American Textile History Museum

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Official Website: American Textile History Museum
Location: 491 Dutton Street, Lowell, MA, 01854-4221 directions
Phone:(978) 441-0400
Hours: Hours Vary see below
Ages: Kids, Teens, Adults
In/Outdoor: Indoor
Cost: $$ see below

Others to Consider: Harvard Museum of Natural History, Concord Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), Kaleidoscope Children's Museum, Mass MoCA

The American Textile History Museum houses one of the largest collections of its kind in the world. Its collections contain thousands of books, trade catalogs, business records and personal papers, prints and photographs, a growing costume collection, millions of textiles samples, and hundreds of machines used in textile manufacture.

The Museum is an unparalleled resource for the study of textile history in the United States. You will find a wealth of information about textile art, factory architecture, textile production, technological invention, labor history, industrial organization and the everyday life of mill towns.

Textile Learning Center (TLC)
Our ongoing hands-on fun place for children-of-all-ages helps us tell the story of textiles in many ways. Read stories in our Polynesian-style reading house from our well-stocked library. Visit our dress-up area loaded with accessories, jewelry, and masks. Try your hand at fiber arts by weaving on our various looms, or spinning with drop spindles. Play at our large, newly acquired doll house, our puppet theater, and activity tables, themed to complement the Museum’s special changing exhibit. For our current special exhibit on quilts, on TLC theme is “Life’s a QUILTED Beach.” Make and decorate sunglasses, visors, beach bags, and flip flop key chains. Make miniature beach blankets that serve as bingo cards for Beach Blanket Bingo. Try your hand at making story quilt squares and designer quilt square mug rugs.

View Events Calendar.

Browse Upcoming Family Events.

Sundays are Family Days at the American Textile History Museum.
Every Sunday at 2:00 pm, experienced Museum Teachers offer special hands-on projects for families within children up to age 12.

Families will enjoy trying techiques inspired by the fiber artists exhibits as well as the ongoing process of creating a three dimenstional sculpture, view display of original book illustrations, and familiar weaving, spinning and reading activities.

The Textile Learning Center is open during regular museum hours and at no cost beyond regular museum admission. No registration is required and the program is free with Museum admission.

Parking:
Free parking is available in the Museum lot adjacent to the building.

Accessibility:
The Museum is handicap accessible.

Hours

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Wednesday - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Closed on holidays.

Cost

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Adults (17 and over) - $8;
Children (6-16) - $6;
Seniors & Students with ID - $6;
Children under 6 and Museum Members - free.

View Rates & Information and print out a coupon for $2 off an adult admission.

Special discounts for groups. No admission fee to visit the Museum Store and Gazebo Cafe. Special programs and exhibitions may have additional fees.

Location

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491 Dutton Street, Lowell, MA, 01854-4221 map

The Museum is located 35 miles northwest of Boston. Take Route 495 North or South to the Lowell Connector, exit 35C. Take the Lowell Connector to Exit 5B (Thorndike Street). Follow Thorndike Street through 4 sets of traffic lights. Museum entrance and parking lot will be on your left immediately after the 4th light. The Museum is the red brick building with yellow and green banners. Click here to view map.

Lowell is accessible by commuter rail from Boston's North Station. Call (800) 392-6100 for schedule, or click here for more information.