Preview exhibitions
Interwoven and Entangled
Provenance Research on the Textile Collection
18 August – 29 September 2026
The textile collection is a centrepiece of the Museum der Kulturen Basel’s collections. The exhibition follows up the question as to how fabrics from across the globe came to Basel, how this was intertwined with colonial contexts, and what opportunities the collection offers for forging new links today.
Tie-dye
Folded, Stitched, Coloured
4 September 2026 – 23 January 2028
In Japanese, shiboru means to compress or wring, and describes how unique patterns are created by folding, tying, and sewing. Plangi, bandhani, tritik, and adire are other terms used for this technique, also known as tie-dye. On show are cloths from Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.
GOLD
Its Bright and Dark Sides
Winter exhibition
19 November 2026 – 21 March 2027
Gold brings a glitter to festive occasions and precious items. But where there’s light, there’s also shadow. The mining of this precious metal leaves deep scars across the entire world. Pieces of gold from the museum’s collections encounter the voices of those affected by gold mining, offering a new perspective on this special colour.