First attempts to create an organized collection of textiles in the area date back to 1952, when Krystyna Kondratiukowa led to establishing a Weaving Department in the Museum of Art in Łódź. Owing to the success of this enterprise, the department was transformed into a branch of the Museum of Art. As an independent organizational unit, the museum has functioned since 1960, when the Museum of the History of Textiles was established. It was renamed to the Central Museum of Textiles in 1975. The White Factory — the seat of the museum — is a complex of classicist buildings erected by the family of Ludwik Geyer in the years 1835–1886. It is considered one of the most beautiful and unique monuments of industrial architecture in Poland. It owes its exceptionalness to the four-wing mill, the building of the Old Boiler House in the middle of a big courtyard, a high chimney, two dust towers and two water-towers. The process of renovating and adjusting the White Factory to the museum's objectives began in 1955, when authorities took a decision to designate it as the future location of the museum. In 2008, the Central Museum of Textiles was extended by establishing an Open-air Museum of the Łódź Wooden Architecture.
Activities
The scientific, collection, and promotional interests of the museum concentrate around everything related to textile manufacturing process – from materials and textile techniques and technologies through to textiles products representing various degrees of processing. Collections are gathered, scientifically elaborated, conserved and, in various forms, displayed by the specialized thematic departments of the museum. Since 1972 the museum has cooperated in organising the International Triennial of Tapestry, which it has been the sole host of since 1982. Presently, it is the oldest and biggest world international exhibition-competition promoting contemporary "fibre art". The museum is also the sole organizer and exhibitor of several national events – the National Exhibition of the Polish Tapestry, the National Exhibition of the Polish Miniature Textiles, and the National Exhibition of the Polish Cross-Stitch Embroidery of Amateur Artists. Each of these is visited by several dozen thousand people.
Permanent exhibits
"The old industrial plants of Ludwik Geyer 1828–2002"
"Textile tools and machines in the collection of the Central Museum of Textiles"
"Weaving room from the end of the 19th century" – machines in motion
The Department of Education of the Central Museum of Textiles organizes art workshops, museum lessons and film presentations of material connected with the museum's profile, educating people about fibre art and history, museum's collections and current exhibitions. One of their educational offer is "Geyerwerki" directed to children with parents. The aim of the workshops is to learn certain textile techniques and to apply it making use of materials and tools provided by the organizer.
