Capitol History

<h2 class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">The current Capitol is the fourth building to serve as Florida's Capitol.</h2>        
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<p class="pb-6">The first Capitol was a log cabin built in 1824 with the establishment of Tallahassee as the territorial capital. In the early 1820s, legislators transferred government business from St. Augustine to Pensacola for alternating sessions. Travel was hazardous and took almost 20 days. As a result, Tallahassee was chosen as the capital of American Florida in 1824, primarily because it was the midway point between the two principal cities.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" />        
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<p class="pb-6">In 1826, a two-story masonry building measuring 40 feet by 26 feet was built. It was to be the wing of a larger structure planned for the future, but financial problems prohibited its completion.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" />        
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<p class="pb-6">As Florida moved toward statehood, the needs of government grew. There arose a demand for a suitable state house or public building for the Territorial Legislature. On March 3, 1839, Congress appropriated $20,000. The old structure was torn down immediately, and Florida's government temporarily moved into rented quarters. Builders commenced work on the third Capitol, a brick structure, in 1839 and completed it by 1845. This structure still remains the core of the Historic Capitol.</p><p class="pb-6">The Capitol remained virtually unchanged during Civil War years, when Tallahassee was the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi that avoided capture by federal troops.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" />        
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<p class="pb-6">By the 1880s, Florida suffered growing pains caused by an economic boom and an expanding population. By 1891, the Capitol needed thorough repairs. The building was repainted; a small cupola was added; and plumbing was installed. There has twice been debate regarding relocating the Capitol. However, in 1900, relocation was placed on the ballot and was voted down.&nbsp;</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" />        
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<p class="pb-6">In 1902, the addition of two wings provided more room for the growing state government, and the familiar dome was added. This was the last time Florida's government operated under one roof. By 1911, state government began moving to other buildings. Further additions to the Capitol were made in 1923, 1936 and 1947.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" />        
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<p class="pb-6">In 1969, the Governor and the Cabinet approved plans for the New Capitol when it was determined the Historic Capitol could no longer accommodate state government and the legislative body. Debate on relocation resurfaced in the early 1970s but never made it to the ballot.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" />        
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<p class="pb-6">&nbsp; In 1972, the Legislature authorized money for a new Capitol Complex to include House and Senate chambers and offices, along with a 22-story executive office building, which was completed in 1977.</p><p class="pb-6">The architects and engineers for the New Capitol were Edward Durell Stone of New York and the firm of Reynolds, Smith and Hills of Jacksonville. Instead of the traditional brick and columns, the Capitol Complex was done in International style to reflect a modern Florida.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" /><h2 class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">The New Capitol</h2>        
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<p class="pb-6">The first phase of the new Capitol Complex started in June 1970 with site preparation for the five-story office buildings for the House and Senate. These buildings were designed to provide legislative committee rooms and member offices.</p><p class="pb-6">Excavated in November 1973, the three lower-level floors of the Capitol are below street level. The steel structure was completed by 1975. It took three years and 10 months for the 718,080-square-foot Capitol to be declared complete in August 1977. With the west plaza unfinished, the building was officially opened for the 1978 Legislative Session.</p><p class="pb-6">To ensure that there would not be a "mortgage" on this new building, the $43,070,741 price tag was paid before the first cornerstone was laid. An additional $1,957,338 was committed to landscaping the west front area. This area is known as Waller Park. It was named after Judge Curtis L. Waller of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals.</p><p class="pb-6">The complex consists of three structures: a 22-story high-rise tower with two legislative office buildings. These buildings, the House Office Building on the north side and the Senate Office Building on the south, are connected by skywalks to the New Capitol. A third skywalk connects the Capitol to the Knott Building. The tower design of the New Capitol is similar to the design of the state capitols in Louisiana, Nebraska and North Dakota.</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" /><h2 class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">The Architect</h2>        
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<p class="pb-6">Edward Durell Stone (1902&ndash;1978) was an award-winning architect and an early proponent of modern architecture in the U.S. Early in his career, he designed the main lobby and grand ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, assisted on the Rockefeller Center project and served as the principal designer on Radio City Music Hall. He was the design architect, in collaboration with Philip Goodwin, for the Museum of Modern Art. During World War II, he was the chief of the Planning and Design Section for the U.S. Army Air Forces.</p><p class="pb-6">After the war, he reopened his firm. He also served as the chief design critic and associate professor of architecture at Yale University. In 1955, the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects awarded Stone the Medal of Honor. Some of the buildings Stone designed in the next two decades included the following: the Stanford University Medical Center (Palo Alto), the Gallery of Modern Art (New York City), the National Geographic Society headquarters (Washington D.C.), the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington D.C.), the Standard Oil Building (Chicago), the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (Islamabad) and the Florida State Capitol (Tallahassee). &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><hr class="separator_ibexa mb-6 mt-4" /><h2 class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">The Historic Capitol</h2><p class="pb-6">The Historic Capitol is located in front of the New Capitol building.</p><p class="pb-6">Its restoration became an issue in 1978. Then Governor Reubin O'D. Askew and House Speaker Donald Tucker favored outright demolition; however, the Historic Capitol building was saved. Upon completion of the new Capitol Complex, the Historic Capitol was restored and refurbished to its 1902 version and was reopened to the public in 1982.</p><p class="pb-6">Herschel Shepard, a restoration architect, was quoted as saying, "the Old Capitol will be like a jewel worn by the New." The Historic Capitol now serves as the Florida Historic Capitol Museum.</p><p class="pb-6">Its restored space includes the Governor's Suite, Supreme Court, House of Representatives and Senate chambers, rotunda and halls. Its adapted space contains a museum exhibiting the state's political history. The 1902 Capitol building was the last statehouse in which all of Florida's political business was housed under one roof.</p><p class="pb-6">For more information, please visit the Historic Capitol Museum's website: <a href="http://www.flhistoriccapitol.gov" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">http://www.flhistoriccapitol.gov</a>.</p>


