Department of Apparel, Educational Studies, and Hospitality Management

Questions and Answers

What is the history of the Morrill Hall space used by the Textiles and Clothing Program?

Morrill Hall is one of the oldest buildings on campus and its remodeling was completed in March 2007. It is the first example of sustainable building on Iowa State University's campus. Located within the museum are the Mary Alice Gallery, named in honor of Mary Alice Anderson Reinhardt; the Donna Rae Danielson Textiles and Clothing Conservation Laboratory; and the Textiles and Clothing Collection Storage named in honor of Bertha and Edward Waldee.

What is the history of the Historic Costume and Textile Collection?

The Historic Costume and Textile Collection began in 1923 as a teaching tool to be used in the Textiles and Clothing Program. The collection includes over 8,500 historic and ethnic textile and dress items. The Collection was founded by Olive Settles, a well-known specialist in historic textiles and an Iowa State University faculty member from 1923 until her death in 1962. The early involvement of Textiles and Clothing faculty in building the collection shaped the collection's focus on ethnic textiles and pragmatic examples of dress and textiles.

What are the oldest items in the collection?

The earliest textiles in the Collection originated in Africa, including a group of 6th century Egyptian mummy wrappings and other funerary textiles. The earliest North American garments in the collection are two men's coats dating from 1725 and 1750-1775, a woman's green silk and wool calash bonnet circa 1775, and several women's day and evening dresses circa 1800-1820.

What is the mission of the museum?

The mission of the museum is to support teaching and research for the benefit of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty members. The museum is an asset to the Textiles and Clothing Program and demonstrates the land-grant mission of Iowa State University, to create and extend knowledge about design, production, distribution, promotions, and use of textiles and apparel for local, national, and international communities in a global context.

Who can visit and do research in the Collection?

The Collection offers public access to its collections and research activities. By appointment and under supervision, the collection is accessible to anyone with an interest in clothing and textiles.

What are the day-to-day tasks of the Collection?

Accessioning new objects into the Collection, inventorying garments, care and preservation tasks, research, and providing objects for classroom teaching and research requests.

How can someone donate items to the Collection?

Donations are accepted if they help fulfill the purposes of teaching and research. Donated clothing in the past has represented European couture and designer ready-to-wear; U.S. design in terms of innovation and quality of manufacture, prominent Iowans and Iowa State Unviersity. Because the collection has been built from such donations, it is a unique gathering of backgrounds, experiences, and tastes of the region and its diverse residents. Please contact Professor Sara Kadolph, skadolph@iastate.edu for more information about donating to the Collection.

How can students take advantage of unique opportunities offered by the Textiles and Clothing Collection?

Students can receive internships and can volunteer at the Collection. Students interning or volunteering in the Collection are given exclusive insight to the museum industry.

About the exhibition

About the Collection

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