A Centennial Celebration: The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum
It has been quite the year for the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum in Washington, D.C, as it celebrates its centennial with a rich anniversary program, which we feature in HALI 224. ‘The star events of The Textile Museum’s centennial celebration are two major exhibitions featuring masterworks from the collection: ‘Intrinsic Beauty: Celebrating the Art of Textiles’ (22 February–14 June 2025) and ‘Enduring Traditions: Celebrating the World of Textiles’ (16 August–20 December 2025).’
Carpet, Southwestern Iran, Fars province, late 18th/early 19th century. The Textile Museum Collection 2002.28.1. Gift of Edward and Phyllis Kane. Shown in ‘Enduring Traditions’
Starting next month, ‘Enduring Traditions’ will showcase the cultural depth and diversity of The Textile Museum’s collection, from vibrant ceremonial garments to ornate palace carpets. Highlights include a late 18th-early 19th-century Fars carpet from southern Iran—an exquisite example of the region’s weaving heritage.
‘Intrinsic Beauty: Celebrating the Art of Textiles’, which was on view at the museum earlier this year, featured rare and remarkable works including a monumental Safavid kilim, a delicate 12th-century Japanese embroidery and a striking alpaca hair tunic from Peru’s Wari culture. Curated by Sumru Belger Krody, Lee Talbot and Shelley Burian, the exhibition offered a compelling look at the symbolic meaning of textiles and their role in facilitating intercultural exchange.
Tunic, Peru, 750-950. The Textile Museum Collection 91.341. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1941. Shown in ‘Intrinsic Beauty’
Alongside the centennial shows, Textile Treasures: Highlights from The Textile Museum Collection and the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection was produced with Hali Publications Ltd. This publication illuminates the richness and diversity of the textile arts and their impact on human history. It is the first major publication to bring together masterworks from the museum and the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection.
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