Special Lecture and Exhibition Armenian Embroideries at Ararat-Eskijian-Museum

MISSION HILLS  – The Ararat-Eskijian-Museum and Research Center, (AEMRC), The CA State University, Northridge – Armenian Studies, and the Armenian Rug Society presents “Threads of Hope: Collections of Heirlooms Rescued from Suffering to reflect on the Miraculous Revival of Armenian Life”.  On Sunday, June 1, 2025, there will be an exhibition at the Deukmejian Community Center at 2 pm, followed by a lecture by Hratch Kozybeyokian at 4 pm at the Ararat- Eskijian Museum/Sheen Chapel – 15105 Mission Hills Rd. Mission Hills, CA. The exhibition will continue to be open on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 pm to 5 pm on June 5th, 7, 8th, 12, 14 & 15.

For over thirty years, the AEMRC has been collecting embroideries from families and their loved ones to be preserved for future generations. Alone, the embroidery collection at our museum has exceeded over one thousand pieces, out of which two hundred fifty pieces will be displayed. The oldest collection is from Eregly, Konya dated 1870. Most of the embroideries have been preserved by families as these heirlooms survived during the genocide as a testament of our young maiden’s creative world. The 19th century-Armenian home featured an abundance of laces, embroidered textiles, especially during weddings and feasts, when they displayed their finest. These intricate needle works are the outcome of a society where there was no rights or prestige for the young maidens. Therefore, their embroideries became their “voice”; stitches instead of words, became their inner world.

This unique exhibition is to share with the community the resilience of our Armenian women and their survival after their horrific ordeal and their zeal to re-establish their lives.

The lecture and the exhibition are free and open to the public.

For additional information please contact the Ararat-Eskijian Museum and Research Center at (747) 500-7585 or email us at eskijian@ararat-eskijian-museum.com