Episode 37 | South Carolina Military Museum

Thanks to City Electric Supply (CES) Lexington, the South Carolina Military Museum recently received major lighting upgrades and custom buildouts for its exhibits. The electrical wholesale distributor supplied material for 80 lighting fixtures across several galleries. Impressively, the Lexington branch helped complete the lighting project in less than three months!

Continue reading to learn more about this unique project and see the incredible results.

Museum Needs Electrical Overhaul to Improve Exhibit Experience

The South Carolina Military Museum opened in 1981 in a small town outside the state’s capital, Columbia, then relocated to the heart of the capital in 2007. The museum has made significant renovations over the last several years.

But when Executive Director Saddler Taylor came on board last year, he quickly sought to address the lighting, which is essential not only to the guests’ experience but to the history as well.

“We’re constantly looking for ways to improve the facilities here at the museum,” said Taylor. “Some of the galleries’ original lighting created a very sterile, bright environment. We’ve been looking for ways to incorporate lighting that is more versatile and appropriate for the artifacts on exhibition.”

New Lighting Brings Out the Best of the South Carolina Military Museum

CES Lexington teamed up with Deer Pond Electric to upgrade 52 lights around the museum. While the upgrade greatly improved the exhibits’ experience, both teams felt they could do more.

“After the initial upgrades, there were still some spots that needed some more lighting, like the room with the helicopter in the middle,’ said CES Outside Sales Representative Kevin Norton. “We wanted to make sure everything was well lit.”

CES then designed 28 custom track lighting fixtures. The museum could mount these fixtures to the ceiling and direct light to best feature the displays.

And since the museum is open six days a week, these new lights better preserve the exhibits too.

“The LED lighting that was installed makes a world of difference, and not just aesthetically,” said Saddler. “Certain types of lighting, particularly incandescent bulbs, create a tremendous amount of heat and can damage objects over time. LED lights last longer, are more efficient, and produce very little heat, so they serve a very practical purpose.”

“I have worked with CES Lexington for two and a half years now,” said Electrical Project Manager with Deer Pond Electric, Nick Akright. The relationship started when I came on with Deer Pond, and it’s been great since then. Working with Kevin is easy because of his knowledge and assistance. CES was super helpful in providing us with the perfect lighting to meet the museum’s needs.”

Electrical Supplier Helps Columbia, SC Community Continue to Appreciate Its History

Though the teams were on a job site, they couldn’t help becoming intrigued by the museum’s exhibits.

“Getting to see everything they have on display was honestly the most interesting part,” said Norton. “They have things dating from the revolutionary war to the present.”

“We are one of the few museums in Columbia with free admission,” said Saddler. “We exist to tell the stories of South Carolinians who’ve served in the military, and we work to create a facility accessible to everyone. The museum staff is passionate about what we do, and we love to see people walk through our doors and connect with them. We cannot thank CES and Deer Pond Electric enough for their help in getting these upgrades done.”

CES Lexington was honored to play a role in the museum’s upgrades and is ready to help other businesses with their lighting needs!