding the central Pentacrest campus green at the University of Iowa (21 Old Capitol, Iowa City). Campus street parking is severely limited; driving visitors are strongly advised to head directly to nearby multi-level public ramps like the Old Capitol Town Center Ramp or the Iowa Avenue Ramp. The landmark is seamlessly encircled by the free university Cambus shuttles and city transit loops.
Travel Tips
- Set directly inside the UIowa Pentacrest campus, the landmark features zero private visitor parking spaces; self-drive travelers must navigate to the commercial Capitol Street or Iowa Avenue Ramp infrastructure.
- UIowa home game Saturdays and commencement events trigger comprehensive police blockades around the Pentacrest perimeter; driving un-permitted consumer vehicles into the campus grid results in immediate heavy towing.
- The fragile historical self-supporting spiral staircase balances on thin load capacities; running, group-clustering, or executing smartphone videography shakes on the structural steps is prohibited by site attendants.
Reviews
Positive
- As the iconic gold-domed landmark at the heart of UIowa, the grand spiral wooden staircase and restored chambers offer stunning visual impact.
- Completely free to the public; the multilingual history brochures are beautifully crafted and highly educational regarding early statehood.
- The museum is kept spotlessly clean, with level accessible entrances, smooth elevators, pristine restrooms, and well-ordered management.
- Located right on the vibrant campus quad, it lets you experience deep history and step outside to a peaceful student community atmosphere.
Heads up
- The tourable museum space is quite limited to two main floors, taking only 30 minutes to view, which may feel short for a long drive.
- Being inside the university core, it lacks a dedicated free lot, forcing drivers to fight for rare and expensive campus metered slots.
- During university graduations, major game days, or rallies, surrounding traffic completely gridlocks and iconic backdrops fill with crowds.
- As a strict historic preservation building, there are zero on-site snack bars or cafes; visitors must walk into town for refreshments.