Member Program: The Textile Museum’s Impact on the Field of Textile Conservation

 
Join Chief Conservator and Margaret Wing Dodge Chair in Conservation Maria Fusco for an in-depth discussion regarding The Textile Museum's impact on the field of textile conservation in the United States. Preserving textile art has been among the museum's key priorities since the early 20th century. Since its formal founding in 1938, the museum's Conservation Department has become a leader in the field, developing innovative and best practices in treating textiles and pioneering new methods for storage and display. 

Fusco will review these achievements as well as the story of the Conservation Department’s evolution as a center for research, publication and training. From the creation of a formal training program in 1964, to workshops and fellowships hosted at the Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center today, this talk traces the department's history and influence on textile conservation labs and conservators across the United States. 

This program is part of The Textile Museum's centennial celebrations in 2025. 

About Maria Fusco 
Maria Fusco is Chief Conservator and Margaret Wing Dodge Chair in Conservation for The Textile Museum, a position she has held since 2016. She oversees the conservation laboratory at the museum’s Avenir Foundation Conservation and Collections Resource Center. Under her leadership, the Conservation Department has expanded its role as an international resource in textile collections care, providing training to emerging and established professionals. A graduate of the Textile Conservation Centre at the University of Southampton in England, Fusco has worked and trained as a conservator at institutions in New York, Denmark, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.