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Mississippi State Capitol

Beaux Arts Building, Seat of State Government

400 High Street Jackson, Mississippi

• Phone: (601) 359-3114

Mississippi State Capitol 400 High Street Jackson, Mississippi

Designated as a Mississippi Landmark in 1986 and a National Historic Landmark in 2016, the Mississippi State Capitol has been the seat of the state’s government since 1903. The National Park Service describes the building as “…an exceptional example of the Beaux Arts style, vividly illustrating the nationwide spread of academic classical revival architecture in the early 20th century.” While Governor Andrew Houston Longino was in office (1900-1904), the decision was agreed upon to construct a new Capitol. A design was chosen through an architectural contest, and the Capitol was built between 1901-1903 in 28 months on the site of the old state penitentiary. The 171,000 square-foot building was designed by Theodore Link, an architect from St. Louis, Missouri, and was constructed by the Wells Brothers Company of Chicago. Construction cost more than $1 million, which was funded by back taxes from a lawsuit settlement with the Illinois Central Railroad. The State Capitol is the third capitol constructed in Jackson. The first building was completed in 1822 and no longer stands. The second building was completed in 1839, served as the Capitol until 1903, and today is the Old Capitol Museum. Originally the Capitol housed all branches of Mississippi state government. Currently, the Legislative branch is the only one operating full-time inside the building. The Governor’s Office remains but serves as a part-time office. The Hall of Governors on the first floor includes portraits of the former governors of Mississippi since the creation of the Mississippi Territory in 1798 and the state in 1817. An ornate Rotunda, the center of the building, is located on the second floor. Rising above is the main dome that includes sculptures of the face of Lady Justice, paintings from 1934 representing part of Mississippi’s history, and 750 of the 4,750 original electric light fixtures illuminating the building. An eagle adorns the top of the exterior dome and is made of copper gilded with gold leaf. The eagle is eight feet high and 15 feet wide. More than 10 types of marble from other states and countries are found throughout the Capitol. Stained glass and leaded glass windows, original to the building and crafted by Louis Millet of Chicago, Illinois, add beauty and natural light from the second to the fourth floors, along the Grand Staircase, and in the minor domes above the chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The former Supreme Court chamber, now a committee meeting room, is located on the second floor. The Legislature is housed on the third floor, along with the offices of the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and the part-time/ceremonial office of the Governor. The south side of the Capitol grounds contains one of the 55 replicas of the Liberty Bell; a monument dedicated in June 1912 honoring women on the home front during war sculpted by Belle Kinney of Nashville, Tennessee, and cast by Tiffany Studios of New York; and a plaque honoring the designation of this Capitol as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service in 2016. On the north side of the Capitol is the “Capitol Rally” marker as part of the Mississippi Freedom Trail commemorating the “March Against Fear” that began in Memphis and ended at the Mississippi State Capitol in 1966. A four-year, $19 million restoration completed in 1983 and additional projects throughout the years help to preserve and maintain the original integrity of the building.

Tours Guided tours are conducted free of charge by staff and volunteers. Tours are given Monday - Friday at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and​ 2:30 p.m., or visitors are welcome to do a self-guided tour anytime between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Group and school tours are available by reservation. To schedule a group or school tour, contact Visitor Services at the Mississippi State Capitol at (601) 359-3114 or [email protected] . A self-guided tour sheet is available by clicking below or at our Visitor Desk on the first floor, north side of the building.Click for a self-guided tour sheet in the following languages: Arabic , Chinese , English , French , German , Italian , Japanese , Korean , Portuguese , Spanish School Group Tour Guidelines

To view guidelines for school tour groups, click here​​ , and watch the video to see what to expect on group tours.

• Wheelchair Accessible
• Family Friendly
• Good for Groups
• Tours Available

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Experience the Mississippi State Capitol: A National Historic Landmark premieres July 15 on MPB

CONTACT: [email protected]   601-432-6567

JACKSON, Miss. – Experience the Mississippi State Capitol: A National Historic Landmark , will air Thursday, July 15 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 18 at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Mississippi Public Broadcasting Television. This 30-minute video tour highlights the history, architecture and majesty of the Mississippi State Capitol and was produced for the Capitol’s web page .

