Maryland State House
Maryland State House
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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The seat of government for the state of Maryland.
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4.5
709 reviews
Excellent
418
Very good
244
Average
39
Poor
7
Terrible
1
casallese
Baltimore, MD734 contributions
May 2021
The Maryland State House is a recently renovated, beautiful building full of Maryland and US history. It's located in a lovely part of the old city surrounded by historical homes and gardens and faces the equally lovely Governor's Mansion. Think Williamsburg in a nautical setting. The State House itself is not too large and you can do it justice in an hour or less. This building was where Washington resigned his commision and, for a time, it was the capitol of the young United States. Recently restored to its colonial appearance with a beautiful glass dome added later, it is a great visit for anyone who loves American history.
Written 8 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Holly W
Reading, PA487 contributions
Jul 2021
Historic, beautiful and relevant. You'll learn more than you can imagine with a self guided tour thought this stately building. The paintings and the history come alive as you walk through a current seat of government.
It's a must for families, history buffs and art lovers.
It's a must for families, history buffs and art lovers.
Written 27 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SpanishteacherMD
Ellicott City, Maryland2,177 contributions
Jan 2020
Been here many, many times. Never been inside. I went on a Saturday and took a self-guided tour. Go in the visitor's entrance in the basement. You will have to clear security and get yourself a visitor badge. Make sure to have your valid ID with you as well. Walk up the marble staircase to the main level and explore the House and Senate chambers, and some other important rooms in the building. Also take a look up through the dome. Truly impressive. Artwork all over the place. You can even see a status of George Washington in the same room where he resigned his military commission. Truly a building filled with lots of history, architectural treasures, and probably some things you didn't know about the United States. My little self-guided tour took about an hour. But you can spend as much time as you would like. The dome is never opened to the public; I made sure to ask. Unless otherwise directed, you will only have access to the main level and the basement levels. Very much worth the visit.
Written 22 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve M
Bethlehem, PA52 contributions
Jun 2021
While there is a lot of historic signifigance to this building, only a portion of the first floor is open to the public. Very little is original but the restorations are very nicely done. Good signage throughout. We planned about 2 hours for the visit but were done in half hour.
Written 22 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DiAlJo
Hockessin, DE838 contributions
Sept 2021
I was worried about this being just another old State House. I was very happy that they have really made it a nice experience with keeping a lot of the look and feel of the original use with all the necessary modern upgrades. The Washington room was nice to watch the video and reflect on that time. Many of the documents on display are displayed very well. You enter from the front of the building through security check point. Self guided but appears they offer re-enactors to assist.
Written 9 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bill B
Bel Air, MD19,157 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
Walking around the Maryland State House on this hot and muggy morning is made less onerous due to the trees lining the way. The majectic building can be seen at the top of a hill from several streets leading up to it. Built between 1772–1779, this state house is the oldest in the nation still in legislative use according to one of the historic markers. It even served as Capitol of the United States from November 26, 1783 – August 13, 1784. The marker further states that on January 14, 1784, Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris to end the Revolutionary War here. Not surprisingly, the State House was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark as far back as 1933. In addition to the shady trees, the State House is surrounded by flower beds, historic hotels, and houses. It is appropriate this time of year to view the building from a bed filled with the official state flower, the Black Eyed Susan.
Written 18 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Piero C
Annapolis, MD769 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
I’m partial to the moderation of the earlier colonial buildings and this, perhaps, is one of the most beautiful examples of ostentation held in check by a limited budget. The Tiffany ceilings of the old assembly and senate chambers are marvelous, and the dome itself quite dignified in comparison to the overblown rococo blasts of our nation’s capitol building.
Lots of great history told through the lens of African Americans is somewhat drowned in the great celebration of George Washington’s. Cincinnatus moment, playing over several rooms. I liked, however, the life sized statues of Washington, Tubman, and Douglass, which make this figures, dare I say, “relatable.”
Lots of great history told through the lens of African Americans is somewhat drowned in the great celebration of George Washington’s. Cincinnatus moment, playing over several rooms. I liked, however, the life sized statues of Washington, Tubman, and Douglass, which make this figures, dare I say, “relatable.”
Written 26 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveller
New York City, NY3,304 contributions
Aug 2021
I visited the Maryland State House in August 2021. In August 2017, I was not able to enter the building as it was closed. I entered the building from street level although there is also an entrance after climbing up steps. The security is tight. After passing through security, I took an elevator up to the first floor. The centerpiece of my visit was viewing George Washington's resignation letter. It is displayed in a case. It was also interesting to view the chambers and the other exhibits.
Written 20 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
V R
41 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
There is a self-guided tour of one floor. It is a small state house, but nicely organized. You could zip through it in 10 minutes or maybe spend an hour if you read every single thing. It’s free to enter, but adults need photo ID.
Written 21 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin B
Mount Juliet, TN3,939 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We love visiting state capitol buildings when we're traveling as you can learn so much history and get a feel for the differences between all of the states. We did a self-guided tour on our trip to Annapolis and we really enjoyed the Maryland State House. It really is quite a beautiful building and it's actually the oldest state house in continuous operation. It also has the largest wooden dome in the United States constructed without nails, which is a very fun fact. The grounds are very pretty as well and I would recommend touring it to anyone who enjoys US history.
Written 29 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How close is handicapped parking available?
Written 19 April 2022
How close is handicapped parking available?
Written 19 April 2022
There are free guided tours, you just have to request one in advance by calling the Public Information Office at 410-946-5400.
Written 15 August 2018
Can you park your car at the State House? If not, where is the closest parking?
Written 31 May 2018
Street parking and nearby garage available not too far off
Written 10 June 2018
Good to know it is open on Memorial Day.
Written 13 May 2018
How long should I allow to go through this?
Written 26 February 2017
The truth is that it will depend on your level of interest in the history that the building represents. It is the oldest continuously operating state house in the country. The Governor & Lt. Governor have offices on the second floor, though you probably won't get in there. When you first walk in there is a grand entry way that serves as a gathering space for visitors and lobbyists. Immediately to your left is a hallway leading to the office of the President of the Senate, and to your right is a hallway leading to the office of the Speaker of the House. If you move forward into the lobby, to your left will be the new Senate Chamber and to your right will be the House of Delegates Chamber. You can't go onto the floor of these rooms, but you can observe them from behind the ropes at the entry to each room. The legislature is currently in its 90-day session, so if you go at the right times, you can see all of the excitement and feel the energy as visitors come to observe and lobbyist work to meet with legislators before they go into the chambers. If they are in session while you are there, you can go tot he second floor and go into the observation seating above each chamber. Other things of interest in the State House are the Old Senate Chamber, which has been renovated and is now open, the Silver Room, the Calvert Room, and much more. If you are truly interested in something like the silver in the Silver Room, then you might spend more time than others. There is a visitor center in the State House as well, which I believe also has general Annapolis tourism information so you can make a whole day of the town if you would like to. You can Google Maryland State House to get information on the building itself, including a virtual tour and information about a self-guided tour. You can also Google State House Map to get a map of the government buildings in the area so you know how to get to other buildings you might want to visit. You can visit the Senate and House office buildings which are close to the State House. In these buildings are the offices of the Senators and Delegates as well as meeting and committee rooms, where the various committees meet and hear testimony on bills that have been introduced. Be aware that all of the buildings have metal detectors and photo ID is required for entry. State Police and Department of General Services Police are on duty in these buildings at all times. I hope you have a wonderful visit!!! Best wishes.
Written 27 February 2017
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