Capitol Facts

<ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2">The Capitol was designed by a joint venture of Edward Durell Stone of New York and Reynolds, Smith and Hills of Jacksonville.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The first legislative session in the New Capitol was in 1978. Opening day of session was April 4, 1978.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The New Capitol was dedicated on March 31, 1978.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">Construction on the Capitol began November 8, 1973.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The Capitol was declared complete on August 19, 1977.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">It took 1,016 days to build the Capitol, equivalent to more than 3,200,000 man-hours of labor.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The cost to build the Capitol was $45,028,079. The building itself cost $43,070,741 with an additional $1,957,338 committed to landscaping Waller Park.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The grillwork on the outside of the Capitol was Edward Durell Stone's signature late in his architectural career.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">Despite the Capitol being referred to as a 22-story building, there are three underground floors.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The observation deck rises 307 feet from the entrance on the Plaza Level. The 22nd floor is also 512 feet above sea level.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The working life of the New Capitol is estimated at 100 years.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The number of people in the Capitol during a normal workday is 1,500. During legislative session, this number increases to more than 5,000.&nbsp;</li><li class="mb-2">The total square footage of the Capitol is 718,000, equal to approximately 400 homes.</li></ul>


State Facts

<p class="pb-6">Below, you will find various facts about the State of Florida, including ones in these categories:</p><table class="table table_ibexa_content border-collapse table-auto text-sm my-6 inline-table overflow-x-auto w-full max-w-full shadow-xl border border-blue-500"><tbody class="w-full"><tr><td class="p-4">

        





