What is cloth? It is what we wear. It is art. It is wool, cotton, silk…. It is made of warp and weft. It’s an offering. Cloth means a range of different things to different people.

Cultures around the world developed particular ways of producing cloth. Bhutan’s textiles are unique for their diversity and sophistication. As one of the last major Asian arts to be widely appreciated, they are an important contribution to our global cultural heritage. The Textile Museum explores this dynamic craft.

Making cloth involves spinning and colouring fibres, preparing a loom, and manipulating two sets of yarns. The ground floor introduces these skills and the decorative fabrics that Bhutanese weavers produce for a host of everyday uses: clothing, ceremonies, blankets, containers, etc.

The museum galleries on the first floor illustrate the diversity of Bhutan’s textile arts. Special exhibits here currently feature traditional regional garments, as well as masterpieces produced by women and men. When commissioned by a patron, or creating fabrics for their own households, women, who are the chief weavers, create glorious textiles. Men similarly embroider and appliqué splendid fabrics for sacred and ceremonial use.