The Second State Capitol Commission was created in 2001 with the General Assembly’s passage of Senate Bill 470 and renamed the Missouri State Capitol Commission (MSCC) in 2009 through Senate Bill 480. Following in the footsteps of the original State Capitol Commission, which was established in 1911, and the Capitol Decoration Commission created in 1917, the MSCC is charged with the preservation, restoration, and renovation of the Missouri State Capitol and the recording of its history.
The commission’s duties also encompass the care of over 120 pieces of art inside and around the capitol, many of which were carefully selected by the earlier commissions to capture the beauty and significance of the state’s past. These include murals, paintings, tapestries, sculptures, and stained glass windows. On the exterior and the grounds, there are an equivalent number of carvings, sculptures, fountains and monuments. In addition to preserving existing artwork, the commission is responsible for the selection and placement of any new art pieces.
The MSCC is composed of the commissioner of the Office of Administration; four members of the legislature – two from the Senate and two from the House of Representatives, with equal representation for both the majority and minority party; an employee of the Senate; an employee of the House; and four members appointed by the governor, with the consent of the Senate. In addition, the lieutenant governor serves as an ex officio member of the commission.
The commission is supported by the staff of the Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction in the Office of Administration, along with other agencies, including the Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri State Archives, and the Office of State Courts Administrator, among others.
Together, these partners helped publish the first comprehensive book on the art of the Missouri State Capitol. Donations were accepted to help develop the book and make it affordable for all of the state’s citizens. The Friends of the Missouri State Archives served as the commission’s fiscal agent for this project.
The Art of the Missouri Capitol: History in Canvas, Bronze, and Stone, by Bob Priddy and Jeffrey Ball, is the definitive account of the Missouri capitol’s artistic decoration, telling the stories of the art’s creation, of the men who produced it, and of the Missourians who lived the history that inspired it. To order a copy of the book, contact the University of Missouri Press.
Members of the Missouri State Capitol Commission:
Ms. Dana Rademan Miller, Chair, House of Representatives Staff
Honorable Pat Conway, Missouri House of Representatives
Honorable Shannon “Kiki” Curls, Missouri Senate
Honorable Scott Fitzpatrick, Missouri House of Representatives
Ms. Betty Cooper Hearnes, Charleston
Honorable Mike Kehoe, Missouri Senate
Honorable Mike Parson, Missouri Lieutenant Governor
Ms. Sarah Steelman, Commissioner, Office of Administration