After a recent Wednesdays@BGC event, several of my classmates and I visited the textile lab at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). The visit was organized by Andrew Kircher, director of Public Humanities + Research, professor Aaron Glass, and Hector Manuel Meneses Lozano, director of el Museo Textil de Oaxaca in Mexico.

Meneses Lozano was a guest speaker in the Wednesdays@BGC series, and the visit to AMNH was part of his engagement. During the visit, BGC students, fellows, and faculty were able to examine a selection of Mexican textiles. Meneses Lozano photographed these textiles to share them with weavers who frequently collaborate with el Museo Textil de Oaxaca, hoping they might recreate these unique pieces.

For me, it was amazing to see Hector in action, quickly identifying various textiles and the techniques used to create them. As a group, we interacted with ponchos, huipiles, rebozos, and servilletas. We were provided with magnifying glasses and gloves for a close examination. It was fascinating to observe Hector’s approach to engaging with the objects, and it was equally incredible to handle the textiles ourselves. Hector generously answered all our questions about recurring motifs, weave patterns, and the use of synthetic and natural dyes.

It was wonderful to connect so closely with one of our visiting scholars, and I am grateful we had the chance to experience the AMNH’s collection together.

By Gabby Valencia (she/her), MA ’26