GOLDENDALE, WASH.- When Maryhill Museum of Art opened its doors in March, visitors were greeted with several special exhibitions, as well as a significant reinstallation of the museum’s beloved chess collection.

Relocated with new interpretation and better accessibility, the George E. Muehleck Jr. Gallery of International Chess Sets is giving visitors a fresh perspective on this popular exhibit. There are 90 sets and numerous gaming pieces drawn from the museum’s extensive collection, as well as a global historical overview of chess, stories of chess, and chess-related works of art.

“Our goal in moving the gallery was to give the exhibition more breathing room and a more visitor-friendly space,” says museum director Colleen Schafroth. “You can get a much better view of the incredible detail in the sets, and the new cases offer easy viewing by people of all sizes, especially young people.”

Funding for the reconfiguration of the George E. Muehleck Jr. Gallery of International Chess Sets was made possible by an anonymous donor, says Schafroth.

Chess has a long history at Maryhill, going back to an early director, Clifford Dolph, who first curated a chess exhibition in 1957; the exhibition proved so popular with visitors that it was extended twice and the museum began collecting chess-related materials.

Over the years the permanent exhibit has become an icon of Maryhill. Visitors of all ages are captivated by the intricate designs, unusual materials, and numerous stories found within each set, drawn from around the world. The exhibit features sets and pieces from all corners of the globe, including India, Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia.

The gallery is named for George E. Muehleck Jr., a native of New York City who moved to St. Helens, Oregon as a young physician. Dr. Muehleck was a long-time admirer of Maryhill Museum’s chess set collection and a fervent player himself. He played with anyone who was willing to challenge him and enjoyed playing multiple matches simultaneously with other enthusiasts from around the world—sending and receiving moves through the mail. One such game was followed by a trip to the Soviet Union to visit an opponent he had befriended.

Visitors to the museum can challenge one another to a friendly game of chess using the museum’s large-scale chess set in the adjacent M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust Education Center.