Costume and Textile Collection

Consisting of 30,000 items, and one of the largest regional collections in the country, York Castle Museum’s Costume and Textiles collection represents western European fashion from c.1500 to the present day, with particular strengths in the 18th century through to the early 20th century.

The collection reflects mainstream fashions exemplified in the clothing worn by ordinary men, women and children. There are outstanding and important collections of the following: fans, shawls, underwear, parasols, bags and purses, women's dresses and children's clothes.

There are also important, supporting collections of printed material – magazines, journals, fashion plates and photographs.

The large and comprehensive textiles collection features English domestic textiles and domestic textiles crafts from the 17th century to the present. The quilt and needlework tool collections are internationally known, and the collection of samplers is particularly fine.