Palais du Tau

The Centre des Monuments Nationaux is currently undertaking an ambitious project to restore and redevelop the Palais du Tau in Reims, France. Located at the foot of Reims Cathedral, Palais du Tau was the palace of the Archbishop of Reims and the residence of the kings of France during their coronation. Since 1972, it has housed the Musée de l’Œuvre (Museum of Works), which displays the collections of Reims cathedral and objects related to the coronations of French kings. The €36 million renovation project will work to make the collection more accessible and attractive for visitors as a new Museum of Coronations. Casson Mann will create a new chrono-thematic visitor route spanning fifteen rooms and over 2000 square meters as part of the renovation, with Thomas Jolly, now famous artistic director of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, providing a film for the tour that will be displayed alongside contemporary artwork commissioned especially for the museum by the likes of Hubert le Gall and Jonathan Creten. The route will include a room dedicated to royal anointing and a room on ritual instruments, including sculptures, reliquaries, objects from the coronation of Charles X and objects from the existing Palais du Tau collection. The public will also be invited to attend a coronation ceremony in a new immersive video installation. In addition to the existing collection, contemporary works will be specially commissioned to add different moods to each space at the site. Work began in February 2022, and the museum closed to the public in 2023. In October 2023, the Center des Monuments Nationaux began seeking contractors to provide services for the delivery of the scenographic layout, windows and climate engineering, with further tenders released in 2024 for the redevelopment of the palace’s tour route, including mechanical equipment provision, interior design services, and AV and lighting design and installation. The palace is expected complete work on the project in late 2025, and reopen to the public in early 2026. (Updated 4 October 2024)