Millions of dollars worth of precious art is on display at the Ohio Statehouse. And some of it is now being put in a highly trafficked area, not protected by glass or barriers.
There’s more than $20 million worth of art at the Ohio Statehouse - official portraits of Ohio’s governors are valued at more than $3 million. Some of those have been hung in a hallway, outside the Governor’s ceremonial office, just 67 inches from the ground where they could be easily touched. The Statehouse’s Luke Stedke says there’s not a plan, at this point, to put plexiglass or a barrier in front of the portraits.
“We actually had the architect of the capitol raise them because his initial design was a little bit lower so we think with the increased security, having troopers at the different entrances,that should mitigate any risk.”
But Stedke admits there is not a trooper at the entrance where the portraits are hung. These portraits have been hung high on hearing room walls for the past couple of decades.