By Jacob Heredia, B.A. ‘26, Environmental Studies
Isabella Hansen, B.A. ‘27, Political Science and Communication
Julia Roses, B.A. ‘27, Art History and Communication
The George Washington University and The Textile Museum is celebrating two significant milestones in 2025: 100 years since The Textile Museum’s founding and 10 years of its partnership with GW. A Tale of Two Houses, an exhibition organized by the Albert H. Small Center for National Capital Area Studies with support from the Albert and Shirley Small Family Foundation, “explores the histories of two D.C. residences central to the museum’s story.” Spanning three galleries in the historic Woodhull House (the second of the exhibition’s titular houses), the show was curated by Dr. Kasey Sease, curator of the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection, and made possible by decades of research by museum docents, staff and students.
The first gallery explores the D.C. residence of The Textile Museum founder George Hewitt Myers and his family. The museum’s history does not begin on GW’s campus. Instead, it starts in the Kalorama neighborhood of D.C. with the Myers residence. In this exhibition, visitors can view historical photographs of the house, objects once displayed inside and a painting of the neighborhood’s namesake: Joel Barlow’s early 19th-century estate.
Built in 1912, the house was designed by architect John Russell Pope — known for his work on the National Gallery West Building and the Jefferson Memorial. An early 20th-century Colonial Revival house, the residence features Neoclassical elements and reflects the desires of Washington’s contemporary elite. Together with an adjoining house, the site was home to The Textile Museum for nearly 90 years.
Myers assembled a vast and distinctive textile collection. By appointment, The Textile Museum’s first visitors inspected centuries of artworks and, if invited by the Myers family, the residence’s drawing or dining rooms. Such spaces featured fine woodwork, artistry, and unique textiles, such as a 16th-century Mamluk Carpet on display in the exhibition. Visitors can also see an early guest book from the museum, with entries dating from 1926 to 1957.
The show’s second gallery spotlights Woodhull House, a longstanding campus landmark that is now part of The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. U.S. Navy Commander Maxwell Woodhull had the Italianate mansion built in 1855, just six years before the Civil War began. Commander Woodhull’s eldest son, Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull, bequeathed the house to GW in 1912. Over the years, it was home to administrative offices, student activities and even the university’s police force. A framed drawing of Woodhull House gifted to the GW Police Department is on display along with university yearbooks and campus maps.
The exhibition concludes with a third gallery that unites these stories in the 2015 opening of The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum. Guests can see objects from the museum’s construction on campus and learn about onsite research centers. A large photo mural celebrates all who have connected with the museum through programs, exhibitions, research, student employment and more.
A Tale of Two Houses narrates the intertwined yet distinct histories of the Myers Residence and Woodhull House, culminating in the museum as a destination for students, scholars, tourists and community members. Whether strolling beneath the museum’s sky bridge or exploring an exhibition, visitors interested in D.C. history can stop by to reflect on the past and present.
Visit the exhibition Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., through May 17, 2025.
This post was written by students in Professor Jessica McCaughey’s COMM 3190 class at George Washington University.
About the Authors
Julia Roses is an undergraduate at GW studying communication and art history. She explores visual culture and storytelling through museum work and digital media.
Isabella Hansen is an undergraduate at GW studying political science and communication. She is especially interested in the intersection between these two fields, particularly in campaigns and political consulting.
Jacob Heredia is an undergraduate at GW majoring in environmental studies. With a passion for wildlife, he is interested in the conservation and restoration of the natural world.