SCHOOL AND GROUP TOURS

Explore Ohio’s Statehouse.  

Visitors may enter at Third Street or the South sliding doors in the underground parking garage on the Green Level. On session days, visitors may also enter at State Street. The Statehouse is handicapped accessible.

Guided tours are available every day, except on state holidays. On weekdays, walk-in tours start on the hour, every hour, starting at 10 a.m with the last tour starting at 3 p.m. During weekends, walk-in tours start at noon, 1 p.m, 2 p.m, and 3 p.m. Please call 614-728-3726 for more information or to schedule a tour for groups of 10 or more people. Visitors are also welcome to take a self-guided or cell phone tour. 

The Capitol Square complex includes the Ohio Statehouse, Senate Building and Atrium. The buildings are not only working government offices, but also a magnificent monument to the people and the period during which Ohio’s democracy was founded and formed.  

Schedule Your Tour

The Ohio Statehouse is a wonderful location to bring a group! While very popular for school field trips, the Statehouse welcomes a wide variety of group and bus tours. Visitors of all ages can appreciate the Greek Revival architecture, the art and historic artifacts on display, and the fascinating activities of a working state government building. Guided tours last approximately 45-60 minutes, and we recommend you plan for an additional 30 minutes to spend in the Statehouse Museum, Museum Gallery, and Museum Shop.

A Statehouse field trip gives educators the opportunity to bring lesson plans to life on subjects including history, government, civics, art and architecture. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center provides guided tours for school groups in grades fourth and up. Due to the nature of the space as a working government building and the complexity of the material covered on tour, guided tours cannot be booked for students younger than fourth grade. However, teachers and chaperones are welcome to bring younger students to the Statehouse and lead a self-guided tour.  In addition, linked on this page under the “Teacher Resources” tab, are educator resources that you may download to prepare you and your students for your Statehouse visit, or they can be used as a post-visit review and assessment tool.

To provide feedback on your group's experience at the Ohio Statehouse, please complete our evaluation form.
Ohio Statehouse Visitor Evaluation Form

Reservations

Groups of 10 or more are required to make reservations at least two weeks in advance to ensure a guide is available. Larger groups are urged to make reservations as far in advance as possible to receive your first choice in dates. For more effcient boking please fill out the tour interest form.

Please note that dates in April and May tend to fill very quickly. We recommend that you book your spring tour as early in the school year as possible. You will receive a confirmation packet via email that we recommend you have access to on the day of your tour. 

If your group has special needs or requests, please make note of those when you call to schedule your tour. We will do our best to accommodate your requests regarding timing, the spaces you would like to see on the tour, etc.

Email tours@ohiostatehouse.org to schedule your tour today. Tours can also be scheduled via phone, which may be more efficient depending on your schedule and phone access: 614-728-3726 or 1-888-OHIO-123. The phone is typically staffed from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. weekdays. The Ohio Statehouse is closed on all state holidays. If you do not immediately reach someone, please leave a voicemail message with your contact information. Allow 2-3 business days to receive a response.

Delays and Cancellations

Please notify tours@ohiostatehouse.org or 614-728-3726 as soon as possible if you need to cancel a tour or delay your tour start time. If your call is not immediately answered, please leave a voicemail with any information that will be pertinent to the cancellation or scheduling needs of your group.

When to Arrive

All groups should convene in the Map Room to meet with their assigned tour guide. Please allow 10-15 minutes prior to the start of your tour time for students to pass through security, use the restrooms and drop off their coats, lunches, and other belongings. The tours themselves will last approximately 45-60 minutes. While we do understand that weather and traffic can affect your travel time, we often have a full schedule and may have to shorten or cancel your tour if you are late.
Ohio Statehouse Security FAQs
Bus Parking
In case of emergency, please see the emergency response guide.

Where to Eat

The Capitol Café is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Capitol Café is on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse. Individuals may order in person or preorder online.   

Box lunches for student groups may be preordered more than 48 hours before you arrive.  The order form has more details for school groups.  

When students bring their own lunches, the group may eat outside on the grounds of Capitol Square or inside. The inside area to eat lunches is near the Map Room in the hallway with green benches.  Please tell us your lunch plans when you schedule your tour.  

Shop at the Statehouse Museum Shop

The Shop is open to in-person shopping on weekdays, and will ship orders made online or by phone. Click here for updated hours. Students are invited to visit and shop at the Statehouse Museum Shop. Please allow more than 15 minutes for their visit and at least one chaperone for every 10 students in the shop. To order gift bags for your group, please call the Statehouse Museum Shop at 614-728-9234.

Teachers/PTAs may pre-order gift bags ranging from $2 to $5.75 per bag that contain Ohio and Statehouse items.
Statehouse Museum Shop Gift Bag Order Form