Visitors enter the Exhibition at street level, where carefully positioned slots with accent lights illuminate hundreds of Roman artifacts within a low reflective glass case. The pyramidal design and attachment method optimizes the angle of the light to reveal object details with minimal shadows. Visitors then descend behind this case between two engraved granite walls grazed with light down to the Mezzanine level where carefully placed framing projectors illuminate translucent resin replicas of the god Mithras, the altar and the temple foundation, without interfering with visitors ability to read the interactive displays.

Lastly, visitors are guided to the Lowest level where, “walls” of structural light designed by the light artist, rise over the foundation remnants of the temple. “Haze” (a glycol/water, theatrical fog) never-before used in a permanent installation, gives the light beams their physicality. The technical challenges involved understanding the physics of light, and coordination with air systems and ceiling construction. The light is aimed horizontally onto a series of concealed mirrors and the resultant planes of light are interrupted by baffles to simulate portals. The temple altar consists of five layers of water-jet-cut steel, cantilevered so that each silhouette is illuminated. Bespoke LED pendant lights, designed to be as invisible as possible, suspended from invisible cords illuminate the ruin from below eye level. The challenge was to furnish enough ambient light for visitors to experience all of the interactive displays and examine the ruin, without distracting from the mystery, magic and immersion of the experience, while minimizing spill light onto the walls of light, reflections in the glass railings and at all times assuring safe egress levels. Music, chanting, sounds of water, and fire create an encounter with the past, mirroring the cult itself, which remains an enigma to this day.

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