Major Capitol restoration begins in Helena, roof and dome first

Scaffolding and a construction crane now frame the Montana State Capitol in Helena as the state moves ahead with repairs to the roof and copper dome. The work is the first priority from a condition assessment that found many exterior materials had reached the end of their life and that the sandstone walls continue to deteriorate.

The Capitol’s current restoration is aimed at stopping that decline before it grows into a larger and more expensive problem. Hennebery Eddy Architects completed the assessment and built an Historic Building Information Model, or HBIM, that the State of Montana’s General Services Division can use to guide future rehabilitation and maintenance decisions.

The building itself dates to two construction phases. The central sandstone section was completed in 1902, and the east and west granite wings were added in 1912. The Montana State Capitol was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, giving the project both practical and historic weight. The building stands at 1301 East 6th Ave. and remains one of Helena’s most visible civic landmarks.

For people in Helena and Lewis and Clark County, the change is immediate and hard to miss. The Capitol is still open to the public on weekdays and weekends, though the Montana Historical Society says periodic closures for maintenance do happen. That means the work is unfolding around an active seat of government, not a closed museum, with visitors, staff and lawmakers all passing through the complex while repairs continue.

The Capitol Complex Advisory Council advises the Department of Administration on maintenance, beautification and long-range planning for the Capitol Complex. State budget documents and Montana’s 2025 major repair bill put the project inside a wider long-range building program for 2026 and 2027, with money appropriated for major repair and capital development projects through the biennium ending June 30, 2027. In that context, the Capitol work is part of a broader state response to deferred maintenance across public buildings, not an isolated fix.

State officials are treating the roof and dome as the first visible step in a larger rehabilitation effort meant to keep the Capitol functional and structurally sound. The project now underway will shape the look of the Capitol complex in Helena while the state works to preserve one of its most important public buildings for the next century.