About the Museum - Our History
A New Beginning for the Esprit Collection

At the heart of the Quilt & Textile Museum's permanent exhibition is what many scholars consider to be the finest collection of authentic late 19th-20th century Amish Quilts indigenous to this region. Formerly known as the "Esprit Collection", it was the brainchild of Doug Tompkins, a founder of the Esprit Corporation, who began collecting the quilts during the 1970s.

The Heritage Center acquired this collection in 2002 and promptly set into motion the development of the Quilt & Textile Museum. The combination of the Esprit Collection with the Heritage Center's own quilt and textile collection results in one of the largest collections of its kind anywhere to be presented in context with the stories of south-central Pennsylvanians. The variety and intensity of the collection will leave an indelible imprint on those who view it.

The museum is housed in a grand Beaux Arts building, originally owned by the Lancaster Trust Company, a once prosperous community bank that failed during the Great Depression. Constructed in 1912, this building has stood empty for much of its life.

The opening of the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum in 2004 marks a new beginning for this historic structure. And it is just the beginning.  In 2007, the museum will undergo an expansion that will provide larger exhibition areas, a larger lobby and additional museum store space.  The addition also will include an elevator.  The project is estimated to be completed by September 2007.

Learn more about the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum:
    Our Mission and Vision
    Our History                                                                              
    Quick Facts
    Staff

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