Arizona Capitol Museum

Restored in 1981, the original Arizona State Capitol now is home to a museum and the state archives. Built in 1899, the building housed the territorial government until 1912, when Arizona’s first governor was inaugurated. Left empty after state offices moved to larger, adjacent buildings in 1974, the capitol was restored to museum status in 1981. The Winged Victory, the quarter-ton statue windvane, still tops the building’s copper dome.

Exhibits along the hallways showcase everything from the U.S.S. Arizona Silver to the bola tie, Arizona’s official state neckwear.

The old Senate and House floors are replicated to look exactly as they did in 1912, including the chambers’ lighting. The state secretary’s office and the judicial chambers are small enough to remember a time before air conditioning, when Arizona was home to the few and the brave.