Guided tours

Watch an artist at work in the TextielLab. Find out what life was like for textile factory workers in Tilburg. Or be inspired by one of our exhibitions. We would love to take you on a journey through history from medieval Damask weaving to our ultramodern textile workshop: the TextielLab. Free mini-guided tours are available every day. Along the way we will tell you about inspiring works of art and how textiles form an important part of all our lives. A mini-guided tour is a great way to become acquainted with the highlights of our museum. 

Our experienced and enthusiastic tour guides show groups of up to a maximum of 15 people around the highlights of the TextielMuseum and the TextielLab so that you can discover the world of textiles. 

Starting times for free daily mini-guided tours:

• Tuesday to Friday at 11.00 / 12.00 / 14.00
• Saturday and Sunday at 13.00 / 14.00 / 15.00 
• You can only join a group for a guided tour at the museum’s reception desk after your arrival
• Mini-guided tours take 30 minutes

Please note: mini-guided tours are free, but to join a tour group, you do have to book a ticket at the reception desk. After the tour, you can relax in the TextielCafé or have a look around our TextielShop, where you can find, among other things, excellently crafted textiles for soft furnishings sold under our own label by TextielMuseum.

Looking for an inspirational company outing? Or a day out with for all the family? Or are you planning to visit the museum with a group? Book one of our special guided tours:

Watch an artist at work – TextielLab guided tour
The TextielLab is the ‘beating heart’ of the museum; a unique workshop that focuses on research and experimentation. Every day, our experts work on extraordinary textile products together with designers and artists. A guided tour of the TextielLab introduces visitors to the many different production techniques we use: weaving, knitting, laser-cutting, embroidery, tufting and passementerie.

The history of the textile industry in Tilburg – Guided tour Industrialisation
What did it used to be like in a textile factory? How did people used to make textiles? Where does the term ‘Kruikenzeiker‘ (Jug Pisser) come from? During this guided tour, all these questions are answered. You will pay an extensive visit to the Woollen Blanket Factory with our fully restored steam engine and Damask workshop. And we will tell you more about the museum building, which was originally a textile factory.

Temporary exhibitions guided tour – Focus on design, art or fashion
Every year, the TextielMuseum presents four temporary exhibitions. The tour guide will show you around the objects in our collection that are permanently on display and one of this year’s theme exhibitions focusing on textile art, design or fashion. We will show you how the different objects in our collection are made, using the production techniques employed by the TextielLab as a point of reference. 

Our guided tours are normally given in Dutch. You can ask to have a guided tour in English via the booking request form. If you plan to visit the museum with a group, please note that we offer a wide range of catering options, for example, a reception with coffee, tea and pastries, a group lunch or drinks after your visit.

View the catering possibilities >>

To book a guided tour, fill in the booking request form. Guided tours must be booked at least two weeks in advance. When booking for a large group or an extensive programme, it is a good idea to make all the necessary arrangements earlier because of the limited amount of space.

The standard museum rules apply when visiting the museum in groups. Click here to view the museum rules.