Exhibitions

Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising
Exhibitions

Spring 2026 Exhibitions

Avenir Museum Gallery

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.

The Richard Blackwell Gallery

The Fashion “Bug”: Insects In and On Our Cloth
January 27 – June 27, 2026

In collaboration with the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity.

From shimmering silk to the deep reds of cochineal dye, insects have always been involved in the act of making textiles, just as humans have been bitten by the fashion bug throughout history. Join us to explore insects’ impact and inspiration on what we wear.

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An image of a Chinese cloud collar that features bands of ribbon on the exterior, and a heavily embroidered interior.

The Lucile E. Hawks Gallery

Anchors Aweigh: Sailors’ Dress and American Women’s Fashion, 1900-Present
January 27 – August 1, 2026

An exploration of the influence of naval heritage on fashion, tracing how maritime silhouettes, symbolism, and style have made their mark on mainstream fashion.

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A detail image of a sailor collar on a woman's dress.

Location, Hours, and Maps

Community Textile Exhibition Call Colorado Community Threads: Reflections on Place and People

On view in Fall of 2026.

The Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State University invites artists and community members to submit works for our upcoming exhibition celebrating “Colorado Community Threads: Reflections on Place and People”. This exhibition aims to showcase the diverse viewpoints of community members on the central theme through innovative, engaging, and thoughtfully crafted works that explore the potential of textiles to express stories, memories, and ideas of Colorado.

View the full call.

Other Galleries

Gustafson Gallery

The Gustafson Gallery is under the umbrella of the Avenir Museum and is located in the Gifford Building on CSU's main campus.