Carpet museum to celebrate 10th birthday this month
A museum in Kidderminster which is dedicated to carpets and carpet making will celebrate a 10 year milestone next week.
The Carpet Museum Trust began to collect machinery, artefacts and a collection of around 3,000 carpet designs – many by significant designers, in the 1980s.
After many years of hard work, and with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Museum of Carpet opened in 2012.
And the museum will celebrate its 10th birthday on October 19.
Sue Hetherington, museum manager, said: “We are delighted to celebrate our 10th birthday this year at the museum.
"Following a difficult few years with 2020 and 2021, we have been able to open back up with our programme of events, successfully delivering talks, tours, visits and workshops to the community and beyond.
"In the year 2022, the museum continues to be a centre of education and heritage for visitors, owing to the support of valued trustees, volunteers and staff.”
Earlier this year, the museum ran its fifth successful summer exhibition, ‘Magnificent Design’, celebrating historic carpets from the museum collection, pieces by contemporary carpet designers and textile work from emerging talented textile graduates from Birmingham City University.
Looking to the future, the Museum of Carpet continues to preserve the legacy of Kidderminster’s carpet industry through a yearly programme of exciting and informative events, talks and workshops.
This autumn, the museum will be displaying a mini exhibition in collaboration with the Wolverhampton Creative Embroiderers, featuring work inspired by bobbins from the carpet power looms, which will run until Christmas 2022.
In the October half-term, the venue is offering free entry to children, and on December 1 the collections team will be giving 'A Kidderminster Christmas' Archive Talk.
The museum is also looking for volunteers. There are positions available on front of house for Wednesdays and Saturdays, and hand loom weavers are needed on Thursdays and Saturdays.
To find out more, email bookings@museumofcarpet.org.uk
