Renewal of the Textile Museum

For nearly 150 years, the Textile Museum St.Gallen has been a cornerstone of the textile industry in Eastern Switzerland and beyond. At the heart of our mission lies the responsible preservation and presentation of one of Switzerland’s most significant textile collections. This collection includes exceptional treasures such as fabrics from Egyptian tombs, historical embroideries, handcrafted lace of prominent European provenance, ethnographic textiles, historical fabrics and costumes, as well as contemporary textile art pieces. To keep this heritage alive and make current developments in the textile industry tangible, we are planning a comprehensive renewal of the museum building. Our goal is to create modern and welcoming exhibition and working spaces. At the same time, we aim to spotlight the diverse stories, enterprises, and personalities represented in our collection, fostering a place where everyone feels welcomed and inspired.

The renewal will strengthen the Textile Museum’s position as a national cultural institution, attracting a broad audience from across Switzerland. The planned new permanent exhibition will connect the identity-shaping textile history of Switzerland with the everyday lives of visitors. It will also highlight key themes of the modern textile industry, including design, innovation, international competitiveness, and sustainability.

Milestone of the Renewal – A Progress Update

In November 2024, we reached a significant milestone: the building permit application was successfully submitted. This brings us closer to our goal of breathing new life into our historic «Palazzo Rosso» – originally built as a training and association center for the textile industry. Here, you can find all press releases regarding the renewal:

A Visionary Design That Welcomes and Connects

The design for the new Textile Museum St.Gallen was created by renowned Zurich architect Christian Kerez. His concept opens the building on nearly all sides with wide doors and a lowered ground floor at street level. This transformation removes barriers for visitors and makes the museum, along with its shop and bistro, a vibrant meeting place in the heart of St.Gallen.

The new exhibition spaces in the basement will offer a column-free area of 1,300 m² with ideal lighting conditions and state-of-the-art technology, perfect for showcasing the valuable textile collection. A sweeping staircase and an elevator will directly connect the open hall to the light-filled ground floor, ensuring barrier-free access. The storage rooms will be relocated to the new attic level, where they can be preserved more efficiently and cost-effectively. Proximity to museum management, research, and educational areas will facilitate collaboration and create new synergies.

The completion of the «Nuovo Palazzo Rosso» will provide a modern, functional, and visually striking home for the history, present, and future of textile art. With the current planning schedule, including time for the building permit decision and necessary fundraising, the opening is projected for 2029.

A Collective Project for the Future

The Textile Museum Foundation is guided by a clear vision: a building that meets the high standards of the collection and Swiss textile history.

We extend our gratitude to the supporters who have already committed to this groundbreaking project. Fundraising for the renewal is in full swing, with intensive discussions underway with public and private stakeholders. Together, we aim to secure the necessary funds to realize this vision.

We also thank the members of the Patronage Committee, who play a key role in emphasizing the project’s significance for Eastern Switzerland and garnering widespread support from politics and the public. As ambassadors, they underscore the importance of preserving our cultural DNA while advancing the Textile Museum. The committee comprises leading figures from politics, business, and culture in Eastern Switzerland, promoting the project and fostering dialogue with policymakers. You can find a full list of members here.

Below are inspiring voices sharing their vision and enthusiasm for this major initiative:

Silvan Wildhaber, CEO Filtex AG: «There’s no future without origins. This applies to the textile industry as well. I look forward to the renovation and renewal of the Textile Museum.»
Thomas Kirchhofer, Director St. Gallen-Bodensee Tourism: «The Textile Museum is a showcase for St. Gallen’s textile history and, alongside the Abbey Library, the region’s most significant cultural institution of national and even international importance. A venue that radiates so much Eastern Swiss identity must continue to serve as a fitting stage for both past and future achievements.»
Laura Bucher, Member of the Cantonal Government of St. Gallen: «Founded in 1878, the Textile Museum St. Gallen is the only institution of its kind in Switzerland. Its internationally significant textile collection reflects centuries of global interconnectedness in our canton. It also mirrors the social and economic history of the Lake Constance region. The museum shows how essential creativity, imagination, and vision are for innovation—and thus for the economy.»
Roland Bentele, Chief Corporate Center Officer Helvetia Group: «With the Textile Museum, St. Gallen has an outstanding unique feature. The renewal, with its exceptional architecture, will give the city another jewel alongside the university and the Abbey District, radiating influence across the region and all of Switzerland.»
Peter Kriemler, CEO Akris AG: «The winning project by Christian Kerez was surprising in both result and impact for all jury members. It is a prime example of how a competition can yield creative and vastly superior solutions than initially anticipated. Christian Kerez impresses with his consistent approach, transforming the 150-year-old association building into a museum while lowering the building’s characteristic knee wall to street level. This grants the entire ground floor a grand gesture of significance and connection to the street. Equally remarkable is the basement extension, which follows the maximum boundaries of the plot rather than the building’s footprint. This new exhibition space opens countless possibilities that were unimaginable in the competition program.»
Tobias Forster, Honorary President Textile Museum St. Gallen: «From the moment we’re born, textiles accompany us throughout our lives. Textiles are a concern for everyone. St. Gallen, as a textile city, has housed a Textile Museum for nearly 150 years, bringing historical, contemporary, and future textile themes into discussion. It highlights their economic, ecological, technological, and socio-historical contexts.»

Global Recognition

The Textile Museum St. Gallen enjoys acclaim far beyond Switzerland’s borders. In particular, our outstanding collection of lace and embroidery has garnered significant global attention in recent years. Below is a selection of press coverage highlighting our international renown: