SPECIAL EXHIBITS
Weaving Magic: The Artistry of the Loom
November 13, 2026 - October 23, 2027
The Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History, proudly announces its exclusive in-house exhibition, Weaving Magic: the Artistry of the Loom, on display from November 13, 2026 - October 23, 2027.
A collaboration with the Brazos Spinners and Weavers Guild and Intersections Textile Learning Center and Gallery, this unique display honors the Guild’s 50th anniversary, and highlights tools and techniques that have been used in weaving for thousands of years.
Brazos Spinners & Weavers Guild member Toni Wilson weaving on an inkle loom at the Boonville Days Heritage Festival in 2011 (photo C. Wayne Smith).
Opening on Friday, November 13 at 6:30 pm, the public is invited to a free and entertaining lecture by Kay McWilliams of the Brazos Spinners and Weavers Guild and Intersections Textile Learning Center and Gallery.
Following her talk, guests are invited to an opening reception featuring wine, appetizers, and gallery viewing.
Kay McWilliams working at a loom.
A founding member of the Brazos Spinners and Weavers Guild in 1976, Kay McWilliams has influenced weavers, spinners, and fiber artists across the country.
A driving force in the Intersections Textile Learning Center and Gallery, she is also an active member of the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas, the Handweavers Guild of America, and Complex Weavers.
Traditional Quechua weaving near Cusco, Peru (image C. Davis, Fodor’s).
This display highlights the tools and techniques that have been used for thousands of years to transform wool, flax, cotton, and silk into woven fabrics.
Alongside raw fibers, antique spindles, and mid-century home looms, the exhibit features an interactive vertical loom on which visitors can try their hand at Navajo-style weaving.
Wide Ruins rug, late 20th century, by Mary J. Kee (photo Cowan’s Auctions).
From the natural fiber to the completed fabric, come discover how these ancient crafts were expressed worldwide, and how they continue to be practiced today.
This exhibit was made possible in part through Hotel Tax Revenue funded by the City of Bryan’s Arts & Culture Development Grant.