Behind the seams: Secrets From the Women's Fashion Collection

Information

11 Sep 2026 - 18 Sep 2026

10am - 4pm (see description for dates)

Free (drop in)

Suitable for all ages

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Location

Hat House

32 Guildford Street

Luton

Bedfordshire

LU1 2NR

What's on at this venue

Showcasing exciting discoveries uncovered during a volunteer-led inventory of Luton’s collection managed by The Culture Trust, this exhibition provides a glimpse at some of the beautiful and fascinating objects which are held by the museums.

Starting at the beginning of 2026, a group of volunteers have been auditing the extensive collections looked after by The Culture Trust, Luton, assessing and photographing some of the extraordinary items held by the museums. With everything from ornamental fans to wedding dresses and many hats, it’s a treasure trove of history just waiting to be uncovered.

For this exhibition, a small selection of the women’s clothing which has been audited by the group will be on display, with each volunteer choosing one or two of their favourite pieces which they feel deserve some time in the spotlight.

Each of these items carries its own history with it, in the design of the clothing itself, but also in what it can tell us about the wider history of the time in which it was made, and the deeply personal stories which each garment no doubt contains.

Just scraping the surface of what has been found, this exhibition is designed to give a taste of what the museum holds in store.