Architecture is a powerful form of art.

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:


Alabama — The Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile

Foto: sourceArthur 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

Foto: sourceNBBJ

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


Arizona — The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona

Foto: sourceBernard 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

Foto: sourcePinterest/Kristen Ayers

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


California — The Salk Institute in San Diego

Foto: A panorama of the Salk Institute in San Diego, California.sourceWikipedia 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

Foto: sourceUS 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.


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

Foto: sourcejoevare/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

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

District of Columbia — The National Museum of the American Indian

Foto: sourceKatherine 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


Florida — The Bacardi Complex in Miami

Foto: sourceArchiTravel/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


Georgia — The Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta

Foto: sourceWestin Peachtree Plaza

Hawaii — Iolani Palace in Honolulu

Foto: sourcePeter Webb/Flickr

Idaho — The Idaho State Capitol in Boise

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Illinois — The Bahá'í House of Worship in Wilmette

Foto: sourceWIkipedia 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.


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

Foto: sourceIndiana Landmarks Center

Honorable mention: The Peters-Margedant House in Evansville.


Iowa — The Iowa Capitol Building in Des Moines

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


Kansas — The Kansas State Capitol in Topeka

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Kentucky — The Historic Courthouse in Lexington

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Louisiana — Commander's Palace in New Orleans

Foto: sourceGoNOLA

Honorable mention: St Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.


Maine — Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Maryland — The George Peabody Library in Baltimore

Foto: sourcePatrick Gillespie/Flickr

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


Massachusetts — Boston Public Library

Foto: sourceTony Webster/Flickr

Honorable mention: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.


Michigan — The Guardian Building in Detroit

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


Minnesota — The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis

Foto: sourcePaul VanDerWerf/Flickr

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


Mississippi — Longwood in Natchez

Foto: sourceFaungg/Flickr

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

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


Montana — The Montana Club in Helena

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Nebraska — The Nebraska State Capitol Building in Lincoln

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Nevada — Clark County Government Center in Las Vegas

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

New Hampshire — Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods

Foto: sourceWikipedia 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.


New Jersey — The Krueger-Scott Mansion in Newark

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Honorable mention: Hill Center at Rutgers University in Piscataway.


New Mexico — KiMo Theater in Albuquerque

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


New York — The Ford Foundation Building in New York City

Foto: sourceWikipedia 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 .


North Carolina — The JS Dorton Arena

Foto: sourceWIkipedia 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.


North Dakota — The North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck

Foto: sourceWikimedia Commons

Ohio — The Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland

Foto: sourceWikipedia 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.


Oklahoma — Myriad Botanical Gardens in Oklahoma City

Foto: sourceMyriad Botanical Gardens

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


Oregon — Portland Union Station

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


Pennsylvania — Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


Rhode Island — Touro Synagogue in Newport

Foto: sourceNational Park Foundation

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

Honorable mention: The Cranston St Armory in Providence.


South Carolina — The Cistern at the College of Charleston

Foto: sourceKristen 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

Foto: sourceSt. Anthony of Padua/Facebook

Honorable mention: Sylvan Lake Lodge in Custer State Park.


Tennessee —Customs House in Nashville

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

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


Texas — The Bank of America Center in Houston

Foto: sourceBank of America Center Houston

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


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

Foto: sourceWikipedia Commons

Vermont — Williams Hall at the University of Vermont in Burlington

Foto: sourceWikipedia 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.


Virginia —The Main Street Station and Trainshed in Richmond

Foto: sourceWikipedia 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.


Washington — The Pacific Science Center in Seattle

Foto: sourceWikipedia 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.


West Virginia — Palace of Gold in Moundsville

Foto: sourceNew Vrindaban

Wisconsin — The Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Milwaukee

Foto: sourceWright in Wisconsin

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


Wyoming — Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park

Foto: sourceYellowstone National Park Lodges/Facebook