Exploring the Royal Textile Academy

The Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan was established by Her Majesty Gyalyum (Queen Mother) Sangay Choden Wangchuck as a non government, nonprofit institution in 2005.  In 2011 The Royal Textile Academy was registered as a Civil Society Organization.

The Royal Textile Academy serves three main programs: 

• An educational space where trainees learn weaving and dying techniques
• A Center for Conservation where precious artifacts are restored
• The Royal Textile Museum

In this State of the Art Museum, you will find displays of textiles through the ages in two main galleries that exemplify Bhutans rich traditions and way of life.

The upper Gallery is a permanent display and the lower gallery showcases exhibitions for nine months at a time.  A few of the Exhibitions related to textiles are

• Thagzo: The Textile Weaves of Bhutan Royal Collection
• A Tribute to Drugyal Zhipa
• Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel: The Founding Father of Bhutan 
• Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel: A Biography through Kuthang 
• Tashi Gomang: A National Treasure of Bhutan 
• The Mellow – An exhibition on fashion collection and sale in collaboration with the CDK

The third gallery is in the weaving and conservation building.  Here short term exhibitions not necessarily related to textiles are displayed.

• In the Service of our Kings
• Czech Castle Exhibition 
• “Faces” Exhibition
• Paintings by Olaf Van Cleef – Art Exhibition