The first territorial capital of Arizona was Fort Whipple, an army post near Prescott. The capital was later moved to Prescott. In 1867 the territorial capital was moved to Tucson. In 1877, the capital moved back to Prescott. Phoenix became Arizona's permanent capital city in 1889 and, in that year, the construction of the Phoenix state capitol building began. Completed in 1900, the cost of the building was about $136,000. The Arizona State Capitol Building was dedicated on February 25, 1901. It was designated a museum in 1977.
The Arizona State Capitol Museum was the actual state capitol building when Arizona became the 48th state of the United State in 1912. The Governor's Office was located here until the mid-70s. Although the rooms of the Arizona State Capitol Museum are no longer used for state business, the Governor's Office, other departments and the Senate and House of Representatives are in adjacent buildings.
The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Tip: When you visit the museum, you'll note that it isn't especially fancy or hi-tech. This building is deliberately very simlar to the original, so don't expect fancy lighting or big screen videos. The goal here is authenticity.
Page 1: Arizona Capitol Museum - Overview
Page 2: Visiting the Museum - Who Should Go
Page 3: Visiting the Museum - What You'll See
Page 4: Location, Hours, Admission
