The Woodwork is Coming Home

For Immediate Release

Brooklyn Museum and the Cupola House Association Announce the Return of Historic 1758 Cupola House Woodwork to Edenton

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Brooklyn Museum and the Cupola House Association are pleased to announce an agreement facilitating the return of the eighteenth-century first-floor woodwork from the 1758 Cupola House to its original home in Edenton, North Carolina. The woodwork had been acquired by the Brooklyn Museum in 1918 as part of the Museum’s effort in the early twentieth century to create a series of period rooms representing each geographic area of American colonial architecture. This significant restoration effort will see the woodwork, which has been carefully preserved and interpreted at the Brooklyn Museum, returned to Edenton by the end of this year.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Cupola House Association to reunite this historic woodwork with its original home,” said Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director of the Brooklyn Museum. “This collaboration underscores the Brooklyn Museum’s commitment to preserving and sharing cultural heritage. We are immensely proud to contribute to this meaningful restoration effort, ensuring that future generations can appreciate its cultural and historical importance in its original setting.”

“This is a once in a lifetime phenomenal opportunity to regain the original first-floor Cupola House woodwork,” said Vonna O’Neill, President of the Cupola House Association. “The Cupola House Association is grateful for the Brooklyn Museum’s generous gift and to everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring this to fruition. Thank you to those who saved the Cupola House in 1918 and to those in 2024 who continue to support its mission and preservation. Dreams can come true, thanks to you!”

Edenton’s municipal officials have expressed enthusiasm for the news. “Our leadership team is delighted to share this landmark moment with our friends at the Cupola House,” said Edenton Mayor Hackney High. “This restoration coincides wonderfully with the 250th anniversary of the Edenton Tea Party, further enriching what we have to offer for both visitors and for locals celebrating our heritage. I could not be prouder to celebrate the rich history of our community at such a vital juncture.”

The Cupola House’s plan is to complete the woodwork’s removal from Brooklyn and its shipment to Edenton by the end of this year and, in 2025, to begin a thoughtful process for its room-by-room reinstallation. “Considered by many to be North Carolina’s finest colonial house, this will be a rare opportunity for architectural historians to examine the interior carving and study the elements of this remarkable building, right down to the framing.” said Robert Leath, Executive Director of the Edenton Historical Commission, who will serve as the project manager, noting, “we will want to take full advantage of this moment to share any and all new discoveries with the public.”

About the Brooklyn Museum

At the Brooklyn Museum, art is a vital force for personal transformation and social change. For 200 years, the Museum has expanded the definitions of art and what it means to be a museum by revealing untold stories and uplifting our shared humanity. Among the oldest, largest, and boldest art museums in the United States, the Brooklyn Museum holds an encyclopedic collection of over 500,000 objects representing more than 5,500 years of creativity from cultures around the globe. Highlights range from ancient Egyptian masterpieces and world-class American works to our Center for Feminist Art, the only one of its kind in the country. Housed in a landmark building in the heart of Brooklyn, the Museum is dedicated to its communities-both near and far-and remains an advocate for growth, healing, and social change.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

About the Cupola House Association

The Cupola House Association is dedicated to preserving and promoting the historical significance of the Cupola House, a treasured 18th-century landmark built for Frances Corbin, in Edenton, North Carolina. Through restoration efforts and educational programs, the Association strives to engage the public with the rich history of the region, ensuring that future generations can appreciate and learn from this vital piece of American heritage.

For more information, please visit www.cupolahouse.org or contact Vonna O’Neill at [email protected].