Oregon State Capitol

Gold-domed Art Moderne capitol with free tours and rooftop access

Address 900 Court St NE, Salem, OR 97301
Admission Free
Opening Hours Mon–Fri 8:00am–5:00pm, Sat 9:00am–4:00pm

Oregon's capitol is one of the more distinctive statehouses in the country — not the usual Classical Revival pile but a clean Art Moderne building in Vermont marble, completed in 1938. The gold-leafed bronze figure on top is the Oregon Pioneer, a 23-foot-tall pioneer holding a covered wagon wheel, gazing west.

Inside, the rotunda murals depict scenes from Oregon's history: Lewis and Clark at the mouth of the Columbia, wagon trains crossing the plains, the maritime fur trade. Free guided tours run on the hour and take you up into the drum of the dome, where the view across the Willamette Valley on a clear day is worth the climb alone.

The capitol mall stretching south toward the Willamette University campus is a pleasant place to walk, with fountains, sculptures, and the State Library next door.

things to do sight architecture
A story
The current building is Oregon's third capitol. The first burned down in 1855, the second in 1935 — the fire started in the attic during renovation work, and the dome collapsed in flames while a crowd of onlookers watched from the street. The present Art Moderne structure was completed in 1938, and the gold-leafed bronze Pioneer atop the dome was installed as a deliberate symbol of fresh start after the loss.