The production of textiles has been a historically important industry in the Tuscan city of Prato for over 800 years. This remains the case and it makes sense that there is a museum dedicated to the history of textiles in the city. The Prato Textile Museum, or Museo del Tessuto, is located in a former trimming factory called Campolmi within the medieval city walls of Prato and has been open for four decades. It is continuously listed as one of the best museums in Italy for fashion and textile history and is the only museum in Italy which is expressly dedicated to the art and technology of textile production, from pre-columbian textiles to the industrial manufacturing of the 20th century. If you have a passion for fashion or dress history, find a vacation rental in Prato and visit this very special museum for yourself.
The museum was opened in 1975 following a great bequest of more than 600 pieces from the collector Loriano Bertini in Tullio Buzzi Technical Institute. Since May 2003, it has been housed in the converted Campolmi textile mill, a symbol of the local textile manufacturing industry. It is now a flourishing centre for the promotion of the local industrial district which comprises of around 8,000 companies and employs over 40,000 people. The collection has expanded due to public and private contributions over the years and now contains over 6,000 objects, including archaeological textiles, medieval vestments, embroidery from the 15th-20th centuries, and equipment for every part of textile production. There is both a rich and highly informative permanent collection as well as temporary exhibitions.
The permanent exhibition in the museum is organized by theme: the heater room, the room of antique textiles, the raw material and its processes, Prato, the city of Textiles, Prato and Fashion, and an area dedicated to modern material and a room for temporary exhibitions. There is also a contemporary textile section which displays the tie between the museum and local companies, as well as the past and present. Guided tours of the museum are possible if you feel you'll need help wading through this wealth of information and objects but you are also free to wander and take in the information panels, examples of former technologies, items of clothing, drawings and pieces of fabric for yourself.
There are exhibitions, events and workshops for adults and children and it is a highly interactive museum meaning that what might sound stuffy on paper is actually a highly enjoyable and informative experience for everyone. While you're there you can also visit their lovely gift and book shop to pick up some mementos and the café for a snack, and enjoy this charming town and museum in Tuscany.
There are exhibitions, events and workshops for adults and children and it is a highly interactive museum meaning that what might sound stuffy on paper is actually a highly enjoyable and informative experience for everyone. While you're there you can also visit their lovely gift and book shop to pick up some mementos and the café for a snack, and enjoy this charming town and museum in Tuscany.
Photo credits
picture 1: Massimilianogalardi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Massimilianogalardi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Massimilianogalardi / CC BY-SA 3.0
picture 1: Massimilianogalardi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 2: Massimilianogalardi / CC BY-SA 3.0;
picture 3: Massimilianogalardi / CC BY-SA 3.0
