Legacy of Mr. Heurtelup-Chevallier 1889 (≈ 1889)
Donation of a building and funds to create the museum.
1901
Creation of the Heureloup-Chevallier Museum
Creation of the Heureloup-Chevallier Museum 1901 (≈ 1901)
Official opening of the library museum.
1968
Final closure
Final closure 1968 (≈ 1968)
End of activities of the municipal museum.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
M. Heurteloup-Chevallier - Sponsor and donor
Bequeathed building and funds for the museum.
M. Rousseau - Volunteer Conservative
Managed the museum after its creation.
Origin and history
The town museum of Château-du-Loir, now closed, was originally a cultural institution founded by the legacy of Mr. Heurtelup-Chevallier in 1889. The latter offered a building and a sum of money to create a library museum, inaugurated in 1901. The collections, made up mainly in the 19th century, included works of art, archaeological, ethnographic and historical objects, as well as specimens of natural history. These acquisitions came from purchases, government deposits, and donations from local individuals or artists.
The museum, originally named Heurtelup-Chevallier Museum, was managed by Mr Rousseau, a volunteer curator. Its thematic areas covered archaeology, fine arts, modern art, ethnology, history and natural sciences. Despite its local importance, the establishment closed its doors permanently in 1968. The collections were then associated with the municipality of Château-du-Loir, which had since become a delegated commune of Montval-sur-Loir.
The building, located at 3 Rue des Bénédictines in Château-du-Loir (Sarthe), benefited from the label Musée de France. Its history reflects the commitment of local inhabitants and patrons to preserve a varied heritage, from paintings to minerals, to objects bearing witness to popular traditions. The accuracy of its current location is considered fair, depending on available sources.
