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Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising
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Avenir Museum Gallery

The largest of the Avenir Museum’s galleries, this 1,500 sq. ft. space hosts exhibits of historic apparel as well as flat textiles of greater size. Exhibits are planned 2-3 years in advance by Avenir Museum curatorial staff in tandem with the Department of Design and Merchandising.

imagiNation: Fashioning A Nation, 1776 - 2026

Opening April 30, 2026.

In the 1770s, Americans were cut off from British textiles and left to develop an independent style. Since then, fashion and textiles have served as vehicles for national identity, commemoration, and nostalgia. This exhibition explores this intersection at 50-year intervals since 1776 and asks, as Americans look ahead to the next 50 years, how will they wear the legacy of the Revolution?

A detail image of a museum object that is a red, white, and blue patchwork dress. There is an apron front with an applique featuring the Liberty Bell that says 1976.

Past Exhibitions in the Avenir Museum Gallery

The past exhibits in the Avenir Museum Gallery show an incredible array of breadth and depth from many cultures and time periods. Learn more about African wax prints, the women’s suffragist movement, Hmong textiles, and designer collections, among many more.

Learn More About Past Exhibitions
6 dress forms adorned in beautiful blue garments on display in the Avenir Museum Gallery.