Textile Museum St. Gallen
6 reasons why a visit to the St. Gallen Textile Museum is worthwhile
Embroidery, pattern books and embroidered QR codes: the Textile Museum in St. Gallen offers a unique insight into the textile tradition of eastern Switzerland. But it is not only the diverse textile collection that makes a visit worthwhile.
1 Get to know the textile history of Eastern Switzerland
At the museum, you will learn exciting facts about the history of the textile tradition of St. Gallen. Fabrics from Eastern Switzerland have been in demand not just since today, but rather are part of a long tradition that goes back to the early Middle Ages. For centuries, St. Gallen was characterised by the production of canvas, the processing of cotton and the embroidery of finished fabrics.
2 Admire rare pieces of fabric
The museum contains rare treasures such as embroidery works from Egyptian tombs that bear witness to millennia of skill.
The exhibits in the Textile Museum also show how textile production in St. Gallen developed. The magnificent stocks of embroidered curtains (vitrages and rideaux) are impressive. These were the main export items at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, and were mainly delivered to America.
3 Experience embroidery up close
At the beginning of the 19th century, St. Gallen embroidery was Switzerland's most important export product. Merchants collected textile rarities from all over the world to get ideas for their own production.
A particular attraction at the Textile Museum is the hand embroidery machine from around 1890. This is demonstrated on Thursday and Friday afternoons.
4 Haute Couture in St. Gallen
Today, St. Gallen has bid farewell to textile production and is instead dedicating itself to haute couture. Dior, Gucci and Prada all have a presence in St. Gallen, and hardly a major fashion show in Paris or New York goes without a presentation of the St. Gallen textile creations. Even before they hit the international catwalks, they can be admired at the St. Gallen Textile Museum.
5 Guided tours of the museum
Another opportunity to experience the fascinating world of St. Gallen embroidery is offered by the guided tours of the St. Gallen-Bodensee Tourism Office. After the tour, visitors can spend the night in one of the textile hotels in Eastern Switzerland. The rooms have been decorated with selected fabrics, magnificent curtains and wallpaper from St. Gallen design studios.
6 On the textile trail through St. Gallen
Discover the city's exciting textile tradition by scanning embroidered QR codes after your visit to the museum.
The influence of the textile industry in eastern Switzerland can still be felt today – particularly in the architecture. In St. Gallen, there are numerous buildings associated with the textile industry, with illustrious names such as ‘Oceanic’, ‘Washington’ or ‘Wilson’. Simply scan a QR code with your smartphone to learn more about the individual buildings.
Fancy a visit? Book your personal textile experience in St. Gallen now.