Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
29 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
29 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
29 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
29 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Bhutan Thimphu Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan

Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan

The nation’s first institution dedicated to the conservation of Bhutanese textiles.

Thimphu, Bhutan

Added By
Rachel Gould
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan. Chubachu, Thimphu, Bhutan   © Christopher J. Fynn/WikimediaCommons
Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan. Chubachu, Thimphu, Bhutan   © Christopher J. Fynn/WikimediaCommons
Handwoven Bhutanese fabrics   © Stephen Shephard/WikiCommons
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan, Thimpu city.   © Doug Knuth/WikimediaCommons
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan is one of the nation’s first institutions dedicated to the conservation and exhibition of textiles, and the various international techniques used to create them.

Weaving is a fundamental component of Bhutanese culture, thus the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan was established at the behest of Her Majesty Gyalyum (Queen Mother) Sangay Choden Wangchuck as a nonprofit institution in 2005.

The academy serves as an educational space by which trainees learn weaving traditions and techniques, how to dye their yarn, and basic business practices such as bookkeeping. It's also a conservation center used to restore precious artifacts from monasteries all over Bhutan, and a museum that hosts a rotating program of exhibitions relating to the textile arts.

Since its inception, the Royal Textile Academy has since expanded to include offices and partnered with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage to further the organization’s mission to preserve this vital element of Bhutanese art and history.

Related Tags

Bhutan Textiles

Know Before You Go

The Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan is open from 9am-4pm, Monday through Saturday.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Festivals & Temples of Bhutan

Festivals, astrology, and epic landscapes in Bhutan.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Rachel Gould

Edited By

Max Cortesi

  • Max Cortesi

Published

December 14, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.rtabhutan.org/
Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan
Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan
Thimphu
Bhutan
27.479023, 89.636051
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Garden of Phallus (Wangchuk Chenmoi Dümra)

Thimphu, Bhutan

miles away

Motithang Takin Preserve

Thimphu, Bhutan

miles away

Buddha Dordenma Statue

Thimphu, Bhutan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Thimphu

Thimphu

Bhutan

Places 4

Nearby Places

Garden of Phallus (Wangchuk Chenmoi Dümra)

Thimphu, Bhutan

miles away

Motithang Takin Preserve

Thimphu, Bhutan

miles away

Buddha Dordenma Statue

Thimphu, Bhutan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Thimphu

Thimphu

Bhutan

Places 4

Related Places

  • Atuntaqui, Ecuador

    Complejo Cultural Fábrica Imbabura

    The former epicenter of the Ecuadorian textile industry, turned museum.

  • A statue of Nataraja on display at the museum.

    Kudje, India

    Zapurza Museum of Art & Culture

    A huge collection of artifacts in a picturesque setting.

  • Minamiuonuma, Japan

    Shiozawa Tsumugi Fabric Museum

    Weave yourself into over a thousand years of history at this textiles museum through demonstrations and a hands-on hataori experience on a traditional loom.

  • The Tomioka Silk Mill.

    Tomioka, Japan

    Tomioka Silk Mill

    The World Heritage-designated site of Japan’s industrial revolution, once mistaken as a den of vampires.

  • Dumfries, Scotland

    Rosefield Mills

    This decaying, grandiose tweed mill once housed the Norwegian Army in exile.

  • New Delhi, India

    Heritage Charkha Museum

    A tiny museum dedicated to the charkha, a traditional spinning wheel that became a symbol of national resistance during Gandhi's freedom movements.

  • Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings.

    Shrewsbury, England

    Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings

    One of the techniques used to construct this 1797 mill was later incorporated into modern skyscrapers.

  • Museum of Beadwork Gallery

    Portland, Maine

    Museum of Beadwork

    The only museum in the world dedicated to the global, historic, and modern art of beadwork.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.