The most beautiful building in every US state, according to people who live there

Kauffman_Center
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. Wikipedia Commons

Architecture is a powerful form of art.

Advertisement

When a city builds a library, train station, school, or museum that adds to the streetscape, it can transform a neighborhood and increase the emotional well-being of residents.

We asked readers to name the one architectural masterpiece they adore in their state. Responses ranged from a cliffside church to a famous lighthouse.

Here are the most beautiful buildings in every US state, plus Washington, DC:

Advertisement

Alabama — The Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile

Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center
Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center/Facebook

Honorable mentions: Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House in Florence; the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery

Alaska — The Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in Fairbanks

The Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center in Fairbanks
NBBJ

Honorable mentions: Sealaska Heritage Institute's Walter Soboleff Center in Juneau; Ketchikan Public Library

Advertisement

Arizona — The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona

sedona holy cross
Bernard Spragg/Flickr

"Sedona is just completely filled with beauty," a reader said. "And while I feel there are way too many churches in the US, I do love the Chapel of the Holy Cross."

Honorable mention: San Xavier Mission in Tucson

Arkansas — Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista

27db86d6156e0e8fd933bd2b65b008ad
Pinterest/Kristen Ayers

"My cousin got married here in 1995, and it took my breath away," a reader said.

Advertisement

California — The Salk Institute in San Diego

Salk_Institute_Panorama
A panorama of the Salk Institute in San Diego, California. Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: The Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael; the Bradbury Building, the Los Angeles City Hall, the LA Theater, the Eastern Columbia Building, the Stahl House, the Bonaventure Hotel, and the Hollyhock House in LA; the Gamble House in Pasadena; the Hearst Castle in San Simeon; the Painted Ladies houses and City Hall in San Francisco; and the Pantheon and Bob Hope Estate in Palm Springs.

Colorado — The Air Force Academy chapel in Colorado Springs

140807 F MK000 001.JPG
US Air Force Academy

Honorable mentions: The Daniels & Fisher Tower, the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, the Oxford Hotel, East High School, and Union Station in Denver.

Advertisement

Connecticut —The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University

5524726710_046c72a5cf_b
joevare/Flickr

A reader said the building has "amazing translucent walls."

Honorable mentions: The County Courthouse and Union Station in New Haven; Grace Farms and the Philip Johnson Glass House in New Canaan; Goodspeed Opera House in Haddam; and the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford.

Delaware — The Grand Opera House in Wilmington

1137px Grand_Opera_House
Wikipedia Commons
Advertisement

District of Columbia — The National Museum of the American Indian

museum of american indian
Katherine Fogden/NMAI

Honorable mentions: The Riggs Bank Building; the Thomas Jefferson Building; the Library of Congress; the American Art Museum; and the National Portrait Gallery

Advertisement

Florida — The Bacardi Complex in Miami

Bacardi Buildings_1
ArchiTravel/YoungArts Campus

"The office building by Enrique Gutiérrez and the Jewel Box annex by Cabrera-Justiz are the most amazing ensemble," a reader noted.

Honorable mentions: The Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg; Armature Works Tampa; the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando; the Biltmore Hotel in Miami, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales

Advertisement

Georgia — The Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta

wes1023ex.145335_tb 2
Westin Peachtree Plaza

Hawaii — Iolani Palace in Honolulu

2146288609_5d507a42a1_b
Peter Webb/Flickr
Advertisement

Idaho — The Idaho State Capitol in Boise

1024px Idaho_Capitol_Building.JPG
Wikipedia Commons
Advertisement

Illinois — The Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette

Bahá'í_House_of_Worship
WIkipedia Commons

"Even seeing it from the highway is astounding," a reader said.

Another said, "The combination of the design of the inside and the quiet, contemplative feel there makes it so good for clearing your mind."

Honorable mentions: The UIUC Psychology Building in Champaign; the Tribune Tower, the Joseph Regenstein Library, Aqua Tower, and the Rookery Building in Chicago.

Advertisement

Indiana — The 1933 Chicago World's Fair Century of Progress Homes in Michigan City

COP Florida Tropical House by Lee Lewellen
Indiana Landmarks Center

Honorable mention: The Peters-Margedant House in Evansville.

Iowa — The Iowa Capitol Building in Des Moines

1024px Des_Moines_20090110_State_Capitol.JPG
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: The World Food Prize Building in Des Moines; the Figge Art Museum in Davenport.

Advertisement

Kansas — The Kansas State Capitol in Topeka

1280px Kansas_State_Capitol
Wikipedia Commons

Kentucky — The Historic Courthouse in Lexington

1280px Lexington_History_Center_ _Lexington,_Kentucky_ _DSC09073.JPG
Wikipedia Commons
Advertisement

Louisiana — Commander's Palace in New Orleans

commanders5
GoNOLA

Honorable mention: St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.

Maine — Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth

1280px Portland Head Lighthouse
Wikipedia Commons
Advertisement

Maryland — The George Peabody Library in Baltimore

The George Peabody Library in Baltimore
Patrick Gillespie/Flickr

Honorable mentions: Johns Hopkins University's Gilman Hall and the American Brewery in Baltimore.

Massachusetts — Boston Public Library

boston public library
Tony Webster/Flickr

Honorable mention: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

Advertisement

Michigan — The Guardian Building in Detroit

Guardianbuilding
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: Fisher Building in Detroit; Detroit Public Library.

Minnesota — The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis

28791309934_dfd758e591_b
Paul VanDerWerf/Flickr

Honorable mentions: Landmark Center in St. Paul; Wesley United Methodist Church in Minneapolis.

