The Michener Art Museum

Achieving a Seamless and Striking Wallwash on a Historic Façade

The Michener Art Museum is encompassed by stone walls – once the original prison walls of the former Bucks County Jail. They are as much of a focal point of the museum as the artwork, serving as the backdrop to the sculpture garden and the event pavilion where the museum hosts weddings, fundraisers, seminars, and more. A walkway following the 240-foot length of the wall had existing ingrade fixtures that were taking on water, performing poorly, and projecting inconsistencies, creating dark spacing and scalloping. The eerie lighting needed an upgrade.

A contactor for the Michener Museum connected with our sales partners at ELA + Synergy to find a lighting solution that included high-performance optics and durability. The walkway only allowed for fixtures to be installed a maximum of 24 inches from the wall, and because the garden was frequently used for events, a mounted floodlight would be at risk of getting knocked over. The preferred solution was a linear inground luminaire with an asymmetric wallwash optic that could hit the bottom of the wall and provide seamless lighting across the entire span of it.   WE-EF’s ETV130-CC, an LED RGBW color changer, fit the exact needs of the project. Marine-grade aluminum construction, factory sealing, and a safety glass lens that can handle over three tons of weight ensure the luminaires will stand the test of time. Harmonious illumination was created with 24 luminaires spaced 10 feet apart on the walkway along the back wall, and three along each of the side walls.

“I was blown away by what the optics could do, and what we were able to achieve so close to the wall with almost zero scalloping,” said Aaron Brown, Vice Principal at ELA + Synergy.   The team at The Michener Art Museum were amazed at the result and were able to capitalize on the new lights by adding custom lighting to their event package. Programmed with Pharos Architectural Controls, couples can select specific colors to add to the ambiance at their weddings. It can even be set to a festive Eagles green. Completed: 2025 Owner: The Michener Art Museum WE-EF Product: ETV130-CC Photography: Heart and Soul Portraits