The Textile Museum was conceptualized and conceived in the year 2001 under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck and is managed by the Department of Culture, Ministry of Home and Culture Affairs. Presently, the Textile Museum is housed at the Royal Textile Academy’s premises. The Textile Museum is dedicated to furthering the understanding of Bhutan’s achievements in the textile arts. It is a national center to collect, document, preserve, interpret and display Bhutan’s textile heritage. It is further dedicated to fostering and promoting the living textile arts through the specific focus on the historic and contemporary textile traditions with artistic and technical significance. The museum is guided by “international standards for collection, preservation, documentation, display and programming”.
Tshering Uden Penjor, Chief Curator of the Textile Museum has a MA in Museology from the University of Washington, USA. She served as a Research Officer at the Textile Museum from 2001 till 2003, Curator from 2006 till 2009 and Chief Curator from 2010 till date. She has curated and led all aspects of twenty-five successful thematic exhibitions at both national and international level. She has also participated as a speaker at the symposium organized by the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, Bangkok, Thailand in the year 2013 on ‘Preserving the Wangchuck Dynasty’s Royal Textiles: Treatments, Display Parameters and Anoxic Storage’ and ‘Textile Arts of Bhutan’ at IGNCA, New Delhi in the year 2018.
Furthermore, she has carried out various research on Vegetables dyes, History of Bhutanese Textiles, Fiber, Dye and looms, Bhutan-South Asia, Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and fashion, Textile Quality and procedures, Introduction of Bhutanese Textiles, Bhutanese Textiles-History, Role, Fibers, Dyes, Pattern Designs and Looms, Xth Colloquium, National Museum, Paro.
She also has successfully conducted 19 rounds of National Design Competitions (NDC) and 14 rounds of Textile Festivals.
Email id: tupenjor@moha.gov.bt
Sangita Gurung, an assistant conservator started her career in 2000 as a receptionist at the Textile Museum. She has participated in annual exhibitions of textile museum including the National Designs and Arts completion, Crafts festivals and others. Her field of expertise is conservation, preservation and anoxic storage for textile artifacts belonging to various organizations such as Dzongs, Lhakhangs, the Royal collection and some private collections. She is also responsible for the documentation of permanent collection in the museum. She was trained on treatment, management, collection and documentation on textile by Ms. Julia M. Brennan, a Textile conservation expert. She partook in textile exhibitions held both at national and international levels. She has worked with conservators abroad thus understands their ways of preserving their cultural shrines and monuments. She was selected to attend the ICOM-CC 18th Triennial Conference in Denmark on 2018 in recognition of her experience and expertise.
Email id: sgtextilemuseum@gmail.com
Kuenzang Choden is a multi-tasked employee with expertise in textile conservation. She has more than 18 years of experience as a Museum Asst./Conservator Asst. at the Textile Museum. Her areas of interest are mostly in antique textile conservation; setting up exhibitions and mannequin construction. She received training from Ms. Julia Brennen, a visiting textile expert from USA in the year 2007-2008 and Ms. Namita Jaspal, Conservator, Chandigarh, Punjab in the year 2017.Attended SAARC handicrafts Exhibition and Workshop, Kathmandu, Nepal 2019. Till date she has carried out conservation of more than 105 textiles and assisted in displaying of 18 thematic exhibitions in and outside the country. She also took part in setting up photo and audio-visual exhibition of the Wangchuck Dynasty during 112th National Day. She is responsible for procurement works at the textile museum.
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
With more than 16 years of experience in Museum Sector as Museum Assistant, Tshewang Zangmo has carried out numerous conservation works on Royal personalias (textile) and textile artifacts belonging to monastic body. She received trainings and workshops on textile conservation in 2007-2008, Heritage Conservation Workshop, Chandigarh, India, 2017, Preventive Conservation and Collection Care Training Workshop, RTA, 2019. She took part in setting up significant exhibitions, some of which are: The Royal Collection and Masterpieces of the Bhutanese Textiles, the Royal wedding, Tribute to His Majesty the Drukgyal Zhipa-The King of Destiny, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal- the founding father and Royal Robes- Wangchuck Dynasty. She also has participated in installing photo exhibition at Nehru Wangchuck Centre in 2012, Tashi Gomang(RTA), Wangchuk Dynasty photo exhibition held in 2019. She has represented Bhutan to participated in ‘Textile Arts from the Land of Peaceful Dragon’ at IGNCA, New Delhi, India; ‘Bhutan- Land close to Heaven,’ in Prague, Czech Republic and the ‘Bhutanese Textile in Emerging Fashion’ Bhutan Week, New Delhi, India.
Email id: tshong2016@gmail.com
Dago Sithey, a Conservator Asst/Collections Asst has more than 16years experience of work at the Textile Museum. She has completed conservation, preservation and anoxic storage (a preservative storage system designed specifically for Bhutan) for more than 784 textiles artifacts consisting of pieces belonging to various museums, Dzongs, Lhakhangs, Rabdeys, private individuals and most importantly Royal collection. Furthermore, she took keen interest in the display and planning of thematic exhibitions. Since 2005, she has participated in 18 national and international exhibitions. One of her key contribution is setting up of photo and audio-visual exhibition of the Wangchuck Dynasty during 112th National Day. Presently, Ms. Dago Sithey serves as focal person for the Collections Management System (CMS) at the Textile Museum. She has attended several national and international training and workshops over the past 16 years.
