The mission of the Missouri State Capitol Commission is to assure the preservation, restoration and integrity of the Missouri Capitol.

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.

In 2011, the Missouri State Capitol Commission (MSCC) 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.

Currently, the MSCC is intensifying its focus on raising awareness of the continuing need to protect and preserve the building as well as the collection of world-class art that adorns the building and grounds.