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Lao Textile Museum

Lao Textile Museum

Laos

Luang Prabang

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Overview

What began as a private museum, established by the family that runs Kanchana Boutique, has subsequently become something of a Lao cultural centre. The emphasis at this leafy compound, spread across several local-style wooden buildings, is on textiles. There is a house filled with looms and antique Lao textiles representing several ethnic groups, and at other stops you can see various stages of weaving and dyeing in action.

Weaving considered as masterpieces in their own right as practiced by Lao people, depicts their way of life, their environment and spiritual beliefs and is thought by many to be an example of successful combination of the local knowledge.

The Lao Textile Museum was established in 2003 thereby making it the first private museum in Laos. On display are antique pieces of silk made by difference ethnic group of the country. The Exhibition is display in wooden house of typical Lao style, amidst peaceful and pleasant surrounding and gardens of flowers.

You can see more at the Lao Textile Museum, Its a place worthwhile visiting.

Underneath the raised house there are old looms and antique spinners that you would not find in use anywhere today. Upstairs, textiles are hung on the walls or are simply stacked in cupboards. The collection has some stunning pieces, with several made by different ethnic minority groups. Unfortunately, the textiles don’t have proper storage or display conditions and many of them are deteriorating.

There is also a studio where they produce silk pieces for their shop and a glossy cultural education centre with professional displays on natural dyes and indigo pots (clearly there has been NGO funding and involvement). The educational centre is largely used as a showroom for large tour groups and it isn’t an active, working, living craft centre you can just drop in on. If you want to see a lively place with production and get hands on experience, take a workshop at Houey Hong, which is in the same part of town. In fact, you may want to combine the two as a day trip.

Ban Nongtha Tai, Chantabouly District, Vientiane Province, Lao PDR - The Lao Textile Museum provides a surprisingly unique display of traditional architecture, objects and antique textiles. The site is also used as a production facility for high-quality silk. However, it is not an easy place to find and many people are actually unaware of its existence. According to a newspaper article, the museum counts on average 4000 visitors per year.

Established in 2003, the Lao Textile Museum claims to be the first privately-owned museum in Laos and its purpose is to promote the traditional assets of textile culture in the country, including its revered silk production. It is the initiative of the Sisane family, owners of the textile boutique Kanchana, situated in the heart of the capital city Vientiane. The boutique itself is the starting point to the museum as one is usually asked to make a booking there and arrange a tuk-tuk pick-up to Ban Nontha Tai, a village on the outskirts of Vientiane, only 20 minutes away from the city centre.

The museum sits within a luscious garden and is structured around several traditional Lao-style houses that boast authenticity, elegance and craftsmanship. Each house has a different function, the largest one used for weaving demonstrations and displaying antique looms and textiles from different ethnic groups living in Laos.  The museum does not provide captions and instead each visit is guided by a family member. Despite the friendliness of local staff, this aspect is perhaps the only downside of the place, as it affects the pace of the visit. The private collection is a pleasant discovery process through the family’s archive that is infused with a real passion and dedication to local cultures. Certain pieces are over a century old and appear to be heavily damaged – yet they add a special charisma to the place. The Lao Textile Museum is very much a home with a particular atmosphere and countless of items that leave the mind hungry to see more.

The second house is dedicated to natural dyes and the traditional objects that relate to textile production and traditional households in Laos: jars, baskets, ladles, and other utensils. The tools, supplies and materials are used for workshops and classes. Schools and international exchanges with universities from overseas are apparently common activities at the site. A cooking school is another recent addition to promoting the diversity of local cultures in Laos.

The small-scale and intimate atmosphere of the Lao Textile Museum is the key attraction to this unexpected site. It is a perfect location to be reminded of and be inspired by the beauty of Lao textiles and cultures, away from the city.

Lao Textile Museum (Vientiane)

  • Address: Ban Nongtha Tai, Vientiane 9821, Laos
  • Opening hours: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

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