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Capitol lighting project illuminates art, soon to be completed

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – If it seems like the murals in the Missouri State Capitol look different, you’re not wrong. In fact, if the Capitol seems to be a little brighter, you’re onto something.

This past month, the Missouri Office of Administration, coordinating with the Missouri Capitol Commission, began installing new lighting throughout the hallways, bringing an energy efficiency to the Capitol while also ensuring that the lighting is suitable for usage on the many Capitol murals.

It’s all part of a new lighting upgrade project, which was awarded to Kaiser Electric Company, tasked with replacing the current fixtures with LED lighting throughout the iconic building.

Missouri’s statehouse is home to a number of rare and valuable paintings, and maintaining that art is a major part of the process. The goal was to make sure that the lighting wouldn’t negatively affect the artwork, taking into account both the lighting and the heat, as well as the energy efficiency of the bulbs.

The lighting upgrade project is scheduled for completion before the end of 2017.

Here’s a list of the breakdown and scope of the project:

  • Replacement of existing lamps in lighting fixtures located in “public” areas (eg. Corridors) with LED lamps.
  • Replacement of fluorescent lighting fixtures in the guard station, the basement and various mechanical spaces and storage rooms elsewhere in the building with new LED lighting fixtures.
  • Replacement of existing lamps in “historic” type lighting fixtures with LED lamps in the Senate and House Chambers and the adjoining galleries in these two areas with new LED lamps.
  • Replacement of the existing central dimming systems in the Senate and House Chambers with new ETC Unison Paradigm LED compatible dimming systems.
  • Replacement of the existing lamps in “historic” type lighting fixtures with new LED lamps in the Senate and House Lounges (Benton Gallery).
  • Replacement of the existing lamps in the rotunda Chandelier with new Induction lamps and LED lamps.
  • Replacement of the existing interior dome spotlights with new LED spotlights.
  • Replacement of the existing roof-mounted high-pressure sodium dome flood lights with new LED floodlights.
  • Replacement of the existing submersible incandescent floodlights in the Centaur Fountain with new submersible LED floodlights.
  • Refurbishment of existing exterior recessed step and walkway lighting fixtures.
  • Refurbishment of existing exterior historic wall lanterns and Carriage Drive tunnel lighting fixtures.