The Textile Museum

Educational Programs

For Families & Children

For Adults

For Students & Educators

The Museum's educational programs encourage visitors to explore the variety and wonder of the textile arts, and to learn more about how textiles are made and why they are important. Exhibition-related programming is designed to enhance and expand upon the exhibition themes. All exhibitions feature school tours, and programs are offered for educators throughout the year.

Click here to see the Museum's current calendar of events.

PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES & CHILDREN

Celebration of Textiles. Photo by Sheila Galagan.

Celebration of Textiles:
A Tribute to the American Quilt
Saturday, June 6 • 10 am–4 pm
Sunday, June 7 • 1–5 pm

Quilts are deeply rooted in American culture. Quilts in the United States have come a long way in terms of materials, function, aesthetic and patterns. In colonial times, quilting might have been used to extend the life of old blankets and demonstrate skill in sewing and patterning. Handmade quilts today not only ward off chilly nights, but tell stories, adorn various interiors—from upscale boutiques to grandmother’s bedroom—express evolving aesthetics and provide a sense of heritage and community. This year’s 31st annual Celebration of Textiles festival, A Tribute to the American Quilt, honors this unique tradition through quilting demonstrations, displays, hands-on activities, sheep-shearing (weather permitting) and more. Don’t miss this annual Textile Museum event! FREE; no reservations required. Rain or shine.

For full program details, visit the Celebration of Textiles Web page.

Celebration of Textiles is part of Museum Walk Weekend, organized by the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium; visit www.dkmuseums.org for more information.

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS
Adult programs include tours, lectures, workshops, films and year-round Saturday Rug & Textile Appreciation Mornings. Click the links below for more information on ongoing programs and visit the calendar page for specific listings.

Rug & Textile Appreciation Mornings

Ask-a-Curator, Ask-a-Conservator

Highlights Tours

Guided Exhibition Tours

The Textile Museum Fall Symposium

Rug & Textile Appreciation Mornings
Generally held two Saturdays each month at 10:30 am, Rug & Textile Appreciation Mornings give visitors an opportunity to expand their knowledge of textiles from around the world. Speakers include local collectors and experts who share textiles from their own collections and invite visitors to share theirs in an informal environment. See the calendar page for descriptions of upcoming Rug & Textile Appreciation Mornings.

Ask-a-Curator, Ask-a-Conservator
This ongoing program, held the first Wednesday of every month (September through May) from 10:30 am to 1 pm, gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about their own textiles from Textile Museum curatorial and conservation staff. While Museum curators specialize in the textile arts of non-Western cultures, the conservation staff can answer questions about caring for textiles produced worldwide. Fee: free/members; $5/non-nembers. No reservations are required.

Highlights Tours
Drop-in tours that feature an overview of the Museum and highlights from current exhibitions are offered every Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm. No reservations are required.

Guided Exhibition Tours
Group tours of current exhibitions may be scheduled for the following days and times: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10:15 am to 3:00 pm; Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm. Please reserve the tour at least four weeks in advance of the preferred date.

To request a guided exhibition tour for adults using our Online Tour Request Form, click here.

The Textile Museum Fall Symposium
The annual Textile Museum Fall Symposium is designed to bring together individuals interested in learning more about textiles and to promote scholarship, camaraderie and the informal exchange of ideas.

For information on the 2009 program, on the topic "From Kimono to Couture: The Evolution of Japanese Fashion," click here.

For information on the 2008 program, on the topic "Cultural Threads: Exploring the Context of Oriental Rugs and Textiles," click here.

PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS & EDUCATORS
Programs are offered for groups of up to 40 students in grades 1 to 12. School programs complement current exhibitions, include touchable items and are interdisciplinary. Programs can be scheduled October to May, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:15 am, 1:30 pm, and 3 pm and Thursday at 1:30 pm and 3 pm by calling (202) 667-0441, ext. 65 or completing the form below at least four weeks prior to your preferred date(s).

Click here for school tour details (pdf).

To request a tour for a school group using our Online School Tours Request Form, click here.

Girl Scouts of America
The Textile Museum offers Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts a chance to earn points toward the Art to Wear, Colors and Shapes and Art Around the World Try-its, or the Yarn and Fabric Arts badge. For more details, click here.

Museum-School Partnership Opportunity
As part of the 2009 Celebration of Textiles, The Textile Museum invited all 1st through 6th grade classes in District of Columbia Public and Charter Schools to apply for participation in a unique museum-school partnership project. For details, click here.

RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS

Workshops, open house evenings, and support materials are offered in connection with some exhibitions. The Museum's interactive online learning experience, Common Threads: Unraveling the World of Textiles, features resources for teachers and suggestions for using that site in the classroom. Online lesson plans and resources are available in connection with the past exhibition, Flowers of Silk and Gold: Four Centuries of Ottoman Embroidery. The Textile Museum is a partner in the Arts for Every Student Program with the D.C. Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative and D.C. Public Schools. Send us your mailing address to be added to the Museum's Educator E-Mail List.

VOLUNTEERING AT THE TEXTILE MUSEUM
The Textile Museum offers a variety of volunteer experiences. Click here for more information about volunteering at The Textile Museum.