The Calico Museum of Textiles

The Calico Museum of Textiles, established in 1949 by Gira Sarabhai, is a dedicated showcase of India’s rich textile heritage spanning five centuries. Located in Gujarat, the museum offers a comprehensive display of Indian fabrics and weaving techniques. Visitors can explore an extensive collection featuring painted, printed, woven, resist-dyed textiles from different regions and time periods.

The Sarabhai Foundation galleries comprise the renowned Calico Museum of Textiles alongwith collections of sacred bronzes from south India, Jaina manuscripts, sculpture and objects; Indian miniature paintings; as well as other arts.

The Calico Museum of Textiles was inspired by the pioneering art historian and philosopher Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy. It was his suggestion to Gautam Sarabhai, chairman of the Calico Mills of Ahmedabad, that a textile museum and an institute be founded in the city, as it had been one of India’s leading textile production and trade centers since the 15th century. In 1949, the textile museum was founded by Gautam Sarabhai with the assistance of his sister Gira Sarabhai, and was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister.