Containing more than 8,000 objects, the textile collection at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts spans 15 centuries, and represents more than 70 countries. The collection demonstrates the talents of European and Asian court artists as well as the pride and artistic identity of many ethnic groups. The objects represent diverse cultures, from Egyptian Coptic and pre-Columbian Peru to 20th-century Bhutan and Morocco. They show the aesthetic preferences of urban and nomadic artists and also tell stories of amazing technical achievement, from the intricate interlacing of basketry to the sophisticated machine weaving of complex fabrics.

The collection has gained an international reputation for its spectacular individual pieces as well as its impressive holdings of European tapestries, early Italian laces, passementerie, Kashmir shawls, Turkish embroideries, urban and rural North African textiles, and ikat fabrics. The acquisition of the Jack Lenor Larsen company archive in 1999 has broadened the scope of the collection's 20th-century holdings, complementing its already strong collection of contemporary fiber art. Viewed individually or within an exhibition, textiles offer museum visitors the opportunity to experience diversity of expression and to celebrate the world's incredibly rich visual heritage.

featured objects in this collection »

Larsen: A Living Archive »