Every tour covers the three branches of government, and explores the physical locations of the Senate, House of Representatives, Governor's Office, State Supreme Court, Rotunda, and State Reception Room.

In-person school field trip

Duration: 3 hours
Grades: 4-12
Group size: At least 20 students
Availability: January-June
Start time: every half hour between 9-11 a.m.

Our in-person field trip tour focuses on the three branches of government at the state level and activities include:

• Visiting the Legislative Building’s Rotunda, Executive Offices, State Reception Room, and Legislative Galleries
• Time for lunch
• An invitation to the representatives and senator from your school’s legislative district to meet your class
• Discussion of the state’s three branches of government
• Participating in a mock court hearing

Request a civic education tour as early as possible, as availability is limited.

If your group doesn’t meet the requirements above, email our State Capitol Tour Office or call 360-902-8880 to discuss other tour options.

Guided virtual tour in your own classroom

Duration: 60 minutes
Grades: 4-12
Group size: 20-60 students
Availability: Year-round

A guided virtual tour lets students interact in real-time with a tour guide from the comfort of the school classroom. Our tour guide will lead your group through a virtual experience of the Washington State Capitol, exploring the historic locations where government happens! The tour offers plenty of opportunities to ask questions. This is an excellent option for schools that are farther from Olympia and unable to travel for in-person field trips.

Request a guided virtual tour for your students as early as possible, as availability is limited.

• Download the guided virtual tour planning document (PDF, 793 KB)
• Download a list of guided virtual tour best practices (PDF, 266 KB).

Other options

• Legislative Building Tours
• Governor's Mansion Tours
• Botanical Tours
• Self-Guided & Virtual Tours