Wyoming State Capitol Visitors Reservation Information

 

Groups may schedule visits to the Wyoming State Capitol Monday through Friday. Please review the descriptions of the types of visits available and select the one that best meets your needs. Due to current state of world affairs, school groups touring the Wyoming State Capitol must be accompanied/supervised by Information Desk staff. Self guided tours are not available at this time. Your requests are accepted on a first come first serve basis. Access to any or all of the Capitol’s facilities is dependant on availability as determined by the State Building Commission and the occupants of the offices in the Capitol. Unfortunately, your reservation does not guarantee access to ANY limited access areas of the building including the chambers, conference rooms, or elected officials’ offices. Those areas are operating areas for the occupants of the building and may be in use at the time of your visit. Arrangements to visit the elected officials must be made directly with their individual offices. Information on how to contact each of them is enclosed.

 

School and youth groups of all ages require adult escorts with a 1 adult to 10 students’ ratio. Students must be with adults at all times.

 

Arrangements for group visits are confirmed in writing. Your reservation for access and services is not confirmed until this form has been returned and you receive your written conformation.

 

Your request will be processed, in order, upon receipt. Four (4) weeks advance lead time is recommended during the Legislative session and during April and May.

 

Please be thorough and accurate in filling in the information. Incomplete forms will not be processed and will be returned to you.

 

Return reservation form to:

Reservations

Capitol Information Desk

200 W. 24th Street

Cheyenne, WY 82002

 

You may also return your form by FAX to 307-777-6273.

 

The Information Desk telephone number is 307-777-7220. No reservation will be confirmed by telephone. Forms may be requested at this number and assistance with questions and general information is also available.

Please click on the link below for the Wyoming State Capitol Visitor Reservation Form. Print and mail to the above address or save and email to shagan1@state.wy.us

 

Wyoming State Capitol Visitor Reservation Form

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Types of Visits

 

Recreational Field Trip

 

This tour is composed of a 20-30 minute overview orientation to the history of the Capitol and its current usage. Information is provided on what parts of the facility are open and accessible. Handouts and materials are available for group leaders to use in visiting the designated public spaces on the second and third floors. Usually, that space includes the House and Senate Visitors Galleries on the third floor and the Lobbies on the second floor. A forty-five minute time frame is reserved for this type of tour. Based on availability, a visit to Room 302 and the Kopriva mural may be added to this tour. You will need to have 15 additional minutes scheduled for this option.

 

This tour may be arranged for groups of from 10 to 40 persons. One adult is required to accompany every 10 students for this type of tour.

 

Guided Tour

 

This tour is composed of a comprehensive examination of the subjects noted in the Capitol School Tour Outline that will be provided in the confirmation letter.

 

ALL subjects will be introduced and an effort is made to explore each item noted within a narrative format using available appropriate exhibit materials to enhance the presentation.

 

All three floors of the rotunda, if accessible, the legislative chambers, and Room 302 and the Kopriva mural are included in the tour.

 

This tour requires a minimum of one hour and 15 minutes to complete. A question and answer format requires more time. One hour and 30 minutes is recommended with the inclusion of a Q&A format.

 

The tour is available for groups of 10 to 25

 

Legislative Session Visits

 

  1. Student visits to the Capitol during the Legislative Sessions put extreme pressures on the Capitol’s Facilities and resources. There are only a total of sixty seats in the House Visitors Gallery. The Senate has the same number of fixed seats, plus a balcony of bleacher type seats. ADVANCE PLANNING IS A MUST DURING THE LEGISLATIVE PERIOD. Otherwise, your group may NOT find seating or facilities open during their visit. Scheduling is done on a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS.
  2. Legislative session visits are recommended for student groups from the 5th grade level and above.
  3. While observing the Legislature, students are responsible for their individual and collective behavior. The rules of the House and Senate require silence from the Visitor’s Galleries and the doormen for each chamber have the authority to remove violators.
  4. When you arrive you will be given a form to fill out. This form will be delivered to your Legislator(s) when you get into the Chambers so that, if possible, your Delegate(s) can introduce your group from the floor. If you or your students need to make contact with your Legislator, do not go into the House or Senate Chambers, (unless you are accompanied by a member of the Legislature), please follow the procedure below:
    1. Remain in the lobby areas, whether the House or Senate are in session or not.
    2. Note paper is available in each Lobby. Write a message on the note paper, sign your name, and indicate what school you are from. Fold the paper and write the Legislator’s title, Representative or Senator, and last name on the outside. Give your message to the doorman or the receptionist to be delivered to the Legislator. Your message will be delivered to the legislator promptly.
  5. Limited medical facilities and services are available in the Capitol. The Medical Room is on the third floor and is staffed by a nurse/doctor when the Legislature is in session. Capitol Security personnel and the Information Desk also assist with medical situations

 

PLEASE REMEMBER the Legislators are in Cheyenne to complete an incredible amount of work in a very short period of time. Because of scheduling requirements and legislative rules requiring them to be present for meetings and session activities, they often are NOT free to arrange for unscheduled meetings. They enjoy seeing you and request that you make your arrangements with THEM personally as far ahead of your visit as possible. The Information Desk has address and phone information for your convenience.

