Museo Textil de Oaxaca
Photo: Own work — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Located in a restored 18th-century mansion, the Museo Textil de Oaxaca presents a diverse collection of textiles from Oaxaca, Mexico, and around the world, promoting the fusion of tradition and contemporary design.
Planning your visit
Oaxaca is the strongest textile region in Mexico, and the tradition is unbroken: backstrap looms worked as they were before the conquest, treadle looms introduced by the Spanish, natural dyes including the cochineal insect that made the region rich when Europe had no other source of true scarlet, and the indigo and shellfish purple of the coast.
The museum, opened in 2008 in a restored eighteenth-century mansion, holds textiles from across Oaxaca's sixteen indigenous groups alongside international comparisons, and rotates exhibitions rather than showing a fixed display.
Admission is free. Workshops, demonstrations and a specialist library support serious interest, and the shop sells directly from weavers.
Teotitlán del Valle, the weaving village in the valley, is the field trip that follows.
It sits in the centre, walkable from the Zócalo. Allow an hour. Bookable options include walking tours with markets and lunch. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is Museo Textil de Oaxaca?
Museo Textil de Oaxaca is in Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Museo Textil de Oaxaca?
Allow an hour. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Museo Textil de Oaxaca in advance?
Guided tours run to a fixed schedule and small group sizes, so they are usually booked ahead.