Anokhi Museum

Located at a traditional townhouse in Jaipur, Rajasthan, this cultural museum showcases the art and heritage of wood-block printing in a detailed and an elaborate manner. Established by the brand owners of Anokhi, the Anokhi Museum is a small step towards the conservation of this intricate and beautiful art style.

About the Museum

Keeping the heritage, culture, and art form of the state intact, the Anokhi Museum in the city of Jaipur, Rajasthan is dedicated to the traditional art of hand block printing which is specific to the region and the oldest as well. Housed inside a traditional Rajasthani-Mughal style architectural edifice made of pink sandstone walls with huge balconies, the museum is a haven for textile and print lovers where skilled artisans are seen turning a plain piece of cloth into its most artistic form. The museum is a reflection of the clothing brand Anokhi and the museum was established in 2002 by Rachel Bracken Singh with her husband Pritam Singh with the goal to preserve the age-old practice of hand block printing.

The museum displays a permanent collection that is called ‘’Anokhi Archives’’ which comprises 100 garments, carving blocks, and block-printed textiles that are dated as old as the 1960s. This impressive collection also includes home furniture items used during the yesteryears. There are seven galleries in the museum that are named as per the information they display and those are – Introduction, Haveli Restoration, Regional Textiles, Natural and Chemical Dyes, Block Printing and Carving Tools, Gold and Silver Printing, and Demonstration Area. Visitors can see artists being immersed in carving intricate and detailed patterns on wooden as well as brass blocks that are used to make prints in textiles with the use of natural dyes from vegetables, indigo, and turmeric. All the fabric types and the details of print are mentioned with each piece for a comprehensive understanding of the exhibits.

A custom-made guided exhibition is also organized in the museum to provide detailed insight regarding the collection along with a two-day workshop on block printing and wood carving for anyone interested in learning the craft. A shop is also located on the museum premises which houses a mesmerizing and rich collection of handcrafted merchandise ranging from clothing, furniture, textiles, jewelry, books, and cards, which can be bought to keep as memorabilia.