Perspectives Center for Missouri Studies Celebrates Grand Opening

Exactly 198 years after Missouri became the 24th State to join the Union, the State Historical Society of Missouri’s (SHSMO) Center for Missouri Studies cut the ribbon on their new facility and celebrated its Grand Opening with an open house. On August 10, 2019 a new chapter began in their legacy of educating and preserving important documents, artifacts and artwork.

The building is now home to the state’s largest collection of oral histories, newspapers dating back to the year 1808, over 12,000 Civil War manuscript pages, and more than 30,000 pieces of art including several original paintings by native Missouri son, Thomas Hart Benton. According to SHSMO, when added up, the Center for Missouri Studies will contain more than 74 football fields worth of material.

BranchPattern is proud to be a part of the SHSMO design team, led by Gould Evans Architects. Our team provided HVAC, plumbing, power, lighting, fire-protection, and technology consulting and design services on the project.

Historical document preservation requires careful attention to the quality of air, temperature, humidity and light. The design team leveraged document preservation research and evidence, including information from the Smithsonian Institute to design the perfect environment. The selected HVAC design features a VAV Dual-Duct DOAS Air Conditioning System with desiccant de-humidification and total energy wheels resulting in the optimal environment for people AND the priceless historical materials. The all-LED lighting system showcases the art and eliminates UV spectrums that would be harmful. BranchPattern was excited to bring this dream to a reality for the State Historical Society.

To learn more about this beautiful space, listen to this story produced by NPR’s Columbia, MO affiliate, KBIA 91.3 FM. For more about the building system dynamics, connect with Rick Maniktala, rick.m@branchpattern.com or 913.254.3443.