Textile Hive

Travel Postcards: V&A East Storehouse, London

While in London, we visited the new V&A East Storehouse, a space that reimagines what a museum can be. Located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it serves as both a working collection store and a public space, offering rare access to objects, archives, and behind the scenes activity.

Instead of keeping the collection hidden, the V&A created a transparent and participatory experience. Visitors can explore visible storage, see conservation in progress, and witness the care and research that bring collections to life. Over 250,000 objects and more than 1,000 archives are housed here, many once kept from public view.

We were especially inspired by their approach to storage and access as we continue designing our new space. A highlight was the education studio, where visitors can request specific objects during their visit, creating direct and personal engagement.

Also striking were full scale architectural installations, including a reconstructed mosque interior and sections from a Frank Lloyd Wright house. These large works are integrated into the space, offering rich an unexpected sense of scale.

The Storehouse is part of a larger vision that includes the soon to open V&A East Museum nearby. Together, they form a vibrant cultural hub with a strong community focus, encouraging participation and shared authorship.

We are here for more experimentation and reimagining of what archive and museum spaces can be, and we look forward to following the progress and updates at the 🙌🙌🙌

ostcards

Travel Postcards: Mobilier National Archives, Paris, France

During our recent visit with , we had the opportunity to visit the extraordinary archives of , one of France’s most significant cultural institutions. With a history dating back to the early 17th century, this organization is responsible for furnishing the official residences and offices of the French Republic, including presidential palaces, embassies, and diplomatic missions around the world.

Mobilier National houses a remarkable collection of over 130,000 objects, including furniture, textiles, tapestries, and decorative arts. Originally founded as the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne under Henry IV, and later organized by Colbert during the reign of Louis XIV, it has evolved into a living archive of French design heritage. The institution not only safeguards these pieces, but continues to support their ongoing restoration and creation through a dynamic network of artisan workshops and training programs.

Among the most impressive aspects of our visit was learning about the organization’s support of historic craft production through its national manufactories. These include the Manufacture des Gobelins, known for monumental tapestries; the Manufacture de Beauvais, focused on wall hangings; the Manufacture de la Savonnerie, specializing in knotted pile carpets; and the lace conservatories in Alençon and Le Puy, preserving needle and bobbin lace traditions recognized by UNESCO. Each of these workshops employs skilled artisans who continue centuries-old techniques while innovating for the present day.

The visit offered not only a look into an exceptional archive, but also an inspiring reminder of how deeply design and craftsmanship are woven into the fabric of national identity. We’re excited about the potential for future collaborations between our collection and the teams at Mobilier National, and look forward to continuing the conversation across archives, cultures, and generations.

It is the end of an era. This past weekend, we hosted our final tour in the space we have called home since 2012. Over the years, we have welcomed hundreds of visitors through tours, events, and workshops.

While it was never meant to be a permanent home, it was a beautiful one, and we will miss its high ceilings, timber frames, and warm brick facade.

Thank you to everyone who visited the collection and shared this space with us. We would love to hear your favorite memories and moments in the comments, and we hope you will join us when we reopen in our new space this October. 🤲

Hi 👋 it’s Caleb. It’s been a minute since we’ve shared any updates from Textile Hive. After wrapping up last fall’s Origins and Legacies exhibits, I took a little breather 😮‍💨 to reflect on the future of TH.

At the same time, an opportunity to acquire a permanent space presented itself—and I’m excited to share that this fall, we’ll be moving into our new home. The space was formerly Blue Dog Recording Studio, and our re-construction just began last week. It feels fitting that our next chapter starts in a space with a musical history. I think my mother would have appreciated that energy 🕊️

I’m incredibly thankful to have my talented and organized friend leading the renovation. As with every Textile Hive project, I’m approaching this with a beginner’s mind, curious, open, and intentional about creating a space that serves as a design and educational resource, a community hub, and a living archive.

I’ve especially enjoyed exploring materials, thinking through how the energy of a space can support our work, and tackling design challenges around storage. It’s also been a chance to reflect on all the past spaces that have housed and shaped the collection over the years.

I’m looking forward to sharing more about the process and introducing some of the incredible collaborators helping bring this space to life. I also look forward to sharing reflections in future posts about all the spaces the collection has inhabited over the years.

Looking forward to welcoming you all into our new space this fall 🤲