Missouri State Capitol

The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, completed in 1917 at a cost of $4.2 million after its predecessor was destroyed by fire in 1911, is the third statehouse to occupy its bluff-top site above the Missouri River. Designed in the Beaux-Arts classical tradition by architects Tracy and Swartwout of New York, the building is constructed primarily of Carthage stone—a light-gray Missouri dolomite—giving the structure a distinctive regional character. The copper dome, rising 262 feet above the basement floor, is topped by a bronze statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain, symbolizing Missouri's agricultural heritage.

The interior is among the most richly decorated state capitol buildings in the United States. The most celebrated feature is the House Lounge mural A Social History of the State of Missouri, painted by Missouri native Thomas Hart Benton in 1936 under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration. The mural—sometimes called simply the Benton Mural—fills the lounge with a panoramic, unflinching depiction of Missouri's history from frontier settlement through the early 20th century, incorporating scenes of slavery, political corruption, steamboat commerce, farming, and urban labor. The work generated considerable controversy when unveiled for its frank imagery and has since been recognized as a masterpiece of American Social Realism.

Other interior highlights include the bronze-and-marble rotunda, the Governor's Reception Room decorated with Remington Schuyler murals, the original Supreme Court chamber, and legislative galleries open to the public when the General Assembly is in session. The building's bronze doors and much of its ornamental metalwork were fabricated by Tiffany Studios. Free guided tours depart Monday through Friday at 9am, 11am, 1pm, and 3pm and cover the Benton Mural, the rotunda, and the principal state offices. Self-guided tours are possible using the official brochure available at the Capitol information desk.