Calico Museum Of Textiles - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 5 km from Ahmedabad Junction, Calico Museum of Textiles is a museum situated in Shahibaug area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It is one of the popular textile museums in India and among the top places to visit in Ahmedabad.

The museum was founded in 1949 by industrialist Gautam Sarabhai and his sister Gira Sarabhai. Originally, the museum was housed at the Calico Mills in the heart of the textile industry. Later the museum was shifted to Sarabhai House in 1983 due to an increasing number of exhibits. The museum has played an important role in determining the curriculum taught in the textile designing courses at the prestigious National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. The museum is managed by Sarabhai Foundation.

The museum exhibits an enormous collection of fabrics, which are collected from all over the country. Bordered by the lush green gardens and fountains, the museum has two separate sections for textiles, the religious clothing section and the historic textiles section. The historic textile section displays the court textiles used by the Mughal and local rulers of 15th to 19th centuries while the religious section has exhibits on ritual art and sculpture, temple hangings, miniature paintings, South Indian bronzes, Jain art and sculpture, and furniture and crafts.

There are also textile techniques galleries and a library which has a sizable number of books related to textile and art. Also, museum authorities keep on organizing a workshop for the students and researchers to understand the textile industry in a better manner. The items on display are well protected by the museum authorities. The textiles are protected from dust, air pollution and fluctuations in temperatures by the trees around the museum complex.

A single guided tour is offered each day by the museum and the entry is restricted to 20 visitors. The guided tour starts at 10.45 AM and visitors are not allowed inside after 11 AM. Advance booking is mandatory for this museum entry.

Timings: 10.30 AM to 12.30 PM, Closed on Wednesdays & Public Holidays

Entry: Free