Washington State Capitol Campus

10/27/2026

This summer, we worked with Quigg Bros. Construction of Aberdeen to repair the Capitol Way Pedestrian Bridge linking East and West . 🤗🌉

We repaired crumbling concrete, sealed up exposed rebar, applied a weather-resistant coating. Now, the bridge looks great! Go take a stroll over it ... but only in the light of day. 🤔

In the midst of our long October nights, it gets a little spooky. 👻

The bridge reopened last week during daytime hours. However, it needs one last touch: footlights along the bridge deck. To ensure traveler safety, it's closed each night from dusk to dawn while Quigg replaces the footpath's lighting, which had been in disrepair for years.

After dark or before dawn, our staff will close off both ends of the span; please use alternate routes.

10/23/2026

We can’t wait! 🎃🥳🌟 Plan your visit: Capitol.wa.gov 🌐

Halloween is on its way to the Governor's Residence! You and your kids are invited to trick-or-treating from 4:30-6 p.m. on October 31st.

10/23/2026

10/14/2026

On this day 100 years ago, the construction of the Legislative Building was nearly complete! 🤯

In 1926, crews worked by hand and with early machinery to build what would become the tallest self-supported masonry dome in the country. Our photo comparison shows the dome as it looked on this very day in 1926 and how it appears now in 2026.

The dome has been a symbol of state government, craftsmanship, and the people who've maintained and cared for it across generations. Here’s to a century of history and the next century to come! 🥳

10/08/2026

The Joel Pritchard Building is complete! This is a huge milestone in the Legislative Campus Modernization (LCM) Project. 🥳

The active phase of the LCM Project began with the deconstruction of the original Irving R. Newhouse Building and the nearby press houses. Construction of the Newhouse replacement building began in 2023 and finished in 2024. LCM also includes the Joel Pritchard Building Rehabilitation and Expansion Project, completed in September 2026, and renovations in the John L. O’Brien Building, which are on track to finish before 2027 legislative session.

Legislative Campus Modernization: honoring the past, celebrating the present, and embracing the future by preserving the historic West Capitol Campus for generations to come. 🤝

Learn more about the LCM project: DES.wa.gov 🌐

Plan your next visit: Capitol.wa.gov 🏛️

10/07/2026

From Hyogo to Olympia, a tradition continues. 🌿

We welcomed representatives from the Hyogo Business and Cultural Center recently, including an introduction of Mr. Keiichi Oka from the Hyogo Prefecture! 😁 Mr. Oka was selected to study in the MPA program at Evergreen State College as part of a long tradition of Hyogo employees coming to Olympia for academic exchange.

Hyogo and Washington also share a meaningful Friendship Tree tradition. The Japanese cryptomeria planted on West Campus in 1995 was a gift from Hyogo, and in return, Washington gifted 50 small western hemlock trees the following year.

Our visitors brought a scrapbook documenting where these trees were planted and how they're doing nearly thirty years later! It was a wonderful moment of continued connection between our two regions. 🤝

Learn more about the Japanese cryptomeria on campus: Capitol.wa.gov. 🌐

09/22/2026

Join us as we celebrate the grand opening of the newly revitalized Joel Pritchard Building on Thursday, Sept. 24. 😁🌟

This building completion marks a huge milestone in the Legislative Campus Modernization (LCM) project! There will be a short program, and guests will have an opportunity to tour the building.

Learn more about LCM: DES.wa.gov. 🌐

Photos courtesy of the DLR Group.

09/22/2026

Happy fall equinox!!! 🍂 Today's the first day of fall, and now's the best time to visit campus. Make your next visit to Capitol Campus nice and smooth:

⚡Parking is easy with multiple visitor lots, ADA spaces, EV charging stations, and free weekend parking.

🚌 Prefer transit? Intercity Transit and free shuttle buses make it simple.

🔎 While you’re here, explore the Legislative Building, stop by the Gift Center, and snap some photos of the changing leaves in the parks and gardens.

What are you most excited to see on campus this season? Let us know in the comments. 🤗

Washington State Department of Enterprise Services operates and cares for Capitol Campus.

09/17/2026

If you’ve ever wondered about the history of the big fountain on the Capitol Campus lawn, look no further! We’ve got you covered. 😉🔎

Donated by the Olympia Tumwater Foundation as a gift to the people of Washington, construction on the fountain was completed in 1953. Its creation was inspired by a fountain in Denmark, which was inspired by a fountain in Italy. 😁⛲

Watch the video for all the fun details, and plan your visit to the Capitol Campus at Capitol.wa.gov. 🌐

Historic film of fountain construction and photos of Peter G. Schmidt appear courtesy of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation – olytumfoundation.org 🤗

09/14/2026

Check this out! 🤓⤵️

99 years ago today: Just months after his historic transatlantic flight, Charles Lindbergh embarked on a three-month Goodwill Tour across the U.S. to advocate for aviation. On September 14, 1927, he flew his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, around the state capitol in Olympia, Washington.

By 10:00 a.m., thousands of Olympians and schoolchildren had flooded the Capitol grounds. Spectators jammed onto every available vantage point, packing the rooftops of the Temple of Justice, Insurance Building, Olympia High School, and even the (not-yet-complete) Legislative Building dome itself. When the pilot and plane finally appeared at 10:30, the crowd erupted and downtown whistles blew. The Spirit of St. Louis circled the dome of the capitol building three times, dropped a message of greeting, and then proceeded on its flight over Southwest Washington and on to Portland.

Washington state shared a special connection to the Spirit of St. Louis; the plane's wings were constructed using spruce wood supplied by Posey Manufacturing in Hoquiam.

📷 Spirit of St. Louis circles the state capitol in Olympia, Sept. 14, 1927. Photo by Merle Junk. Susan Parish Photograph Collection, Washington State Archives.