The historic Old State Capitol Gothic building, once described by Mark Twain as being ‘the ugliest thing on the Mississippi’, sits on a bluff overlooking the river and today operates as a centre for political and governmental history. The building was completed in 1849 and housed the Louisiana Legislature until Union forces captured the city of Baton Rouge in 1862. The legislature returned to the building in 1882 and stayed until the new capitol was completed in 1932. The old Capitol has now been restored and houses a museum featuring state-of-the-art interactive exhibits and multi-media presentations detailing Louisiana’s past and political history.

Address: 100 North Boulevard at River Road

Website: www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/245/Default.aspx

Telephone: (225) 342 0500

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm; Sunday 12pm-4pm. Open Mondays for special tours.