Built of New England granite and white marble and topped by an ostentatious gold-leaf dome, the Gothic palace that is Connecticut’s State Capitol (1879) was designed by Richard Upjohn and took over a decade to complete. Because of the variety of architectural styles it reflects, it's been called 'the most beautiful ugly building in the world.' Frank Lloyd Wright dismissed it as 'ridiculous.' You be the judge. Guided tours depart from the southwest entrance of the Legislative Office Building.
State Capitol
Connecticut
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.45 MILES
In 2015 the nation's oldest public art museum completed a five-year, $33-million renovation, renewing 32 galleries and 15 public spaces. The Wadsworth…
0.97 MILES
For 17 years, encompassing the most productive period of his life, Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835–1910) and his family lived in this striking orange-and…
New Britain Museum of American Art
8.92 MILES
Moved to its present, modern premises in 2003 in honor of its centenary, the impressive yet little-known New Britain Museum of American Art houses a stand…
0.67 MILES
Designed by Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, the Connecticut Science Center is both an exciting architectural space and an absorbing museum for adults…
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Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
23.43 MILES
It was Springfield where, in 1891, a young Canadian physical education instructor called James Naismith first invented basketball. The game is celebrated…
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23.99 MILES
This innovative museum is dedicated to the life and work of Springfield native Theodore Geisel, aka Dr Seuss. On the 1st floor, interactive exhibits use…
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0.13 MILES
This museum, housed in the Connecticut State Library on Capitol Hill and renowned for its impressive genealogy library, packs a punch for US history buffs…
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2 MILES
Known for its collection of 15,000 rose bushes, the 102-acre Elizabeth Park was donated to the city by a wealthy industrialist, who asked that it be named…
Nearby Connecticut attractions
1. Museum of Connecticut History
0.13 MILES
This museum, housed in the Connecticut State Library on Capitol Hill and renowned for its impressive genealogy library, packs a punch for US history buffs…
0.14 MILES
This vintage 1914 merry-go-round designed by Stein and Goldstein, in Bushnell Park, continues to delight young and old.
0.17 MILES
The Capitol overlooks the 37-acre Bushnell Park, the first public park in the USA built with taxpayers' money. It was designed by Jacob Weidenmann and…
0.42 MILES
Established by the Reverend Thomas Hooker when he came to Hartford from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1632, this church still holds services each Sunday…
0.45 MILES
In 2015 the nation's oldest public art museum completed a five-year, $33-million renovation, renewing 32 galleries and 15 public spaces. The Wadsworth…
0.53 MILES
Connecticut's original capitol building (from 1797 to 1873) was designed by Charles Bulfinch, who also designed the Massachusetts State House in Boston,…
0.67 MILES
Designed by Argentinian architect Cesar Pelli, the Connecticut Science Center is both an exciting architectural space and an absorbing museum for adults…
8. Harriet Beecher-Stowe Center
0.94 MILES
Hartford was home to Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of the antislavery book Uncle Tom's Cabin. Upon meeting Stowe, Abraham Lincoln reputedly said, 'So this…