brookingsradio.com · September 4, 2026
South Dakota Capitol Rotunda Restoration Revealed - Brookings Radio
# South Dakota Capitol Rotunda Restoration Revealed
- September 4, 2026
(Courtesy photo from Zach Nelson, KCCR Radio)
PIERRE (9-4-26) — A ribbon cutting was held Friday celebrating the labor put in at the start of the Labor Day weekend to restore the interior of the State Capitol Rotunda.
Bureau of Administration and Human Resources Commissioner Darin Seely says the capitol is more than the center of state government… “From inaugurals to funerals, debates impacting policy and legislation, and the free exercise of our constitution’s first amendment rights — this magnificent space has and will continue to be a place of significance. This space is more than just a beautiful place. It honors the past and ideals of our people, and represents the stable and continuous rule of law promised to South Dakotans by our constitution.”
Conrad Schmidt Studios spent approximately five months restoring the rotunda. Project Lead Artist Phil Atilano says it was fun to be a part of… “We got through the entire rotunda about nine times looking in every cranny — repairing the plaster that was chipping and falling apart, to cleaning everything, to priming everything, to painting everything, to decorating everything. It truly has come together. The biggest challenge for me — coming into this project I think — was merging the old with the new. That can always be a challenge. It can be disconnected, and I think that my team and I knocked it out of the park on this one.”
Governor Larry Rhoden says it’s important the Capitol continues to be cared for into the future… “Doing the people’s business is a lofty endeavor, and the height and the beauty of this rotunda is meant to reflect that. This building has stood for over 100 years, and any building has wear and tear over time. It’s incumbent upon us to keep the people’s house beautiful and sturdy — not just for us but for future generations, which brings us all here today.”
Funding for the restoration came from a $3 million appropriation approved for overall capitol maintenance and restoration by the South Dakota Legislature in 2025.
— From Zach Nelson, KCCR Radio
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