Our Collection Stories introduce highlights from our diverse collections of global textiles and local history, with context on the cultures who make, use and treasure these items. With more 26,000 works in our care, the effort of telling these stories is ongoing, and done with the help of many. Each story is researched by one of our volunteer docents. Since starting the Collections Stories project in 2020, we’ve created stories for nearly 100 artworks, and we continue to add new ones every few weeks.
About the Docents
The museum’s docent corps is comprised of volunteers from the Washington, D.C., area. Our docents are experienced and dedicated to teaching about textiles, history and world cultures. Many volunteer with us following careers as artists, teachers or members of the Foreign Service. In addition to researching the museum collections, docents support educational programming and lead free gallery tours for students and community visitors.
About the Museum
Located on the campus of the George Washington University in downtown Washington, D.C., The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum celebrates art, history and world cultures. Public programs and exhibitions are inspired by diverse collections of global textiles and local history. Resources for students and scholars include the peer-reviewed The Textile Museum Journal, the Cotsen Textile Traces Study Center and the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies. Plan a visit
About the Collections
Our museum is home to collections that are both global and local:
- The Textile Museum Collection includes more than 21,000 examples of handmade textile art representing five continents and five millennia.
- The Cotsen Textile Traces Study Collection provides opportunities for researchers to examine nearly 4,000 textile fragments from antiquity to the present day.
- The Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection comprises nearly 2,000 maps, prints, newspapers and artifacts that trace the history of Washington, D.C.
Visit our collections website to keep exploring.