Newly acquired garments and textiles from around the globe are featured in the exhibition “Cultural Crossroads: Recent Acquisitions from the Jo Ann C. Stabb Collection,” opening Sept. 26 at the UC Davis Design Museum. The exhibition runs through Dec. 1.

“This installation celebrates this growth by featuring a group of textiles and costumes acquired over the past three years in response to diversifying the curriculum of the Department of Design,” said Adele Zhang, senior continuing lecturer and the collection’s curator. “Despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic, the UC Davis Jo Ann C. Stabb Design Collection has been actively extending its holdings through generous donations.”

The pieces on display bring together time-honored artisanship and artistic creation, offering broader perspectives of human intelligence and imaginative expression. From exquisite African ceremonial garments, to Miao costumes from Southwest China and various Japanese kimonos, to contemporary textile work by leading textile artist Marian Clayden, these aesthetically unique objects spark inspiration and open up discussion about inclusion at a cultural crossroads.

Named for the late Jo Ann C. Stabb, a professor emerita who was an educator, designer and author who focused on fashion and wearable art, the collection includes over 5,000 items ranging from the 16th century to present day. Featuring ethnic and endangered textiles and costumes from around the world, the objects are used for teaching and research in the Department of Design. 

The Design Museum, part of the College of Letters and Science, is in Cruess Hall, Room 124. It is free and open weekdays noon to 4 p.m. To schedule a weekend appointment (Sunday 2:00–4:00 p.m. only), arrange a group visit, or for further information please call (530) 752-6150 or email tplance@ucdavis.edu.

Closed on Saturdays, holidays and holiday weekends, and during installations. Click Visit the Design Museum for map and parking information.