Lace and Blonda Museum

The Municipal Museum of Lace and Blonda arises as public recognition of a craft, rooted in Almagro and some of the municipalities of Campo de Calatrava, for hundreds of years. Although the City Council had already made several arrangements for the implementation of the project, it was not until June 2004 that it became a reality, thanks also to the donations and donations of numerous Almagro residents, and the support of institutions such as the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha. The municipal initiative arises from the response to a series of needs derived from the great wealth of ethnographic heritage that Almagro has and its projection on the territory of Campo de Calatrava. The bobbin lace and doily is an exceptional testimony of the survival of popular arts and crafts, constituting an exponent of the tradition that remains practically in its original contexts. For this reason, the City Council of Almagro assumes the responsibility of recovering its historical memory, preserving it and spreading it through the creation of this institution. Current socio-economic trends force us to structure development strategies at the local level, in which local resources, and especially those linked to cultural and natural heritage, are engines and drivers of development policies. The Municipal Museum of Lace and Blonda has its own funds, among which it is worth mentioning the donation of an important collection of "picaos", made by the heirs of D. Toribio Martínez (lace maker of the city), consisting of pieces from different periods and shapes, showing us the richness and variety of forms and uses that, over time, has had this craft production. Also on display are ready-made bobbin lace pieces, with a variety of shapes and patterns: plaited, half stitch, guipure, found stitch, Breton, etc., using geometric, floral, animal, etc. motifs. The museum's collection is completed with a sample of lace works made with uncrossed natural silk, the blonda, with whose technique scarves, veils, fans and especially the famous Almagro mantilla are made. To complete the exhibition, another section of this museum is dedicated to the utensils with which the works are elaborated: pillows, "picaos", bobbins, etc.