Home | Attractions Ahmedabad | Calico Museum of Textiles

Inaugurated in the year 1949 by the then Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Calico Museum of Textiles is one of the premium museums to be set up in India. The museum keeps extraordinary collections of textiles, dating back to the 17th century. Situated in the Sarabhai Foundation, in the Shahibag premises, Calico museum is the world's most excellent museum on textiles. Since the 15th century A.D, Ahmedabad has been a main textile trade center. Inspired by its quality based textile trade center, Shri Sarabhai along with his sister Gira Sarabhai and the great industrial house of Calico established here India's unique museum on textiles in Ahmedabad.

Many tourists from across the globe visit this museum as it deals with both the historical and technical study of Indian handicraft and textile industry. Many researchers and scholars also visit the place for a better understanding of the industry. Apart from textiles and fabrics, Calico museum showcases an overabundance of things pertaining to textiles. Tourist can see here handicrafts, temple artifacts and marble, bronze and sandstone icons. Fabrics, spun and woven collected from the different parts of the nation are also preserves here.

Gallery for religious textiles and Gallery for historical textiles are two thematic sections of this museum. Museum also houses an excellent library for reference, which can be consulted for comprehensive information on the subject. The embroidered tent and robes of Shah Jahan along with elaborate carpets and plump cushions of the royal court are also exhibited here. Centuries-old manuscripts and 'mandalas', painted on palm leaves, which illustrates the weaving, dyeing and embroidery techniques are other sections of attraction inside the museum.