Accessibility

Page contents:

Maps

State Capitol Complex Visitor Parking Map (PDF) 
Full map of all buildings and parking and transportation options, including disability parking spaces.

State Capitol Building Floor Map (PDF) 
Map of the Capitol building including restrooms, elevators, and water fountains.

Accessible parking

For vehicles under 8.2 feet: 20 disability parking spots are located in the Senate Office Building for no cost. Coming from Rice Street on Sherburne Ave., take a right onto Capitol Blvd. and then another right into the parking garage. The door will automatically open when you approach it. Take the elevator to access the tunnel system and follow signs to the capitol.

The distance from the parking elevator to the Capitol elevators is 425 feet, or approximately 3/4 of a city block. There are benches throughout the tunnel. Tunnel is open during capitol hours.

Public Parking page at the Minnesota Department of Administration.

Drop off and pick up

For vehicles exceeding 8.2ft: Use the bus cut-out on Cedar Ave. for dropoff.

Drop off and pick up on Cedar Street (east of Capitol) and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The ground floor entrance (under front steps) is wheelchair accessible. Drop off location is 400 feet, or approximately 3/4 of a city block, from ground floor entrance.

  • Seating along the tour/path
  • Paved trails

General

  • Service animals welcome
  • First aid kits available
  • Staff trained in first aid
  • Communication accommodations available upon request 14 days in advance

For visitors with mobility disabilities

  • Standing working elevators: 3
  • Family restrooms: Family restrooms are available on all floors except the basement, in the northeast section.
  • Restrooms with accessible stalls: 14 – Public restrooms with accessible stalls can be found in the northeast section on every floor.

The State Capitol tours are wheelchair accessible except for the Quadriga (golden horses) level. There are 63 steps on a tight metal staircase to reach the Quadriga. Tours visit this level only from April through October (weather permitting).

Two wheelchairs are available at the Capitol Information and Tour Center for visitor use in the State Capitol only. Wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Bariatric seats are located in each of the committee rooms.

For visitors who are blind or have low vision

  • Braille signs
  • Tactile potential: Most features of the Capitol, besides paintings, can be touched — e.g. woodwork, marble, furniture, busts.

For visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing

  • Standard headphones, as well as T-loop neckloops, are available for use on tours. Please request at the front desk.
  • ASL interpreters available upon request for guided tours. Interpreter reservation must be made 14 days in advance. Call 651-259-3003.
  • All committee rooms have Assistive Listening Devices capabilities during normal business hours.
  • Captioning on media.
  • Printed information available on site.

For visitors with sensory or communication disabilities

  • To help families prepare for a visit, we've partnered with the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) to create a Social Story (PDF).

MNHS Statement on Accessibility

The State Capitol welcomes all visitors. We recognize the diverse needs of our audience and strive to offer accessible programming to enable all visitors to explore this historic site.

However, accessibility for guests with limited mobility can be challenging at our historic sites due to historic and natural features. With advance notice, we will make every effort to respond to access needs.

Our goal is to provide as much information as possible to guests before their visit to any of our sites and museums.

If you have additional questions about accessibility or other needs, please contact the Minnesota State Capitol at 651-259-3292 or statecapitol@mnhs.org.