For the past few years, the Capitol Visitor Services department considered providing a virtual tour of the place that houses Mississippi’s seat of government.  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the idea became more urgent. Though the Capitol remained open to the public, guided tours and visitation came to a halt. 

“With the devastation of the pandemic consuming so many, we all needed something positive to focus our efforts on. In that regard, 2020 was the opportune time to secure a virtual tour of the Capitol,” said Brenda Davis, curator of the Mississippi State Capitol. Davis, along with Capitol Visitor Services Director Kathy Broom and Assistant Visitor Services Director Ashley Kincses, began in earnest seeking a company to produce the video.

They wanted top-quality, affordable work and didn’t want to look outside of the state for it. Hence, the call to MPB. John Gibson, MPB’s Director of Television, wrote a “beautiful proposal” at a cost significantly lower than what other companies would have charged, Davis said. 

Recognizing the value and educational significance of the project, the House of Representatives Management Committee and Senate Rules Committee approved funding for production, which began in late summer, early fall of 2020.

Weeks of filming, mainly on weekends, followed. MPB’s Katie Savage produced the program, and Art McAlpin was the Director of Photography. Along with Visitor Services, the Capitol’s maintenance, police and IT departments assisted MPB staff along the way. The completed work has left many blown away. 

“Our TV team did a fantastic job producing this historical video of the state Capitol, with videography that is simply stunning,” said MPB Executive Director Ronnie Agnew. “It is an amazingly insightful look at the history of the state Capitol and the visionaries who spared no detail in making it special. It is my desire to see that this gets into the hands of every school in Mississippi.”

In a letter to Agnew, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said, “I watched the Virtual Tour of the Capitol you and your team at Mississippi Public Broadcasting created and it is exceptional. The video is seamless from the history and architecture to capturing every detail which makes our Capitol so ornate and refined. Your work is a visual reminder of our State's ‘public spirit, pride, and integrity’ to every Mississippi citizen and those who transcend our State lines. I greatly appreciate your work.”

MPB is a state agency that also operates as a PBS and NPR affiliate broadcasting station. For more information visit  www.mpbonline.org . Find all MPB press releases  here .

Mississippi Public Broadcasting  provides relevant instructional and public affairs programming to Mississippians through its statewide television and radio network.  MPB enhances the work of educators, students, parents and learners of all ages by providing informative programming and educational resources.  MPB’s locally produced programming focuses on the people, resources and attractions that reflect Mississippi’s unique culture and diverse heritage. Children’s television programs constitute a major portion of the daytime and weekend morning schedules.  MPB provides a valuable resource to Mississippians in disseminating information as part of the state’s emergency preparedness and response system.  Since 1970, MPB has won over 350 national, regional and statewide awards, including Emmy®, Edward R. Murrow and Parents’ Choice® Awards.

Sites and bites: Visit Mississippi State Capitol, dine at Pig & Pint

You’ve likely seen countless shots of this iconic state landmark topped with the golden eagle, especially from January to April when the Mississippi State Legislature is in session. I’m referring to the Mississippi State Capitol , one of Mississippi’s oldest and most beautiful treasures.

Located in the heart of Jackson, the building surrounded by beautiful grounds dotted with magnolias and majestic trees is visited by tourists from around the country who call it one of the most stunning capitols in the U.S. 

Construction began on the 171,000-square-foot building in 1900 under Gov. Andrew Longino’s direction. The $1 million price tag was funded by back taxes from a lawsuit settlement with the Illinois Central Railroad. The building opened in 1903 and has served as the seat of the state’s government ever since.

Designated as a Mississippi Landmark in 1986 and a National Historic Landmark in 2016, the National Park Service describes the building as “…an exceptional example of the Beaux Arts style, vividly illustrating the nationwide spread of academic classical revival architecture in the early 20th century.”

One of the building’s most visited areas is the first floor Hall of Governors lined with portraits. And, an area that routinely takes my breath away is the ornate rotunda in the center of the building. It’s a magical experience to gaze up at the light-filled dome adorned with sculptures of the face of Lady Justice and paintings.

Other beautiful touches spread throughout the building are 10 types of marble from other states and countries and stained glass and leaded glass windows that are original to the building. 