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
Tshering Pelden, an Administrative Assistant has joined the Textile Museum since 2001. She has gained experience in major components of museum work such as exhibitions, interpretation of textile artefacts and management of weavers and embroiderers. Besides, she also coordinates packaging of gifts for official guests. She also served as the sales in-charge of the museum shop from 2002-2013 where she gained experience in sales management, maintain personal relations both with suppliers and artisans as well as maintaining sales record. She has participated in several national and international exhibitions which some of the remarkable events are; National Design Competition (2002-2021), Textile Expo, Japan (2005), Textile Exhibition, Guwahati, India (2017), Handicraft Exhibition Thimphu (2017) and SAARC Exhibition, Nepal (2019). She also underwent series of trainings on textile conservation and natural dying both in the country and abroad.
Email id: tsheringsingbee@gmail.com
Namgay Dema joined the Textile Museum as a weaver in 2005. She has exceptional technical skills in designing and weaving intricate patterns. Her remarkable contribution includes weaving 10 nos. of silk kira with Trima and Shinglochem patterns and 6 nos. of silk Gho with Shinglochem pattern for the Royal Wedding in 2012 for Her Majesty Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, His Royal Highness Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck. She also wove the Royal Wedding Namza for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck. Moreover she also received dyeing training in year 2013 conducted Textile Museum. She has represented Bhutan at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (2006), Washington DC, USA and Bhutanese Textile in Emerging Fashion, Bhutan Week (2018), IGNCA, Delhi.
Selden joined the Textile Museum as a weaver in 2003 and is known for her exceptional weaving skills in designing and weaving intricate patterns. During her 18years service, her remarkable contribution includes weaving 10 nos. of silk kira with Trima and Shinglochem patterns and 6 nos. of silk Gho with Shinglochem pattern for the Royal Wedding in 2012 for Her Majesty Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, His Royal Highness Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck. She also wove the Royal Wedding Namza for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck. Moreover she also received dyeing training in year 2013 conducted Textile Museum. She has represented Bhutan at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (2006), Washington DC, USA and Bhutanese Textile in Emerging Fashion, Bhutan Week (2018), IGNCA, Delhi.
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
Sonam Zangmo joined the Textile Museum as a weaver in 2003. She has exceptional technical skills in designing and weaving intricate patterns. Her remarkable contribution includes weaving 10 nos. of silk kira with Trima and Shinglochem patterns and 6 nos. of silk Gho with Shinglochem pattern for the Royal Wedding in 2012 for Her Majesty Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, His Royal Highness Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck. She also wove the Royal Wedding Namza for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck. Moreover she also received dyeing training in year 2013 conducted Textile Museum. She has represented Bhutan at the Textile Arts from the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Augsburg, Germany (2008) and Guwahati, India (2017).
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
Tshomo joined the Textile Museum as a weaver in 2012. She has exceptional technical skills in designing and weaving intricate patterns. Her remarkable contribution includes weaving 6 nos. of silk kira with Trima and Shinglochem patterns and 2 nos. of silk Gho with Shinglochem pattern for the Royal Wedding in 2012 for Her Majesty Gyalyum Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, His Royal Highness Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck. She also wove the Royal Wedding Namza for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck. Moreover she also received dyeing training in year 2013 conducted Textile Museum. She has represented Bhutan at the Textile exhibitions held in Singapore (2016) and Guwahati, India (2017).
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
Yangchen joined as an embroider at the Textile Museum in the year 2010. She has exceptional technical skills in designing and embroidering intricate patterns. Some of her exceptional works includes embroidery of Thrikhep (throne cover) for His Royal Highness Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Yab Thinlay Norbu for Royal wedding 2020; a rachu (lady’s scarf) for Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck and Her Royal Highness Ashi Eeuphelma Choden Wangchuck for Royal wedding 2020; 3 nos. of Tego for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck; 2 nos. of table runner for Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck and a pair of zhab lham (traditional boot) for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma ChodenWangchuck. She has represented Bhutan during the 2017 Textile exhibition held at Guwahati, India.
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
Rinchen Lhamo joined as an embroider at the Textile Museum in the year 2010. She has exceptional technical skills in designing and embroidering intricate patterns. Some of her exceptional works includes embroidery of a pair of zhab lham (traditional boot) for His Royal Highness Dasho Khamsum Singye Wangchuck and Yab Thinley Norbu; a rachu (lady’s scarf) for Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck and a thrikhep (throne cover) for Her Royal Highness Ashi Euphelma Choden Wangchuck.
Email id: kuenthinchoden@gmail.com
Rinchen Wangda, Driver has been actively doing his duty since his initial appointment in the year February 2019.Before joining Textile Museum he has been working in the various travel agents for 8 years. In his two-year tenure at the Textile Museum, he provided timely driving services during office hours as well as off hours. He also assisted in the Adm Section in distribution of hardcopy mails as needed both incoming and outgoing. He never fails to ensure sound running of the vehicle, assigned and arrange minor repairs where necessary. Moreover he never fails to keep track of timely vehicle insurance renewal, update daily mileage records and ensures to check oil, tyre..etc on daily basis.
Nir Maya Rai, Cleaner has been carrying out cleaning responsibilities at the Textile museum since her recruitment in the year 2016. She does all cleaning, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping on daily basis. She never fails to report to the superiors to notify the management deficiencies or repairs works. She maintains a room to keep the stock and supplies which was asked by the Chief Curator for betterment of the museum.