San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
Encyclopedia
The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles is an art museum in Downtown San Jose
, California
, USA
. Founded in 1977, the museum is the first in the United States devoted solely to quilt
s and textile
s as an art form. Holdings include a permanent collection of over 550 quilts, garments and ethnic textiles, emphasizing artists of the 20th- and 21st-century, and a research library with over 500 books concerning the history and techniques of the craft.
by the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association in 1977. It was incorporated in 1986 as a nonprofit
public benefit museum, managed by a board of trustees
. It relocated several times until it moved into its 13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²) permanent home in San Jose’s SoFA (South First Area) Arts District in 2005.
Downtown San Jose
Downtown San Jose is the central business district of San Jose, California, United States. The area is generally located north of Interstate 280 and east of Guadalupe Parkway, which roughly parallels the Guadalupe River. The region is bound to the north by U.S...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1977, the museum is the first in the United States devoted solely to quilt
Quilt
A quilt is a type of bed cover, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. “Quilting” refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties...
s and textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s as an art form. Holdings include a permanent collection of over 550 quilts, garments and ethnic textiles, emphasizing artists of the 20th- and 21st-century, and a research library with over 500 books concerning the history and techniques of the craft.
History
The Museum of Quilts & Textiles had its beginnings as the American Museum of Quilts and Related Arts, founded in Los Altos, CaliforniaLos Altos, California
Los Altos is a city at the southern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city is in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 28,976 according to the 2010 census....
by the Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association in 1977. It was incorporated in 1986 as a nonprofit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
public benefit museum, managed by a board of trustees
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
. It relocated several times until it moved into its 13000 sq ft (1,207.7 m²) permanent home in San Jose’s SoFA (South First Area) Arts District in 2005.
Exhibitions
The Museum provides exhibitions from around the world, focusing on the way people of many cultures use textiles to make their voices heard. Many of the artists on exhibit at the Museum incorporate modern technology into the basic traditions of fiber art. Exhibitions and individual installations typically remain on view 3 months.External links
- San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles website
- Location: 37°19′41"N 121°53′04"W