Museo Municipal del Encaje y la Blonda

The Municipal Museum of Lace and Blonda is an ethnographic and handicraft museum located in Almagro, in the province of Ciudad Real, closely linked to the local tradition of bobbin lace and blonda. Its location is associated with the Plaza Mayor and the historic environment of the town of Almagro, declared a historic-artistic site, in the heart of Castilla-La Mancha. The museum was created as a public recognition of a craftwork rooted in Almagro and in other municipalities of Campo de Calatrava, a tradition documented for centuries and which reached special relevance in the 19th century, when Almagro became a national reference for lace. The museum was opened in June 2004, with the support of institutions and private donations. Its exhibition discourse covers the techniques of bobbin lace and presents pieces of lace and lace, as well as traditional utensils such as pillows, picaos and bobbin lace. It also preserves samples of trousseau and clothing made with these works, which allows us to understand its value as intangible heritage and as a craft passed down from generation to generation. The heritage interest of the museum lies in the conservation and dissemination of a female craft of long historical continuity, still very present in the cultural identity of Almagro. The visit offers a clear vision of the technical and social evolution of these textile works, closely linked to the artisan memory of the municipality.