Voted the Project of Influence at the 2018 Best in Heritage conference, the Textile Museum Tilburg was founded by the Municipality of Tilburg in 1958, and was first located in a former fabrikantenvilla (industrialist’s house). The museum then relocated in 1985 to the textile factory formerly occupied by C. Mommers & Co., one of the largest fabric companies in town. Awe-inspiring as a dynamic and creative museum, tracing the past, present, and future of the former textile capital of the Netherlands, the museum emphasises its identity as a working museum, as ingeniously illustrated by its exhibitions.
The first permanent exhibition, The Woollen Blanket Factory 1900–1940, recreates a traditional craft workshop for producing blankets from raw wool through various processes including jobbing, winding, and felting. The second permanent exhibition, Damask Weaving and Washing, depicts the rich history behind the renowned Damask fabric, which is woven by 19th century Jacquard looms, once owned by the Brabant weaving mill W.J. van Hoogerwou & Zonen. Coupled with its digitalised TextileLab, which was opened in 2005, the museum juxtaposes the pre-computerized themed permanent exhibitions to illustrate how the tapestry of textile history evolved.