The massive 8 feet high, 15 feet wide golden eagle keeping watch on top of the exterior dome is made of copper gilded with gold leaf. 

Sites and bites: Visit the Mississippi Aquarium, dine at Pelican Pointe Cafe

Pig & Pint in Fondren

Travel up State Street to the eclectic Fondren neighborhood, and you'll find  The Pig & Pint , a perfect place to relax and enjoy a barbecue lunch or dinner filled with pork, brisket and other delicacies that’ve won more than a few accolades. 

First, don’t expect white linen tablecloths at this establishment. It’s a rustic setting with limited indoor seating and outdoor tables spread across a covered porch. Despite the lack of fancy accoutrements, you’ll sample award-winning  barbecue and much more, ranging from barbecue chicken tacos with mango jicama slaw to pork belly corn dogs. 

Sometimes, the mark of a really good restaurant is the variety and creativity of these items leading up to the main event. It’s hard to get past the first page of The Pig & Pint’s menu. Here are a few reasons why.

Sites and bites: Dine at The Caboose in McComb, visit Percy Quin State Park

Barbecue tacos ($7.99-$9.99) are a meal by themselves, filled with a choice of brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken or fried green tomato. Fondren fries ($10.99-$11.99) are another favorite, especially since they’re covered with the meat choices listed above. And then there's smoked wings ($9.99-$14.99) doused in Pepsi, white, hot or Asian barbecue sauce. Small plates ($7.99-$9.99) are filled to overflowing with queso and pork rinds or fries, smoked pimento cheese, sausage and cheese plate and pork belly corn dogs. 

Now to those famous barbecue plates. Choices include glazed baby back ribs ($15.99-$26.99), ‘que sampler ($23.99) with choice of three meats, half pit master sampler ($29.99) with a half rack of ribs and choice of two additional meats and grand champion sampler for two ($49.99) with full rack of ribs and choice of two additional meats. 

Bread and sides come with all plates and include a delicious lineup of comeback coleslaw, collard greens, baked beans, potato salad and more.

Lighter offerings include sandwiches ($9.99-$11.99) filled with one’s choice of pulled pork, chicken, brisket, bacon and even baloney and salads ($6.99 and up) ranging from green varieties to heavier ones topped with pork, chicken, bacon or brisket. 

Kara Kimbrough is a freelance food and travel writer from Mississippi. Contact her at [email protected] . 

Mississippi State Capitol

• Where: 400 High St., Jackson, MS
• Hours: Self-guided tours are available 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Drop-in tours for visitors, which do not require a reservation, will be conducted at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. Groups of 10 people or more must schedule a tour. *Note: Please check for latest information regarding possible schedule changes due to the pandemic.
• Admission: Free
• Contact : 601- 359-3114 or email [email protected] .

The Pig & Pint

• Where : 3139 N. State St., Jackson 
• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday
• Contact: 601-326-6070

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Old Capitol Museum

A National Historic Landmark and one of America’s finest examples of Greek Revival architecture, the Old Capitol building served as state capitol from 1839 to 1903, housing such notable events as the passage of the Ordinance of Secession. The Old Capitol was restored from 1959 to 1961 for use as the state historical museum. Restored to its original glory, the Old Capitol returned as a statehouse museum in 2009.

100 State St Jackson, MS 39201

601-576-6920

http://www.mdah.ms.gov/oldcap/

Jackson, MS

| Jackson, MS

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Where should I park to visit the state capitol...

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Mississippi State Capitol Questions & Answers

Where should I park to visit the state capitol building?

We found street parking across from the Capitol on Monday morning when the legislature was hurrying to finish its session. Depending on whether they are insertion, parking may be harder to find on the street.

We stayed at the Old Capitol Inn and walked. Inn is great, BTW

I parked in the First Baptist Church lot. There were available spaces, and it was free.

We visited the old capitol museum first and as it had free parking we then walked to the current state capitol which isn't that far away.

We stayed at a downtown hotel in Jackson and walked to the Capitol. At other Capitol buildings, we just found a parking place that was nearby.

When the legislature is not in session, street side parking is readily available. Otherwise, you may want to park two blocks to the East by First Baptist Church's North Street frontage.

