The core of the inventory of the State Museum of Textile and Industry in Augsburg, Germany, is the worldwide unique collection of pattern books of the New Augsburg Cotton Factory. This treasure, which comprises over one million patterns from three centuries and normally remains hidden between the book covers, should be presented in a striking way.

The building’s architecture provides a narrow, high room, which was staged as a catwalk by the designers. Three larger-than-life figurines stride over a red carpet, which traverses the whole building. The “Three Graces” present different aspects of the fabric patterns.“Euphrosyne”, the first Grace, wears a patchwork dress made of original fabric flaps and thus explains the haptics of fabrics. By means of an interface, the visitors can decide which patterns should be projected on “Thalia’s” dress, while “Aglaia” shows the different printing techniques of patterns and offers a short fashion show from “Biedermeier” until today.

The “Accessible Archive of Pattern Books” has become the museum’s main attraction.By means of artistic film sequences, synchronised sound effects and the employment of interactive interfaces, the visitors become a part of the media installation themselves and are immersed in the three-dimensionally presented world of patterns.However, one month after the museum’s opening at the end of January 2010, already 10.000 visitors have been counted.