Toledo Museum of Art—Chateau De Chenailles
The Toledo Museum of Art is transforming its galleries to create a new visitor experience. The reinstallation traces artistic and cultural connections across civilizations, guiding visitors through a chronological journey from antiquity to the present. Central to this reimagination is the reinstallation of the Cabinet Doré, the museum’s only period room and an immersive French interior dating to the 1640s.
Originally created for the Château de Chenailles in France’s Loiret region, the Cabinet Doré is an exceptional example of Louis XIII decorative arts. Intricately carved and gilded wood paneling surrounds nine oil paintings illustrating scenes from Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered. After being removed from the château around 1900, the room entered the Toledo Museum of Art’s collection in 1963 and remained on display until it was carefully deinstalled in 2015.
EverGreene was selected to support the conservation, planning, and reinstallation of the historic interior, helping return the complete room to its original form within a newly designed gallery. Beginning in 2023, our team conducted historic research, comprehensive documentation, condition assessments, and detailed preconstruction planning to develop an installation methodology that respected the inherently irregular nature of the 300-year-old materials while accommodating modern building requirements and future conservation needs. Conservators performed in situ stabilization before transporting each component to EverGreene’s Washington, D.C., studio for treatment. Working closely with the museum, architects, engineers, and project managers, EverGreene developed and executed a precise reinstallation system that coordinated the construction of the surrounding gallery with the assembly of the historic interior, creating an authentic and immersive period room experience. Work is currently ongoing‚ the gallery is scheduled to reopen in the fall of 2027.
The Return Of The Chateau De Chenailles : Part 1 & 2
This podcast follows the journey of a historic piece that has been off view for more than ten years, returning better than before. Featuring insights from Brooke Russell and Mary Slater, both Senior Conservators at EverGreene, and Vanessa Applebaum Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Toledo Museum of Art.
Chateau De Chenailles: Reinstalling A Masterpiece
In this episode, Dr. Jennifer McCary speaks with Vanessa Applebaum, Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Toledo Museum of Art, and Eric Schlomann, Senior Project Manager at EverGreene. Together, they discuss the project’s key milestones, the interdisciplinary collaboration behind its success, and the careful balance between historical authenticity and modern museum practice.
