A heritage and cultural project

The restoration and transformation of the Palais du Tau into a modern, immersive museum is involving a number of renowned experts and institutions. Here are the main players at the helm of this vast project:

• Project owner: The project is being steered by the Centre des monuments nationaux (CMN), a public institution under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. One of its main missions is to conserve, restore and maintain the hundred or so monuments under its responsibility.
• Main contractor - Structural work : The restoration of the structures and facades is supervised by Marie-Suzanne de Ponthaud, Chief Architect of Historic Monuments.
• Project manager - Scenography: The design and implementation of the new immersive museography is being entrusted to a consortium led by the Philéas studio, a recognised consultancy in the field of scenography and cultural architecture.
• Lead scenographer : Within the consortium, the Casson Mann agency, renowned for its innovative creations in the museum field, is contributing its expertise in staging and immersive visitor experiences.
• Guidelines forthe permanent exhibition : The artistic and narrative vision of the future museum is defined by Claude d'Anthenaise, General Curator of Heritage and former Director of the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris.
• Scientific supervision : This mission has been entrusted to Patrick Demouy, Professor Emeritus at the University of Reims and a recognised specialist in the Middle Ages and Reims Cathedral.

A journey through time to the heart of the royal coronations!

The new scenography invites you to immerse yourself totally in history! Past and present come together to bring to life the splendours of the royal ceremonies that have left their mark on Reims Cathedral and the Palais du Tau.

Each room will be transformed into a veritable showcase for the treasures associated with the coronations. Charlemagne's talisman, the reliquaries of the Resurrection and the Holy Thorn, the nave of Saint Ursula, the coronation chalice and the precious Holy Ampoule will take pride of place alongside the sumptuous costumes worn at the coronation of Charles X. Displayed in carefully staged showcases, these emblematic objects will plunge visitors into the heart of these grandiose rituals.

The collections of the Musée de l'œuvre will be harmoniously integrated into the tour, recreating the majestic setting of these historic events.

Thanks to accessible and innovative media, each room will offer interactive features that will enable everyone to take part in this fascinating story.

But the renewal of the Palais du Tau doesn't stop there! A brand new ticket office and bookshop, redesigned conservation areas, modernised offices and theopening of a café will enhance the visitor experience.

The permanent exhibition will also be punctuated by contemporary artistic creations, including a monumental work by Hubert Le Gall and an exceptional commission for stained glass windows by Anne and Patrick Poirier for the Palatine Chapel.

Lastly, the museum has been enriched by prestigious deposits from the Château de Versailles, the Louvre and the Fine Arts museums of Reims and Montauban. These works, restored for the occasion, will add to an already exceptional collection.

With this new scenography, the Palais du Tau is more than ever a place of memory and transmission, where the history of the royal coronations comes alive before our very eyes.