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        <p class="pb-6"><a tabindex="-1" href="#FL_Geography" title="Geographical Facts" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400"><strong>Geographical Facts</strong></a></p>
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        <p class="pb-6"><a tabindex="-1" href="#FL_GovFacts" title="Government Facts" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400"><strong>Government Facts</strong></a></p>
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        <p class="pb-6"><a tabindex="-1" href="#FL_StSymbls" title="State Symbols" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400"><strong>State Symbols</strong></a></p>
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</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="FL_Geography" class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">Geographical Facts</h2><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Total area:&nbsp;</strong>58,560 square miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Total land area:&nbsp;</strong>54,136 square miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Total water area:&nbsp;</strong>4,424 square miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Rank among states in total area:&nbsp;</strong>22nd</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Length north and south:&nbsp;</strong>447 miles (St. Marys River to Key West)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Width east and west:&nbsp;</strong>361 miles (Atlantic Ocean to Perdido River)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Distance from Pensacola to Key West:&nbsp;</strong>792 miles (by road)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Highest natural point:&nbsp;</strong>345 feet (Britton Hill)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Geographic center:&nbsp;</strong>12 miles northwest of Brooksville, Hernando County</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Coastline:&nbsp;</strong>1,197 statute miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Tidal shoreline (general):&nbsp;</strong>2,276 statute miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Beaches:&nbsp;</strong>663 miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Longest river:&nbsp;</strong>St. Johns, 273 miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Largest lake:&nbsp;</strong>Lake Okeechobee, 700 square miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Largest county:&nbsp;</strong>Palm Beach, 2,578 square miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Smallest county:&nbsp;</strong>Union, 245 square miles</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Number of first-magnitude springs:&nbsp;</strong>33</li></ul><h2 id="FL_GovFacts" class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">Government Facts</h2><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Capitol:&nbsp;</strong>Tallahassee (established 1823)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Executive:&nbsp;</strong>Governor and Cabinet consisting of Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Agriculture</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Legislature:&nbsp;</strong>120 House districts, 40 Senate districts</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Judicial:&nbsp;</strong>Florida Supreme Court, district courts of appeal, circuit courts and county courts</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Congressional districts:&nbsp;</strong>27</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Counties:&nbsp;</strong>67</li></ul><table class="table table_ibexa_content border-collapse table-auto text-sm my-6 inline-table overflow-x-auto w-full max-w-full shadow-xl border border-blue-500"><tbody class="w-full"><tr><td class="p-4"><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Executive Branch</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Governor:&nbsp;</strong>Ron DeSantis (R)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Lt. Governor:&nbsp;</strong>Jeanette Nu&ntilde;ez (R)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Attorney General:&nbsp;</strong>James Uthmeier (R)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Chief Financial Officer:&nbsp;</strong>Blaise Ingoglia (R)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Commission of Agriculture:&nbsp;</strong>Wilton Simpson (R)</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="p-4"><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Florida Supreme Court</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Chief Justice:&nbsp;</strong>Carlos G. Mu&ntilde;iz</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Associate Justices:</strong><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2">Charles T. Canaday</li><li class="mb-2">Renatha Francis</li><li class="mb-2">Jorge Labarga</li><li class="mb-2">Meredith Sasso</li><li class="mb-2">John D. Couriel</li><li class="mb-2">Jamie R. Grosshans</li></ul></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="p-4"><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Legislative Leaders</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>House Speaker: </strong>Paul Renner (R)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Senate President:&nbsp;</strong>Kathleen Passidomo (R)</li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 id="FL_StSymbls" class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">State Symbols</h2><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Miscellaneous</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Flag:&nbsp;</strong>A red saltire (diagonal cross) on a white background with the seal of Florida superimposed on the center (1900/1985)<strong>*</strong></li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Motto:&nbsp;</strong>"In God We Trust" (2006)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Nickname:&nbsp;</strong>Sunshine State (1970)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Seal:&nbsp;</strong>Seal of Florida (1868/1985)<strong>**</strong></li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Song:&nbsp;</strong>"Old Folks at Home" (1935)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Anthem:&nbsp;</strong>"Florida, Where the Sawgrass Meets the Sky" (2008)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Welcome song:&nbsp;</strong>"Florida" (1985)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>State Day:&nbsp;</strong>April 2 (1953)</li></ul><span className='indent_ibexa indent-1'>
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        <p class="pb-6"><em><strong><sup>*</sup></strong><sup>The basic design was adopted in 1900. The flag was updated in 1985, when the state seal was changed. Before 1900, it was a white flag with the state seal in the center.</sup></em></p><p class="pb-6"><em><strong><sup>**</sup></strong><sup>In 1868, the Florida Legislature adopted the Seal of Florida, but over the years, several changes have been made to the seal. However, the basic design has been maintained. The last revision took place in 1985.</sup></em></p>
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</span><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Flora</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Flower:&nbsp;</strong>Orange blossom (1909)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Tree:&nbsp;</strong>Sabal palm (1953)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Wildflower:&nbsp;</strong>Coreopsis (1991)</li></ul><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Fauna</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Animal:&nbsp;</strong>Florida panther (1982)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Bird:&nbsp;</strong>Northern mockingbird (1927)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Butterfly:&nbsp;</strong>Zebra longwing (1996)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Fish (fresh water):&nbsp;</strong>Florida largemouth bass (1975)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Fish (saltwater):&nbsp;</strong>Atlantic sailfish (1975)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Heritage horse:&nbsp;</strong>Florida Cracker horse (2008)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Mammal (marine):&nbsp;</strong>Florida manatee (1975)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Mammal (saltwater):&nbsp;</strong>Porpoise (dolphin) (1975)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Reptile:&nbsp;</strong>American alligator (1987)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Reptile (saltwater):&nbsp;</strong>Loggerhead turtle (2008)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Shell:&nbsp;</strong>Horse conch (1969)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Tortoise:&nbsp;</strong>Gopher tortoise (2008)</li></ul><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Geology</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Fossil:&nbsp;</strong>Eocene heart urchin (2006)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Gem:&nbsp;</strong>Moonstone (1970)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Mineral:&nbsp;</strong>Calcite (2006)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Rock:&nbsp;</strong>Ocala limestone (2006)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Soil:&nbsp;</strong>Myakka fine sand (1989)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Stone:&nbsp;</strong>Agatized coral (1979)</li></ul><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Food &amp; Beverages</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Beverage:&nbsp;</strong>Orange juice (1967)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Fruit:&nbsp;</strong>Orange (2005)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Honey:&nbsp;</strong>Tupelo (2016)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Pie:&nbsp;</strong>Key lime pie (2006)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Dessert:</strong>&nbsp;Strawberry Shortcake</li></ul><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Events</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Air fair:&nbsp;</strong>The Central Florida Air Fair (1976)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Festival: </strong>Calle Ocho-Open House 8 (1980)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Fiddle contest:&nbsp;</strong>The fiddle contest held annually by the Florida State Fiddlers Association in cooperation with the Department of State at the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center (1989)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Renaissance festival:&nbsp;</strong>The Italian Renaissance Festival at Vizcaya (1994)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Rodeo:&nbsp;</strong>Silver Spurs Rodeo (1994)</li></ul><h3 class="font-extrabold text-blue-400 text-2xl mt-4 mb-4">Culture</h3><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2"><strong>Art museum:&nbsp;</strong>John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota (1980)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>American folk dance:&nbsp;</strong>Square dance (1986)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Band:&nbsp;</strong>The St. Johns River City Band (1990)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Citrus archive:&nbsp;</strong>The Florida Citrus Archives (2001)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Litter control symbol:&nbsp;</strong>"Glenn Glitter" (1978)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Maritime museum:&nbsp;</strong>The Admiral John H. Fetterman State of Florida Maritime Museum and Research Center (2006)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Moving image center and archive:&nbsp;</strong>The Louis Wolfson II Media History Center, Inc. (1989)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Opera program:&nbsp;</strong>The Greater Miami Opera Association; the Orlando Opera Company, Incorporated; and the Florida State University School of Music (1983)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Pageant: </strong>Indian River Pageant (1979)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Play: </strong><em>Cross and Sword</em> (1973)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Poetry Day:&nbsp;</strong>May 25 (1947)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Railroad museums:&nbsp;</strong>The Orange Blossom Special Railroad Museum in West Palm Beach, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami and the Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum in Tampa (1984)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Sports hall of fame:&nbsp;</strong>The Florida Sports Hall of Fame in Auburndale (1988)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Theaters: </strong>The Asolo Theature in Sarasota, the Hippodrome Theatre in Gainesville and Caldwell Theatre Company in Boca Raton (1965/1981/1986)</li><li class="mb-2"><strong>Transportation museum:&nbsp;</strong>The Florida Museum of Transportation and History in Fernandina Beach (1985)</li></ul>