Advertisement

Mississippi — Longwood in Natchez

15262712634_3f0746c80c_h
Faungg/Flickr

Missouri — The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City

Kauffman_Center
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: The Wainwright building in St. Louis; Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.

Advertisement

Montana — The Montana Club in Helena

1280px Montana_Club,_Helena,_Montana_15
Wikipedia Commons

Nebraska — The Nebraska State Capitol Building in Lincoln

Nebraska_State_Capitol_Highsmith
Wikipedia Commons
Advertisement

Nevada — Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas

Clark_County_Government_Center_aerial_view
Wikipedia Commons

New Hampshire — Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods

1200px Mt._Washington_Hotel
Wikipedia Commons

"It's a fine example of the classic American mountain resort, and is one of the last remaining grand hotels in the White Mountains," a reader said.

Advertisement

New Jersey — The Krueger-Scott Mansion in Newark

1200px High_Court_Sts_castle_jeh
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mention: Hill Center at Rutgers University in Piscataway.

New Mexico — KiMo Theater in Albuquerque

1280px KiMo_Albuquerque
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: Santa Fe Opera Theatre; Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque; and Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts in Alto.

Advertisement

New York — The Ford Foundation Building in New York City

Ford_Foundation_Building_1
Wikipedia Commons

"A metal and concrete structure with lush vegetation, the Ford Foundation Building exists within the context of New York City home: It's gritty, yet full of vibrancy and life," a reader said.

Honorable mentions: Grand Central Terminal, the Flatiron Building, the Chrysler Building, One World Trade Center, the Oculus, and the Brooklyn Museum in NYC; the SUNY Administration Building and the New York State Capitol in Albany; and the Niagara Mohawk Building in Syracuse .

Advertisement

North Carolina — The JS Dorton Arena

1280px Dorton_Arena_West_Side.JPG
WIkipedia Commons

"It's super gritty now and used for roller derby and smaller concerts, which just makes it cooler," one reader said. "Two sunken parabolic arches hold the roof so that it never touches the ground and floats above the interior. All the walls are glass. A big teenage hobby [of mine] was walking up the arches to the top of the arena."

Honorable mentions: The Biltmore Estate in Asheville; the Museum of Natural History in Raleigh; and the Elion-Hitchings Building in Research Triangle Park.

Advertisement

North Dakota — The North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck

bismarck north dakota
Wikimedia Commons

Ohio — The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland

MOCA_Cleveland_2014
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: Union Terminal in Cincinnati; Heinen's of Downtown Cleveland; the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Tinkham Veale University Center in Cleveland.

Advertisement

Oklahoma — Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City

Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City
Myriad Botanical Gardens

Honorable mentions: The Gold Dome in Oklahoma City; the Price Tower in Bartlesville.

Oregon — Portland Union Station

1280px UnionStationPortland
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: Vista House in Corbett; Pittock Mansion in Portland; and the Timberline Lodge in Government Camp.

Advertisement

Pennsylvania — Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh

CathedralFromSS
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: Fallingwater in Mill Run; the Philadelphia Museum of Art in and City Hall in Philadelphia.

Advertisement

Rhode Island — Touro Synagogue in Newport

Jimmy Emerson, DVM_flickr (1)
National Park Foundation

"Its design is simplistic but beautiful," one reader said.

Honorable mention: The Cranston St Armory in Providence.

Advertisement

South Carolina — The Cistern at the College of Charleston

cisten graduation setup COFCPRETTY0717
Kristen White/College of Charleston

Honorable mention: The Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

South Dakota — St. Anthony of Padua in Hoven

St. Anthony of Padua in Hoven
St. Anthony of Padua/Facebook

Honorable mention: Sylvan Lake Lodge in Custer State Park.

Advertisement

Tennessee —Customs House in Nashville

1280px Customs_House_Nashville_Tennessee
Wikipedia Commons

Honorable mentions: Hume Fogg High School and the AT&T Building in Nashville.

Texas — The Bank of America Center in Houston

Bank of America Center in Houston
Bank of America Center Houston

Honorable mentions: Lovett Hall at Rice University and Pennzoil Place in Houston; the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

Advertisement

Utah — The Old Main Building at Utah State University in Logan

Old_Main_Utah_St_Univ
Wikipedia Commons
Advertisement

Vermont — Williams Hall at the University of Vermont in Burlington

1280px Williams_Hall_UVM_5.JPG
Wikipedia Commons

"It joins elegant Romanesque features with gorgeous brickwork," a reader said. "It's a real gem."

Honorable mention: The Old Round Church in Richmond.

Advertisement

Virginia —The Main Street Station and Trainshed in Richmond

Richmond_Main_Street_Station_(2258690617)
Wikipedia Commons

It is a "truly amazing building with a proud history and awe-inspiring ceiling," one reader said. "Plus, it was designed for the public, which is cool."

Honorable mentions: Richmond CenterStage in Richmond; Monticello in Charlottesville.

Advertisement

Washington — The Pacific Science Center in Seattle

Pacific_Science_Center_arches,_Seattle_WA
Wikipedia Commons

"It was built for the 1962 World's Fair and is iconically beautiful," a reader said.

Honorable mentions: The Suzzallo library and the Bullitt Center in Seattle; St Joseph’s Hospital in Tacoma; and the Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale.

Advertisement

West Virginia — Palace of Gold in Moundsville

Palace of Gold
New Vrindaban

Wisconsin — The Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Milwaukee

Adelman house kubala washatko architects Photo by TKWA via Dezeen
Wright in Wisconsin

Honorable mentions: The Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison; Shadowcliff in Ellison Bay.

Advertisement

Wyoming — Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park

13350285_1077622502283813_4097573679842403301_o
Yellowstone National Park Lodges/Facebook
Design Cities Infrastructure
Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.