 

Protocol for Capitol Visits

 

  1. All groups should make an advance contact with the Capitol Information Desk befor finalizing arrangements to visit the Capitol. A minimum of one week in advance is recommended. The address is Capitol information Desk, 200 W. 24th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002. The Telephone number is 307-777-7220.

 

  1. Prepare students, escorts, and yourself for your visit. If you need information on facilities, parking, services, or a map please ask about these in advance. Many times there are back to back arrangements made for tours and services from the Information Desk. It is difficult to help you with your requests while other individuals and groups are waiting. It also upsets tight time tables that are often arranged for your visits. Each group of 20 students visiting the Capitol should be accompanied by two escorts. This includes high school students.

 

  1. Ultimately, the sponsor is responsible for the health, safety, and behavior of the students. The minimum of two escorts is particularly important in this regard. One escort can be with the group at all times, should it be necessary to take care of the needs of any individual student.

 

  1. NO FOOD OR DRINK IS ALLOWED ABOVE THE FIRST FLOOR. All refuse must be dealt with properly. On site facilities for food services are non-existent. Please inquire in advance about eating recommendations.

 

  1. Upon arrival at the Capitol, please report to the Information Desk if a staff member is not at the door to meet you. You will receive updated information about any activities or situations that may affect your visit. Please try to be flexible. The daily activities at the Capitol change frequently on a moments notice. I will do my best to create a memorable and educational visit for your students. This is also a good time for you to update me on any timetables, travel plans, or needs that you may have.

 

  1. As soon as we have handled the preliminary formalities, we will proceed with the tour/presentation. Befor you leave the Capitol you will receive a Teachers Packet which contains a variety of information sheets, quiz material, and handouts for you to use as follow-up material. I would appreciate any comments or input that you would care to offer.

 

 

VIP Arrangements

 

If you are interested in visiting with any of the five elected officials, you will need to contact their individual offices to make an advance appointment. Although they all enjoy spur of the moment visits, their schedules and travel plans may leave you disappointed if you do not make appointments in advance. Unfortunately, an advance appointment with any of the five elected officials does not provide advance notice of your visit to the Capitol Information Desk or automatically secure tour services. Groups of five or more students should contact the Information Desk as well as the elected official(s).

 

Governors Office                                  777-7434

Secretary of State                                 777-5333

Treasurer                                            777-7408

Auditor                                               777-7831

Superintendent of Public Instruction       777-7673

 

 

REMINDER!

 

Please be sure that each student is identified as part of your group. Name tags, wrist bands, school insignia clothing, etc. are all easily recognizable means of group identification. Color coding is highly recommended.

 

Also, please do not bring backpacs, satchels, duffle bags etc. into the building. Students should leave these objects on the bus. All packages, bags, briefcases etc. will be subject to search and may interrupt/delay/or cause your visit to be canceled.

 

Thank You

 

TOUR OBJECTIVES for students

 

1.   create an apreciation for the significance of the capitol

 

2.   be able to rationalize the relationship between government officials and the capitol

 

3.   be able to recognize the importance of preserving historic buildings.

 

 

 

Capitol Classroom Commandments

 

1.     Arrive on time.

2.     be prepared and responsive.

3.     touch only when permitted.

4.     be attentive. – (talking during the presentation is rude)

5.     no food or drink.

6.     follow instructions.

7.     no loud or boisterous talking or behavior.

8.     no running or jumping. keep hands to self.

9.     students must be accompanied by adults at all times.

10.      be respectful of all others, teachers, guides, adults and follow students.

 

 

TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK AT A HISTORIC SITE

 

  1. When did this location become a historic site? (When was the marker or monument put up? Or the house “interpreted”?) How did that time differ from ours? From the time of the event or person commemorated?

 

  1. Who sponsored it? Representing which participant group’s point of view? What was their position in social structure when the event occurred? When the site went “up?”

 

  1. What were the sponsors’ motives? What were their ideological needs and social purposes? What were their values?

 

  1. Who is the intended audience for the site? What value were they trying to leave for us, today? What does the site ask us to go and do or think about?

 

  1. Did the sponsors have government support? At what level? Who was ruling the government at the time? What ideological arguments were used to get the government to acquiesce?

 

  1. Who is left out? What points of view go largely unheard? How would the story differ if a different group told it? Another political party? Race? Sex? Class? Religious group?

 

  1. Are there problematic (insulting, degrading) words or symbols that would not be used today, or by other groups?

 

  1. How is the site used today? Do traditional rituals continue to connect today’s public to it? Or is it ignored? Why?

 

  1. Is the presentation accurate? What actually happened? What historical sources tell of the event, people, or period commemorated at the site?

 

  1. How does this site fit in with others that treat the same era? Or subject? What other people lived and events happened then but are not commemorated? Why?

 

From the book: “Lies Across America: What Our Historic Markers and Monuments Get Wrong,” p. 459, by Dr. James Loewen