A new exhibit is now on view on the second floor of the museum. Learn about the role of this often overlooked clothing item. From Indigenous traditions to modern kitchens, the apron tells a story of labor, ingenuity, and identity. At once practical and symbolic, aprons protected scarce garments, marked social roles, and reflected changing ideas about work, gender, and domestic life.
This exhibit was inspired by aprons recently donated by Evelyn Phelps. She fondly remembers how her mother always had an apron on, and how she seemed to have a different apron for different kinds of work. On exhibit you will see several of Mary Hespack’s aprons, including a unique one designed specifically for holding clothespins while hanging laundry. Other pieces in the exhibit include aprons from Pixie Kitchen, the artist Ruth Grover, and place-mats made from recycled flour sacks.’
This exhibit opens February 2026.
