The Silk Industry Museum is part of the Silk Heritage Trust, formerly known as the Macclesfield Museums Trust. It houses an impressive range of exhibitions and interactive discovery centre that explores silk properties and processes, design education, silk worms, the Macclesfield textile industry, machinery and silk worker's lives.
Housed in what was originally The Macclesfield School of Art, The Silk Industry Museum introduces you to the art and science of the silk industry.
The building was built in 1877 to teach students the skills and techniques of silk design and now explores how the school worked, with a wide selection of exhibitions and samples, a classroom devoted to educational activities, 'hands on' interactive displays, and a fourth gallery housing a variety of historic machines.
An introductory room emphasises world silk and the Silk Route from China.
Visitors can:
Investigate how silk worms were raised and watch their different stages of growth (May to October)
Delve into the properties of silk and the techniques of design, dyeing and weaving
View student designs, drafts and samples
Try weaving and designing for yourself
Discover the difference between silk, cotton, linen and wool fibres through the microscope
Resources available at The Silk Industry Museum include:
Hundreds of thousands of archive fabric samples in our pattern books
Tens of thousands of photographs showing life in Macclesfield at the height of the silk industry
Fabric and costume collections
A specialist reference library
The Spectrum Displays
Opened in 2008 with the support of Heritage Lottery funding, The Spectrum Displays are targeted at primary school curriculum science and feature a variety of displays and interactive activities. Based on the rainbow colours, the Spectrum Displays offer children the opportunity to:
See
Ponder
Explore
Colour
Textiles
React
Understand
Marvel
The displays also look at:
The qualities of light and colour
The life cycle of the silk moth
Habitats
Natural dyes
Colour mixing and mood constructions
Weaving
Discovery Centre
The Silk Industry Museum's third room investigates a wide range of the silk processes used in the silk industry, such as dyeing, knitting, weaving, printing and embroidery.
Visitors are able to view a variety of patterns and weaves and to make print block rubbings for themselves.
Historic Machines
Our fourth gallery is home to a large selection of historic and now rare machines, including a ribbon loom, and a picture loom, the last of its kind.
Due to the fact that many of these machines have been neglected for years, we have a team of dedicated volunteers currently restoring them to their former glory, who are more than happy to answer your questions.
Temporary Exhibitions
A dedicated gallery houses our programmes of temporary exhibitions during the summer months.
Education Service
Led by Education Manager, Linda Jones, our Education Service is geared towards Key Stage 1 and 2 of the National Curriculum.
Our Silk Experience takes place at The Silk Industry Museum and Paradise Mill:
Children get dressed up and clock on as workers at the Mill. Our guide will take them around the Mill and looms, explaining all aspects of silk before a Weaving Workshop takes place, during which children will learn simple weaving techniques with wool and card.
The Experience moves on to the Spectrum Displays, where children will:
Learn more about silk worms and their life cycle
Look through the microscope at various fabrics, threads and dyes
Investigate materials and their properties
Alternatively, our Science and SIlk Experience, also at Paradise Mill and Silk Industry Museum involves:
A visit to Paradise Mill where children engage in 'hands on' activities, and the testing of forces, energy, sound, and a parachute drop!
It's then time for the students to put on their lab coats for Bombyx Boffins' Workshop! From mixing and separating dyes to testing the strength of fibres, children will both have fun and learn more about key curriculum science.
Finally, Cedric's Info Quest quizzes children on everything they've learned during the day around the Spectrum Displays.
Contact Us
Please call The Silk Industry Museum on 01625 612 045 for more information about our displays, exhibitions or to organise a school trip.
Opening Hours
Winter Opening Times: 31st October - 2nd April
Monday to Friday - Closed
Saturdays: 11am - 4pm
Sundays: Closed
Open for schools and pre-booked tours at other times
Children under the age of 16, when accompanied by a paying adult, enjoy free entry to all of the Silk Heritage Trust's museums.
Silk Heritage Trust
Please click on the links below for more information about each museum:
Paradise Mill
The Silk Heritage Museum
West Park Museum
Please remember to mention The Best of Macclesfield when contacting the Silk Industry Museum.
© The Best of Macclesfield