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<p class="pb-6"><br>Winning submissions from the annual Art in the Capitol Competition hang within the Florida Capitol&rsquo;s second-floor rotunda, showcasing the talent of Florida students from school districts across the state. Each year, middle school students, from sixth grade to eighth grade, enter their artwork in their respective school district&rsquo;s Art in the Capitol Competition, judged by a panel of art teachers. Winning pieces are delivered and displayed at the Capitol in a coordinated effort with their sponsoring legislator.</p><p class="pb-6">The Capitol has both permanent and temporary art displays. On the lower floors of the Capitol and Legislative Office Buildings are photographs from Florida's history. These images from Florida's Photographic Archives are on permanent display. They were chosen and placed by the Florida Legislative Research Center (FLRC).</p><p class="pb-6">The rotating art display areas within the Capitol grounds include the 22nd Floor Capitol Gallery, the Cabinet Meeting Room, and the Gallery at the Historic Capitol. The Capitol Gallery and Cabinet Meeting Room are managed by the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, which is part of the Florida Department of State. Cultural Affairs maintains an&nbsp;<a href="https://dos.myflorida.com/cultural/news-and-events/exhibition-calendar-1/" target="_blank" title="undefined" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400"><strong>exhibition calendar</strong></a>&nbsp;on its website. The Historic Capitol Gallery is operated by the FLRC.&nbsp;<a href="http://flhistoriccapitol.gov/Pages/ExhibitsAndCollections/PermanentExhibits.aspx" target="_blank" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400"><strong>Information on the current display</strong></a>&nbsp;is available at the FLRC's website.</p>        
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    <figure class="ezimage-field"><img src="https://cc-dms-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/main/images/_aliases/reference/media/myfloridacapitol_media/images/w_s_jennings_in_alligator_cart_at_st_augustine/799257-1-eng-US/w_s_jennings_in_alligator_cart_at_st_augustine.jpg" alt="W.S. Jennings in Alligator Cart at St Augustine" height="515" width="700" /></figure>

