Monona Terrace is Madison's lakefront convention centre, designed from a long-debated Frank Lloyd Wright concept and finally built decades after his death. Its broad rooftop terrace is the reason most travellers come: from here you get a clean view across Lake Monona, back toward downtown, and up to the Capitol dome.
In summer the terrace hosts concerts, dances, exercise classes, and other public events, so it can feel less like a convention centre and more like a civic balcony. Even when nothing is scheduled, it is a good short detour from Capitol Square.