Iowa State Capitol
The Iowa State Capitol, commonly called the Iowa Statehouse, is in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. It lies in Des Moines itself. 1886 is when its story starts.
A museum inside Des Moines
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 13°, with about 37" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Des Moines
Iowa State Capitol is inside Des Moines, which has 64 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1886
Iowa State Capitol dates from 1886. About ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Aug, Sep and Oct
May, June, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 64–83°. When to go ↓
An airport 5 miles away
Des Moines (DSM) has airline service, about 5 miles from Iowa State Capitol.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The year’s weather
The months below show the weather around Iowa State Capitol.
Iowa State Capitol
The Iowa State Capitol, commonly called the Iowa Statehouse, is in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines. As the seat of the Iowa General Assembly, the building houses the Iowa Senate, Iowa House of Representatives, the Office of the Governor, and the Offices of the Attorney General, Auditor, Treasurer, and Secretary of State. The building also includes a chamber for the Iowa Supreme Court, although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Iowa Supreme Court building. The building was constructed between 1871 and 1886, and is the only five-domed capitol in the country.
Located at East 9th Street and Grand Avenue, the Capitol is set atop a hill and offers a panoramic view of the city's downtown and the West Capitol Terrace. Various monuments and memorials are to its sides and front, including the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil War Monument and the Lincoln and Tad statue.
- Type
- Museum
- Established
- 1886
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1976)
- Wikipedia readers
- 21K a year
Where to base yourself for Iowa State Capitol
To stay close, try Des Moines (64) and West Des Moines (32).
- 1Casey's Center
- 2Adventureland
- 3Des Moines Art Center
- 4Drake Stadium
- 5Blank Park Zoo
- 6Pappajohn Sculpture Park
- 7Hilton Coliseum
- 8Living History Farms
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Iowa State Capitol | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | in town | — | 64 45 hotels · 9 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds | 212,086 | $195K | D |
| West Des Moines | 10 mi west | 15 min | 32 29 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 74,224 | $309K | C+ |
| Ankeny | 10 mi north | 15 min | 30 28 hotels · 1 motel · 1 campground | 77,833 | $331K | B− |
| Urbandale | 10 mi west | 15 min | 17 15 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B | 48,570 | $336K | B+ |
| Altoona | 8 mi northeast | 10 min | 13 10 hotels · 1 motel · 2 RV parks | 22,796 | $275K | C+ |
| Saylorville | 6 mi north | 10 min | 7 5 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins | 3,366 | $314K | — |
| Clive | 10 mi west | 15 min | 9 7 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins | 19,861 | $401K | B− |
| Pleasant Hill | 5 mi east | 10 min | 4 3 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins | 11,239 | $295K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Around Iowa State Capitol
Pair a visit with these, within 30 miles.
1in town Stadium & arenaCasey's Center27 mi Theme parkAdventureland
34 mi MuseumDes Moines Art Center
43 mi Stadium & arenaDrake Stadium
55 mi Zoo & aquariumBlank Park Zoo
62 mi MuseumPappajohn Sculpture Park
730 mi Stadium & arenaHilton Coliseum
89 mi MuseumLiving History FarmsPhoto credits
Casey's Center: Iowahwyman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Des Moines Art Center: Nhandler at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Drake Stadium: U.S. Navy photo by James Woods, Public domain · Blank Park Zoo: Lawrence Lansing, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Dsmspence, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Hilton Coliseum: Johannes Cater--Jaretac (talk) 15:14, 17 June 2009 (UTC), Public domain · Living History Farms: Dennis Bratland, CC BY-SA 4.0
Before visiting Iowa State Capitol
Is Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines?
Yes. It’s inside Des Moines, IA.
When is the best time to visit Iowa State Capitol?
May, June, August, September and October, with highs of 64–83°.
What is the closest airport to Iowa State Capitol?
Des Moines (DSM), about 5 miles away.
Where should I stay near Iowa State Capitol?
Des Moines (in town, 64 places to stay), West Des Moines (10 mi, 32 places to stay) and Ankeny (10 mi, 30 places to stay).
What locals in Des Moines say
Questions and tips go in Des Moines’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.