The Fort Necessity National Battlefield Museum and Visitors’ Center chronicles the events of the French and Indian War battle that occurred at this location. The architectural lighting system creates a low ambient light level throughout the facility. The exhibit lighting then highlights and accents the exhibits with a minimum of energy use to achieve the desired contrast.

The interface of a dynamic lighting design with the exhibits enhances the experience of the museum’s visitors. Strobes timed with audio clips positioned in different locations simulate the exchange of gun-fire. Film scrollers project the motion of shadow and light filtered through the trees as someone runs through the forest while gobos project shadows of foliage. Rain projectors create a storm around a wounded soldier statue. Other projectors simulate the flicker of fire behind a stockade wall of the fort that burned in the battle.

The Fort Necessity Museum illustrates how energy efficiency can be brought to a traditionally high energy use project type.