Montana State Capitol

The Montana State Capitol, at 1301 East Sixth Avenue in Helena, is the seat of the state legislature and one of the best places in Montana to see Western history painted on the walls. The neoclassical building is faced with Montana sandstone and granite and topped by a copper-clad dome. It was built between 1896 and 1902 to a design by Charles Emlen Bell and John Hackett Kent, after an earlier competition-winning design was abandoned, and was dedicated on 4 July 1902. The east and west wings were added between 1909 and 1912.

Inside, the main draw is the art. Charles M. Russell's Lewis and Clark Meeting the Flathead Indians at Ross' Hole (1912), about 25 feet long and 12 feet high, hangs above the Speaker's chair in the House of Representatives chamber and is the building's most important work. Edgar S. Paxson painted six scenes of early Montana history for the House lobby, among them the surrender of Chief Joseph, and Ralph E. DeCamp painted Montana landscapes for the former Law Library. In the rotunda, four round paintings from 1902 show a Native American leader, the scout Jim Bridger, the gold miner Henry Edgar and a cowboy, and Amédée Joullin's Driving the Golden Spike fills the south arch.

2026 is a construction year. Restoration of the dome and roof began in June, and before sunrise on 6 August 2026 crews lifted the 15-foot statue known as Montana off the top of the dome to be repaired. Reports say it had not been fully removed since at least the 1930s, and no return date had been announced at the time of writing. The building stays open to visitors during the work, but expect scaffolding outside and some closed areas.

The Montana Historical Society runs free guided tours of about an hour. From 15 October to 1 June they run on weekdays at 3 pm and on Saturdays at 9:30 am; in summer a 9:30 am weekday tour is added. Register through the society's tour calendar, or meet at the "Capitol Tours meet here" sign on the first floor. Booklets for a self-guided visit, and a scavenger hunt for children, are at the first-floor information desk. When the legislature is in session the chambers may be in use, so check before you go.