The International Quilt Study Center
Located in Lincoln, Nebraska, the International Quilt Study Center is a renowned institution and the world's largest and most comprehensive study center focused on the preservation, exhibition, and study of quilts and other quilted textiles. With over 6,500 quilts in its collection, representing 50 countries and spanning over four centuries of quilt-making traditions, the center is an unparalleled resource for textile researchers, scholars, and enthusiasts of the craft.
Envisioned by Ardis and Robert James in the 1990s, the center officially opened its doors in 2008 as an academic program within the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The Quilt Center's collection, which was initially comprised of the over 1,000 quilts donated by Ardis and Robert James, has since grown exponentially through donations and purchases, becoming a leading resource on the subject. Among the notable quilts held in the collection are those of 19th-century American masters like Mary Baltimore, whose intricate needlework and geometric patterns adorn the quilt 'Maryland State Historic House and Museum Quilt'.
The center's mission to promote the appreciation and study of quilts is furthered through a variety of programs and events. This includes a state-of-the-art research center where scholars and textile conservators work together with curators to advance the field of quilt scholarship and preserve the history and craftsmanship of these objects. Furthermore, IQSC maintains a close relationship with the community by providing workshops and lectures on various quilt-related topics such as the origins of particular techniques or a historical perspective on specific pattern motifs.
Architecturally significant, the center's $23 million multi-story building was designed by prominent architectural firm BNIM of Kansas City. Drawing from local architectural traditions, the Quilt Center combines functionality with modern aesthetic sensibilities. Light-filled exhibit spaces showcase an impressive rotating display of quilts drawn from the collection, bringing art, craft, and history to life.
Examples of unique exhibitions the center has presented include the work of renowned quilt artists Gyorgy Szabados, whose experiments in Hungarian geometric patterns captivated audiences in the 'Hungarian Quilt Revival' exhibition, and Pauline Burbidge-Mullen, an English quilt maker, recognized for her photorealistic textile artworks, which were displayed at the Quilt Center in the exhibition 'Beneath the Surface'.
The International Quilt Study Center's impact is evident through the breadth of topics explored in both its programming and exhibitions. From academic conferences examining historical influences on American quilt patterns to workshops concentrating on particular stitching techniques, IQSC is consistently at the forefront of expanding the world's understanding and appreciation of quilts and quilted textiles. International collaborations have been another significant focus of the center; for example, IQSC provided conservation expertise and aid for salvaging flood-damaged African textiles in Mali.
Scholars involved in research led or co-led by IQSC continue to extend our understanding of textiles and their crafts. Some such studies have enabled researchers to draw a network of textile histories across different cultures. Their research output largely contributes to discussions and innovation, in fabric studies in global domains through many publications, presentations, and the recent preservation initiative centered upon the Coptic textile collections.
Tourists who venture into the Great Plains are always advised to make a stopover at the International Quilt Study Center. Offering a remarkable juxtaposition to some of the big museums with global names typically present in other regions, a local textile museum nestled in Nebraska showcases different local communities through works evocative and transcendent.
Much of the Nebraska-centered textile narrative is greatly influenced by German, Catholic, Swedish, Scandinavian, and Scottish quilting traditions that came into this part of the Americas on the tracks of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Envisioned by Ardis and Robert James in the 1990s, the center officially opened its doors in 2008 as an academic program within the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The Quilt Center's collection, which was initially comprised of the over 1,000 quilts donated by Ardis and Robert James, has since grown exponentially through donations and purchases, becoming a leading resource on the subject. Among the notable quilts held in the collection are those of 19th-century American masters like Mary Baltimore, whose intricate needlework and geometric patterns adorn the quilt 'Maryland State Historic House and Museum Quilt'.
The center's mission to promote the appreciation and study of quilts is furthered through a variety of programs and events. This includes a state-of-the-art research center where scholars and textile conservators work together with curators to advance the field of quilt scholarship and preserve the history and craftsmanship of these objects. Furthermore, IQSC maintains a close relationship with the community by providing workshops and lectures on various quilt-related topics such as the origins of particular techniques or a historical perspective on specific pattern motifs.
Architecturally significant, the center's $23 million multi-story building was designed by prominent architectural firm BNIM of Kansas City. Drawing from local architectural traditions, the Quilt Center combines functionality with modern aesthetic sensibilities. Light-filled exhibit spaces showcase an impressive rotating display of quilts drawn from the collection, bringing art, craft, and history to life.
Examples of unique exhibitions the center has presented include the work of renowned quilt artists Gyorgy Szabados, whose experiments in Hungarian geometric patterns captivated audiences in the 'Hungarian Quilt Revival' exhibition, and Pauline Burbidge-Mullen, an English quilt maker, recognized for her photorealistic textile artworks, which were displayed at the Quilt Center in the exhibition 'Beneath the Surface'.
The International Quilt Study Center's impact is evident through the breadth of topics explored in both its programming and exhibitions. From academic conferences examining historical influences on American quilt patterns to workshops concentrating on particular stitching techniques, IQSC is consistently at the forefront of expanding the world's understanding and appreciation of quilts and quilted textiles. International collaborations have been another significant focus of the center; for example, IQSC provided conservation expertise and aid for salvaging flood-damaged African textiles in Mali.
Scholars involved in research led or co-led by IQSC continue to extend our understanding of textiles and their crafts. Some such studies have enabled researchers to draw a network of textile histories across different cultures. Their research output largely contributes to discussions and innovation, in fabric studies in global domains through many publications, presentations, and the recent preservation initiative centered upon the Coptic textile collections.
Tourists who venture into the Great Plains are always advised to make a stopover at the International Quilt Study Center. Offering a remarkable juxtaposition to some of the big museums with global names typically present in other regions, a local textile museum nestled in Nebraska showcases different local communities through works evocative and transcendent.
Much of the Nebraska-centered textile narrative is greatly influenced by German, Catholic, Swedish, Scandinavian, and Scottish quilting traditions that came into this part of the Americas on the tracks of the Transcontinental Railroad.
