New LED Lighting System Will Illuminate Statue of Liberty July 7

Date: July 2, 2015
Contact: Mindi Rambo, 212-668-2208
Contact: Jason Van Wyk, 641-673-0411

New York, NY –The National Park Service announces that the Statue of Liberty will shine as never before beginning the evening of July 7. Anew lighting system will be activated at sunset, approximately 8:45 p.m.,thanks to a generous donation of equipment by Musco Lighting of Oskaloosa,Iowa. Musco Lighting has had a close partnership with the National Park Service for many years. The Statue of Liberty joins numerous national treasures to be lit with Musco's innovative lighting solutions using the light-emitting diode(LED) light source.

The Statue of Liberty's lighting has changed and evolved with the advancement of technology, starting with the first system of floodlights in 1916, to a system of incandescent floodlights donated by The Westinghouse Company in 1931, to mercury vapor lamps, also donated by Westinghouse, in 1944-45, to new lighting systems in time for the bicentennial in 1976, and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation's restoration of the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island in 1986.

Prior to Hurricane Sandy, much of the Statue of Liberty's lighting system was housed in below ground light wells. Musco Lighting came to the Lady Liberty's aid after the storm and installed a temporary system, which has been in place since November 9, 2012.

 Musco custom designed the new lighting solution with precise optics to highlight the aesthetics of the monument, while reducing the amount of light pollution being projected into the night sky. Although the LED system pprovides twice the brightness level of the previous metal halide lights, it reduces energy consumption by 62 percent.

"The Statue of Liberty has been an icon of freedom for nearly 130 years. After the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, we were honored to bring the monument back to light with our temporary system," said Joe Crookham, President, Musco Lighting. "With the new permanent lighting system in place, we continue our partnership with the National Parks and our shared commitment to bringing good lighting practices to the nation's parks."

"We are thrilled with Musco's outstanding donation. The good lighting practices that have been initiated will result in energy efficiency and enhance the experience of millions of people who view Lady Liberty from New York Harbor in the evening hours," said John Piltzecker, Superintendent of Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island.With the new lights in place, Statue of Liberty National Monument has now joined other famed landmarks that also feature customized lighting systems by Musco, including the Washington Monument, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the White House, and Flight 93 National Memorial.

About Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island
"The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and designated as a National Monument in1924. Ellis Island is a former federal immigration station which processed more than 12 million immigrants between1892 and 1954. A 1965 presidential proclamation added the island to the National Park Service as part of Statue of Liberty National Monument. It now features exhibits and programs illustrating America's immigration history.

About Musco Lighting
For nearly 40 years, Musco Lighting has specialized in the design and manufacture of sports and large area lighting solutions around the world. Musco has pioneered systems using metal halide and LED technologies that have made dramatic improvements in energy efficiency, and provided affordable ways to control spill light and glare. Permanent and temporary lighting solutions range from neighborhood Little League®fields to Olympic Games. Musco has a global team of experts that partner with customers to plan, complete, and maintain a cost-effective, trouble-free lighting solution for their facility. For more information on Musco, visit: www.musco.com .

Musco Lighting Contact: Jason Van Wyk
Musco Lighting
641-673-0411
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