Free English/Spanish guide to the Nebraska State Capitol: find senator offices and hearing rooms, get walking directions, take a tour, check hours and parking.
Capitol Compass is an independent, free tool with no affiliation to the Capitol, the Legislature, or the State of Nebraska.
Weekdays: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays & most holidays: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sundays: 1–5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, the day after, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
No dedicated visitor lot — time-limited street parking (1–2 hrs) surrounds the building. For longer stays, use the residential blocks a few blocks south, or a downtown public garage (parkandgo.org). The K Street horseshoe drive is reserved for elected officials 24/7 — do not park there.
1445 K Street, Lincoln — 15th & K, south edge of downtown. Mid-April–mid-October: enter via the north K Street doors, which open onto Floor 2. Rest of the year: use the ground-floor entrance under the north stairs, then take the elevator to Floor 2.
Weapons and self-defense items are banned under LB1237 (2026) — firearms without a permit, knives, pepper spray, tasers, and similar items. Concealed-carry permit holders may carry after screening; violations are a Class III misdemeanor. Metal detectors are being installed through 2027 and may not yet be active — come prepared for an airport-style check.
Accessible entrance: the ramped door "under the stair" on the north K Street drive — also the main entrance in colder months. Accessible parking is on the east and west sides of that drive; an accessible elevator and restrooms are just inside. Service animals are welcome. Questions: tour office at (402) 471-0449.
Restrooms are near each corner of Floors 1 and 2, plus a few more toward the center. Search "restroom" in the Directory or Navigator for the closest one and walking directions.
Cafeteria and dining room on Floor 1, generally open for weekday breakfast and lunch. Vending machines nearby. Outside food and drink aren't allowed in public spaces or the galleries.
Information desk, gift shop, and mail/copy center — Floor 1. Tour desk — Floor 2, by the north entrance. Nebraska State Library — Floor 3. The 14th-floor Memorial Chamber and observation decks are closed for HVAC construction.
Floor 1: senator offices and committee hearing rooms (public testimony). Floor 2: the ceremonial core — Rotunda, both chambers, Supreme Court, Governor's suite. Floor 3: mostly the State Library, plus a few press and drafting offices.
Yes, in public spaces — no flash. Formal or prop photography (weddings, portraits) follows separate rules, hours, and approved areas.
Free guided tours: 9 a.m. weekdays; 10 & 11 a.m. Mon–Sat; 1, 2, 3 & 4 p.m. daily. Tour office: (402) 471-0448.
Convenes the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January. 90 working days in odd years, 60 in even years — the 2026 session runs Jan 7 to about Apr 17. Outside session ("the interim"), committees still meet occasionally.
Yes — public gallery above the Norris Chamber (west chamber). Walk in and sit down. Floor debate is also streamed live and archived online.
Stay seated; nothing on or over the banister; no drinks or demonstrations. Photos are fine without flash. Disruptions result in removal. To go on the record, testify at a committee hearing instead.
Nebraska's Legislature is nonpartisan and unicameral — 49 senators, one per district. Bills are debated in up to three rounds; ending debate (cloture) takes 33 votes. Slower stretches are usually procedural, not inaction.
Testify at its committee hearing (afternoons, usually starting 1:30 p.m., Floors 1–2). Sign the witness sheet and state your name for the record. Can't attend in person? Submit written comment online by noon the day before.
Search their name in the Directory for room number and contact info. Or use the Legislature's "Find Your Senator" tool by street address.
No — Capitol Compass is an independent, free tool with no affiliation to the Capitol, the Legislature, or the State of Nebraska. Room and senator data is transcribed from the Capitol's own published floor maps and roster.
Possible — offices change, and this data is drawn from public PDFs that can lag reality. For anything time-sensitive, the Floor 1 information desk is the authoritative source.