The American Quilt: Cloth and Commerce | Opening Day
MAY 23, 2026 | 10 AM – 4 PM
Join us on opening day of our newest exhibition, The American Quilt Cloth and Commerce.
From the Revolutionary Era to the present day, quilts have served as both cherished heirlooms and silent witnesses to the evolution of American industry, politics, and global trade. The American Quilt: Cloth and Commerce explores how the materials, dyes, and techniques used in quiltmaking reflect centuries of economic shifts and technological innovation. Featuring over 40 quilts and coverlets from Bowers Museum’s permanent collection, as well as loans from the family of famed quilter Jean Ray Laury and others, this exhibition traces the journey of fibers like cotton, silk, wool, rayon, and polyester through two and a half centuries of American quilting
Image credit: Crazy Quilt
Crazy Quilt, 1888. Gift of Jennifer K. Hans, Trustee, Vincent and Geraldine Orbish Trust, 2013.4.1. © Bowers Museum.
