The North Dakota State Capitol is a 19 story tower on a 160-acre campus that is the site of many other government buildings. The capitol building itself and the surrounding office buildings house the state's legislative and judicial branches, as well as many government agencies. It is the tallest building in the State of North Dakota.

The State Capitol is largely surrounded by state government buildings. The numerous parks, walking trails, and monuments on the grounds give visitors information concerning the state's history, making it one of the city's tourist attractions. Six buildings currently exist on the grounds; all were built during various time periods as the government grew. Not all state agencies are housed on the grounds, however: a large number of them are spread throughout the city in various facilities. Plans for a massive expansion and improvement of the grounds were developed in 2000, but very little of the plan has been implemented as of 2012.