Legislative leaders and LSO staff reported substantial progress on exhibit and wayfinding upgrades at the Wyoming State Capitol and an imminent opening of a civics lab aimed at school groups and the public.

Senator Landon said fabrication and finish work for the civics lab are underway and the exhibit team expects to open the lab in February. Rhianna Davidson (LSO Visitor Services Manager) described newly installed interactive kiosks (including a constitution kiosk with replica pages and an interactive timeline), a staged artifact vault with original objects and interpretive content, and stronger visitor services including extended weekend hours and school-focused programming correlated to state education standards.

Wendy Madsen (Special Projects Manager, LSO) described the joint governance model for ongoing management of Capitol exhibits and operations and said an MOU with the State Building Commission is forthcoming. Staff noted partnerships with the Department of Education, the State Museum and the Office of Tourism; several preservation and climate-control precautions for artifacts were explained.

Former Senate President Tony Ross presented a national honor from the National Academy of Construction recognizing the Capital Square restoration project. Ross recounted the renovation’s rescue effort after cost overruns and delays, the partnership with MOCA Systems, JE Dunn and HDR, and the project’s public reopening. He said the program completed within the $300 million scope and came in roughly $1 million under budget.

Ending: LSO will return with an MOU draft and governance details; the council encouraged members to visit the new exhibits and to consider how further enhancements might be financed.