The Textiles Conservation Laboratory

Textiles Conservation

The Textile Conservation Laboratory treats a wide range of collections objects made from fabrics. These include costumes, samplers and needlework pictures, quilts and coverlets, printed textiles and home furnishings such as curtains and carpets. Typical treatments involve examining the object, cleaning it, stabilizing (or supporting) it and preparing it for storage or display. Because many of the textiles in Colonial Williamsburg’s collections are very large and must be treated lying flat, this lab is the largest dedicated space among the conservation labs. The bulk of the lab space is occupied by large flat surfaces which can be partially disassembled to allow access to specified areas of the object being treated while still providing support for the entire piece.