</div>

<p class="pb-6"><em>Former House Speaker and Governor W.S. Jennings (D &ndash; Hernando County) (right) is shown here in an alligator cart by the St. Augustine city gates while he was Governor between 1901-1905.</em></p>


Events

<p class="pb-6"><strong>For the most current list of events, visit the </strong><a href="https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/real_estate_development_and_management/bureau_of_property_services/reservations/capitol_events_calendars" target="_blank" title="Capitol Complex Events" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400"><strong>Capitol Complex Events page</strong></a><strong> on the Department of Management Services' (DMS) website.</strong></p><p class="pb-6">Please note: Various construction projects are underway at the Florida Capitol. While selecting a location to reserve your upcoming event, please refer to the latest update of ongoing construction projects to understand potential disruptions. See ongoing projects <a href="https://www.floridacapitol.myflorida.com/ccip/construction_closures" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">here</a>.</p><h2 class="font-bold text-3xl mt-6 mb-4 leading-10 font-display">Your Event at the Capitol</h2><p class="pb-6">In order to reserve space for your event at the Capitol, please contact DMS Reservations at <a href="tel://+18504882074" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">850-488-5636</a>&nbsp;or <a href="mailto:reservations@dms.fl.gov" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">Reservations@dms.fl.gov</a>. Event forms and guidelines are available online at the <a href="https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/real_estate_development_and_management/bureau_of_property_services/reservations" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">Reservations</a> page. Areas available for reservation can be found in the <a href="https://dms-media.ccplatform.net/content/download/158348/file/UseofCapitolComplexGuidelines.pdf" title="USE OF CAPITOL COMPLEX GUIDELINES" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">Use of Capitol Complex Guidelines.</a> [ Adobe PDF Document ]</p><p class="pb-6">Please note that DMS does not handle reservation requests or the approval process for the Florida Historic Capitol Museum, the Capitol Gallery or spaces controlled by the Florida Senate or Florida House of Representatives. Please review the following important contact information for spaces that are not managed by DMS:</p><ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2">The <strong>Legislative Porticos and Rotunda areas</strong> (2nd and 3rd floors) are available. For more information, please contact the appropriate Sergeant at Arms Office:<ul class="list-disc list-outside mb-6 ml-6"><li class="mb-2">House Sergeant's Office - <a href="tel://+18507175700" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">850-717-5700</a></li><li class="mb-2">Senate Sergeant's Office - <a href="tel://+18504875224" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">850-487-5224</a><br>&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li class="mb-2">The <strong>Historic Capitol Museum interior</strong> is available. Please call the museum at <a href="tel://+18504871902" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">850-487-1902</a>.</li><li class="mb-2">The <strong>Capitol Gallery</strong> is managed by the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs. Information is available on their <a href="https://dos.myflorida.com/cultural/programs/exhibitions/" target="_blank" class="underline text-blue-500 transition-colors ease-in-out duration-500 hover:text-blue-400">their website</a>.&nbsp;</li></ul>
