Weaving an Empire: Textiles of the Inka World

Weaving an Empire: Textiles of the Inka World explores the importance of textiles in the Andean world and the cultural diversity of the communities incorporated into the Inka Empire. The exhibition focuses on how clothing could express both loyalty to Inka rule and the persistence of regional identities and traditions.

Nearly 50 objects from the Inka state and cultures under its control include rarely displayed garments, elite textiles, khipus made from colored and knotted cords, and painted drinking vessels known as keros. Reconstructions of men’s and women’s clothing, along with illustrations based on authentic drawings held by the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen, help show how the original garments were worn.

A woman’s wrap dress from the Chuqibamba region near Peru’s southern coast demonstrates a local style that remained distinct from Inka fashion. Other highlights include an elite tunic with the “Inka key” pattern of contrasting diagonal lines and squares above horizontal stripes, as well as examples of mantles, tunics, slings, and headbands from the Late Horizon period.

When: August 15 through December 23; the exhibition page lists the closing date as December 23, 2026.

Venue: George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum.

Schedule: The page lists exhibition programs on Saturday, October 24, at 11 a.m., and Saturday, December 5, at 11 a.m.

Booking: The page indicates that bookings are available Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets: Price not available.

Exhibition contents: Nearly 50 examples of Inka and regional Andean textiles, reconstructed garments displayed on mannequins, historical garment illustrations, khipus, and painted keros.

Featured objects: A woman’s mantle, a woman’s wrap dress from Chuqibamba, men’s tunics including an Inka elite tunic, and a sling or headband from the south coast of Peru. The garments date primarily to the Late Horizon period, approximately 1470–1532 CE.

Guide: A gallery guide in PDF format accompanies the exhibition.

Support: Lead support comes from The Coby Foundation, Ltd., the Historic Textile Research Foundation, Peruvian Connection, and the Western Hemisphere Curatorial Scholarship Fund. Additional support is provided by Corinne M. Berezuk, Tina M. deVries, and Roger and Claire Pratt.