San Mateo County History Museum 2200 Broadway • Redwood City • California 94063

Domes are wondrous things, and there's no end to our fascination with them. Fortunately, you don't have to go to Rome (St. Peter's), Washington, DC (the Capitol) or Istanbul (the Hagia Sophia) to get a great dome fix—or even to get married beneath one. Just take the much shorter trip to Redwood City, where the San Mateo County History Museum has preserved one of the Bay Area's most remarkable domes.

The museum inhabits the venerable 1910 county courthouse, a sandstone structure that retains all of the dignity of that era, with its tile floors, Corinthian columns and tall, stately doors opening to Exhibit Galleries and the beautifully restored Courtroom A. The overwhelming centerpiece, however, is its magnificent dome. A towering concoction of skylit glass panes colored brilliant red, green, amber and opaque white, it rises above sculpted eagles and ornamental arches to a constellation of gold stars on a deep blue background. The dome is a full-tilt, rock-your-head-back-on-your-shoulders-and-stare-at-it-in-wonder kind of thing. Get married under it and you'll be talking about it for years to come.

Many couples also use the rotunda for their ceremony and reception. If your party is a large one, take advantage of the balcony-like second floor, which doubles as another dining space. Here guests not only have a better vantage of the gorgeous glass overhead, they can stroll over to the railing and enjoy a bird's-eye view of the festivities below.

Courtroom A also makes a fabulous setting for a ceremony or sit-down dinner. You reach it via a grand staircase distinguished by marble-topped risers, brass railings and mahogany banisters. Couples love its elegance and often pose for wedding photos on it. The courtroom has rich oak moldings and furnishings, including the traditional long railing that separates the jury and bar members from the public. Overhead, the ceiling features an oblong skylight of green, red and gray-blue glass arranged in abstract floral patterns. Stylized plaster wreaths of fruits and grains border the skylight, and four heavy Federal-style chandeliers with scalloped sconces hang low from the ceiling. Large oak-framed windows along two walls come down almost to the floor, and a Roman-style pediment spans the main entrance. The thick English carpet, red with gold highlights, feels absolutely wonderful underfoot. The original clerk, bailiff and judge's benches are still there, as are the jury chairs. This immensely refined room bestows an extra element of grace on any wedding.

The rotunda is so phenomenal that it needs little decoration, and the same goes for Courtroom A. For an added diversion (and fee), arrange to have the museum's exhibits open to your guests. If you love history or simply want something delightfully unconventional, it would be hard to beat this domed museum.