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Mississippi Today

Pulitzer Prize-winning Nonprofit News

Speaker, lieutenant governor agree to hold Medicaid expansion negotiations in public

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House Speaker Jason White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann have both agreed to negotiate final details of a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to the working poor in public meetings, an increasingly rare occurrence at the state Capitol.  

The House last week voted to “invite conference” with the Senate to try and work out a compromise on a bill to expand Medicaid coverage to more Mississippians. In recent years the vast majority of conference committee negotiations don’t take place in public. 

White, a Republican from West, first called for the negotiations to be public in a recent interview with Mississippi Today. The new speaker said he doesn’t believe it’s realistic for lawmakers to have public conference committee meetings on every relevant bill but believes Medicaid expansion rises to the level of holding such a public meeting.  

“I think the public on this issue is probably going to demand it to some degree, is going to want to see where people are on it,” White said. 

Hosemann, a Republican who leads the Senate, also said in a statement that he believes major issues should be “conducted in public and not behind closed doors,” including conference committees. 

“Such conversations create a better end product,” Hosemann said. “The Senate has demonstrated its own commitment to transparency by holding public conference committees in the past, equipping committee rooms with webcasting and archiving abilities, and robustly debating issues on the floor.” 

A conference committee is formed when the House and the Senate pass different versions of the same bill, such as the case with Medicaid expansion. When this occurs, the speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor each appoint three lawmakers from the chamber they lead to work out the differences in a conference committee.

For the first time since the federal Affordable Care Act became law, the two legislative chambers have each passed plans to expand Medicaid coverage. But each has proposed vastly different proposals, making the conference process extremely important on a measure that could provide health insurance to poor Mississippians. 

The House’s expansion plan aims to expand health care coverage to upwards of 200,000 Mississippians, and accept $1 billion a year in federal money to cover it, as most other states have done.

The Senate, on the other hand, wants a more restrictive program, to expand Medicaid to cover around 40,000 people, turn down the federal money, and require proof that recipients are working roughly 30 hours a week. 

If the lawmakers, called conferees, cannot reach an agreement, the bill would die. But if they do reach an accord, the revised bill, called a conference report, gets brought back to the full Senate and House again for consideration.

The joint rules of the Legislature, which the vast majority of lawmakers voted in favor of this year, state that all official conference committee meetings “shall be open to the public at all times.” 

The reality, though, is conference committees often involve lawmakers simply talking over the phone or exchanging text messages. Other times, lawmakers may skip an actual meeting and just email proposals back and forth.

The practice often leaves the public and rank-and-file lawmakers in the dark about what happens in these meetings and how the reports are drafted.

Hosemann and Senate leaders upended these norms in 2022 by calling for a public conference committee meeting for the House and Senate to haggle over the final details of a proposal to increase public K-12 teacher salaries. 

“I’ve encouraged all of my chairmen to meet with all of their chairmen and to do it in a public forum,” Hosemann said at the time. 

Hosemann’s push for a public process that year resulted in several committee leaders having public meetings.

Former House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, at the time was less encouraged to deviate from the conference process norms and asserted that “the overwhelming majority of bills don’t require a show.”

“We don’t have to get in a room with everybody sitting around the table and negotiate,” Gunn said. “They can talk on the phone. They can just send written letters back and forth.”

It appears White, currently in his first term as speaker, is willing to have more public conference meetings than his predecessor, though he has continued the practice of holding private Republican caucus meetings at the Capitol, which effectively gives the supermajority House GOP a chance to formulate and debate policy outside public view.

Under Hosemann, the Republican-majority Senate does not conduct any formal, closed-door GOP caucus meetings. 

The Senate also since 2020 has live-streamed its committee meetings, open to the public online, while the House has not.

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by Taylor Vance, Mississippi Today April 9, 2024

This <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2024/04/09/mississippi-medicaid-expansion-conference-public-negotiations-transparency-hosemann-white/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org">Mississippi Today</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT_icon-logo-favicon-1.png?fit=134%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1114844&amp;ga4=G-VSX4B701MS" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

Taylor Vance

Taylor, a native of Grenada, covers state government and statewide elections. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and Holmes Community College. Before joining Mississippi Today, Taylor reported on state and local government for the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, where he received an award for his coverage of the federal government’s lawsuit against the state’s mental health system.

