New Exhibition at the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum Will Provide Window Into the Last Chinese Dynasty

"China: Through the Lens of John Thomson (1868–1872)" Features Photographs and Textiles Illustrating Qing Dynasty Culture and Life

June 23, 2015

Woman looking at old photograph portrait
MEDIA CONTACTS: 
Kurie Fitzgerald: [email protected], 202-994-6461 
Maralee Csellar: [email protected], 202-994-7564
 
EVENT: 
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum’s second major exhibition China: Through the Lens of John Thomson (1868-1872) will provide an overview of imperial China and offer a look at a collection of photographs taken by Scottish travel writer and photographer John Thomson. 
 
Mr. Thomson’s photographs will be displayed alongside pieces from The Textile Museum’s collection of Qing dynasty garments, accessories and textiles. The textiles are similar to those seen in Mr. Thomson’s photos and will bring his powerful black-and-white images to life. His images offer a rare look into the lives of Qing dynasty women, who were often not photographed, as well as wealthy businessmen, monks and government officials. 
 
WHEN: 
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015-Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016
 
WHERE: 
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum 
701 21st St., NW
Washington, D.C. 
Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro (Orange, Blue and Silver lines)
 
ADMISSION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION: 
Admission is free for museum members, children and current GW students, faculty and staff. A suggested donation of $8 for non-members will support the museum’s exhibitions, collections and educational programs. 
 
Museum hours: Monday, Wednesday–Friday: 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday: 1-5 p.m. 
 
For more information visit museum.gwu.edu or call 202-994-5200. 
 
RSVP: 
Media interested in attending a press preview should contact Kurie Fitzgerald at [email protected]. Attention calendar editors: Please do not publish media contact information.
 
MULTIMEDIA:
Images available upon request.
 
BACKGROUND: 
The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum opened on March 21 on GW’s Foggy Bottom Campus. The custom-built museum displays The Textile Museum’s globally recognized collections of nearly 20,000 textiles and related objects, and pieces owned by the university, including the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection of nearly 1,000 artifacts documenting the history of Washington, D.C.
 
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