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Historic Rooms

The California State Capitol building houses historic rooms that served former governors, secretaries of state, and treasurers. These rooms have been carefully restored by skilled craftspeople to reflect their appearance at the turn of the twentieth century.

Governor's Anteroom

The Governor’s Anteroom served as a formal reception space for the governor and his staff. This room has been restored to appear as it might have in 1906 during the term of Governor George Pardee.
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Governor's Main Office

The Main Office depicts the days following the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire as the governor’s staff worked quickly to address the expanding public emergency.
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Governor's Private Office

The Governor’s Private Office was recreated using surviving photographs and interviews with Governor Pardee’s daughter to appear as it did during his tenure from 1903 to 1907.
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Archives Exhibit Room

The State Archives Exhibit Room highlights the beauty of the Capitol’s original design. Today, it is used to display rotating exhibits by the State Capitol Museum.
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1902 Secretary of State's Office

The Secretary of State is an executive officer whose role directly influences the lives of Californians. This room has been restored to show how it might have appeared in 1902, when Charles F. Curry served as Secretary of State.
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1906 Treasurer's Office

The State Treasurer has been the chief banker for the state of California for over 150 years. The 1906 Treasurer’s Office is a recreation of the workspace as it existed during the tenure of State Treasurer Truman Reeves, who occupied the position from 1899 to 1907.
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1933 Treasurer's Office

This historic room has been restored to appear as it did in the 1930s, when the day-to-day operations of the State Treasurer’s Office were deeply affected by the financial crises of the Great Depression. Charles G. Johnson, whose office has been recreated here, served as the State Treasurer from 1922 to 1956.

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Library Exhibit Room

Originally established in 1850 as a reference library for the California State Legislature, the Library Exhibit Room has been converted to feature exhibits that celebrate the diversity of California’s natural and cultural resources.
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Assembly and Senate Chamber Galleries

As the needs of the Capitol grew, modernizations slowly began to chip away at the chambers’ classic elegance. The chambers, as they appear today, have been carefully restored to their original appearance.

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