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• Early Learning Newsletter

Spring 2024

Spotlighting early childhood initiatives: highlights from seca conference.

During the conference, staff members from the Nurturing Homes Initiative (NHI) and MS Child Care Resource & Referral (MSCCR&R) programs presented various topics, including social and emotional development, family childcare, purposeful play, and more. These presentations enabled our team to disseminate information about our projects and showcase our diverse knowledge base in the early childhood field.

Staff from our MSU Extension Head Start program were also in attendance and participated in sessions aimed at acquiring valuable insight to enhance our center’s practice.  

We had an exhibit booth set up allowing us to interact with other professionals and vendors in the field, share about our current projects, and how we can collaborate with others.

Kelly Carmody, NHI Project Director, and SECA board member, expressed the success of this conference, emphasizing the collaboration for states across the Southeast. Carmody highlighted that the SECA Conference consistently provides our staff with the opportunity to “share their expertise and engage in collaborative efforts with peers in the early childhood field.”

Outdoor Play on a “Shoestring” Budget

NHI has a new publication that shares outdoor play activities: Outdoor Play: Creating an Outdoor Learning Environment on a 'Shoestring' Budget. This publication demonstrates how childcare providers and parents can easily incorporate outdoor play into their daily routines using available items around the house.

MSU CDA Credential Program – Coming Soon

Interested in furthering your professional development? We are excited to share that we will be launching a Child Development Associate (CDA) online program this summer! This program is a widely known and valued credential in early childhood education. It is an opportunity for educators working with children from birth to age 5 to demonstrate and strengthen their knowledge, understanding, and practices. The CDA Credential is a professional development learning experience and an essential resource. If you are interested in learning more, email [email protected] .

Providers currently enrolled in the NHI program are provided free access to the CDA program. Interested in learning more about NHI? Visit our webpage.

MSU Head Start Celebrates Read Across America

Our Head Start centers celebrated Read Across America week in March, recognizing the impact of literacy on early childhood development. This annual event reminds us of the importance of reading to help shape young learners and foster a lifelong love for learning. Representatives Jeffrey Hulum III and Cheikh Taylor participated in our festivities by reading to several of our classes. Their participation helped promote literacy and education. Having community leaders read to the children allowed them not only to grow a love for reading but also showed them that through literacy, they can unlock opportunities for personal and academic growth.

MSCCR&R Extended Hours

Are you aware that MSCCR&R offers extended hours? To better accommodate families, childcare providers, and all those who rely on our services, we have extended hours every Tuesday until 7 pm. We are also open two Saturdays per month from 9 am to noon, further enhancing accessibility for the public. Alongside these extended hours, we encourage you to stay informed about our monthly community events by visiting our webpage for more details.

Upcoming Presentations  

Dickerson, T., & Thorne, L. (April 2024) Exploring innovative leadership approaches: Embracing change and growth . World Forum and Early Care and Education. Vancouver, Canada.

Taylor, J., Dickerson, T., & Thorne, L. (June 2024). Transforming leadership with emotional intelligence . NAEYC Professional Learning Institute 2024. New Orleans, LA.

Hampton, F., & Taylor, A. (June 2024) Creating a social and emotional learning environment for young children. Mississippi Early Childhood Education Conference. Natchez, MS.

For Additional News and Activities

Visit our websites at ext.msstate.edu/family/children-and-parenting .

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Select Your County Office

Ms. Sarah Jane Moody

Your extension experts.

Ms. Kelly Carmody

Dr. Louise E. Davis

Dr. Tara Lea Dickerson

Ms. Mary Hannah Mills

Ms. Jamila B. Taylor

Ms. Mary Elizabeth Thorne

Related news, related publications, recent issues.

Hours and Holidays

Hours The Capitol is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.  It is closed weekends.

Holiday Closings The Capitol is closed on the following federal holidays:  New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. (Since some of these holiday closings could include more than one day, please feel free to contact the Capitol to be certain when it will be closed.)  The Capitol is also closed the last Monday in April for a state holiday.

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