Lumen and Forge lights West Virginia Capitol for America 250

Lumen and Forge completed a four-night projection-mapping show on the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston for the state’s official America 250 celebration. The project turned Cass Gilbert’s 293-foot gold-leafed dome into a public canvas for history, culture and civic commemoration.

Why it matters: - The Charleston installation shows how states are using projection mapping to mark major anniversaries without fire, smoke or physical changes to historic landmarks. - The West Virginia State Capitol project became a high-profile example of public commemoration for the nation’s semiquincentennial. - The show offered a repeatable model for future heritage events at sites where traditional fireworks can be limited by safety, environmental or preservation concerns.

What happened: - Lumen and Forge completed a four-night projection-mapping production on the dome and façade of the West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston. - The show, titled "Liberty and Lights," ran July 2-5, 2026, as part of the state’s official America 250 celebration. - The marquee performance took place on Independence Day. - Shows ran between 9 and 10 p.m. each night and repeated about every 15 minutes. - The format let tens of thousands of visitors see the full show without waiting for one fixed viewing time.

The details: - The West Virginia State Capitol was designed by Cass Gilbert and dedicated in June 1932. - The building is faced in Indiana limestone over a structural steel frame. - Its 23-karat gold-leafed dome rises 293 feet above the Kanawha River. - The dome is about five feet taller than the U.S. Capitol dome and is the tallest state capitol dome in the country. - The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. - Gold leaf, curved surfaces, deep window recesses, a colonnaded drum and Corinthian porticos created major projection challenges. - The protected structure allowed no rigging, anchoring or physical alteration. - Lumen and Forge began surveying the Capitol Complex months ahead of the event. - Specialized drones photographed sections of the site to build a digital twin of the building. - The team used that model to design, render and pre-visualize every frame before projector placement. - The production workflow included Cinema 4D, AutoCAD, 3D Studio Max, Rhino and SketchUp. - The team used the 3D model to check sightlines, brightness, throw distance, blending zones and audience placement before load-in. - The show was written specifically for West Virginia, blending the nation’s founding story with the state’s history, industry, landscapes and people. - The Capitol has long been called "The People’s Building." - State officials used the projection displays on the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., as the benchmark for the Charleston show. - The Capitol site shared space with a 230-foot Ferris wheel, concert stages and a festival midway. - The Capital City Celebration also included the America250 Wheel, described as the world’s tallest portable Ferris wheel. - The wheel had 45 gondolas, one for each U.S. president. - The broader celebration included free concerts by ALABAMA, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and The Marshall Tucker Band. - The event schedule also featured an official ceremony honoring Gold Star Families and veterans, historical exhibits, guided Capitol tours, artisan markets and fireworks. - The celebration coincided with Charleston’s Sternwheel Regatta.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a shift toward projection-based civic spectacle at historic sites where preservation rules make permanent changes impossible. - Lumen and Forge’s emphasis on previsualization and digital twins shows how large public events now rely on technical planning as much as creative direction. - The locally authored storyline matters because it ties a national milestone to West Virginia identity instead of using generic patriotic imagery. - The public and free format also expands access, which helps state anniversaries function as civic events rather than exclusive productions.

What’s next: - The West Virginia production adds to Lumen and Forge’s growing portfolio of large-scale architectural projection work. - The studio has more than 15 years of industry experience and continues to position itself for civic, sports and brand activations. - Cities and states are likely to keep testing projection as a reusable format for future anniversary programming. - The Charleston show offers a template that other states can adapt for semiquincentennial observances still ahead.

The bottom line: - Lumen and Forge turned one of the nation’s most distinctive state capitols into a temporary monument for America’s 250th birthday, pairing historic preservation with high-end immersive tech.