On this page you will find all of the information you need for a pleasant visit to the Costumes of the Americas Museum, a museum that houses one of the largest collections of authentic North, Central and South American indigenous clothing and accessories in the world. Costumes from some of the Caribbean countries are also included in this collection.
Museum Location:
The Costumes of the Americas Museum is located in the Mitte Cultural Education Center near downtown Brownsville, Texas.
Costumes of the Americas Museum
#5 Dean Porter Park
501 Ringgold Street
Brownsville, Texas 78520
Educational Book:
Costumes of the Americas Museum and Pan American Round Table 1 are proud to commend Charro Days for its seventy-five year promotion of respect and esteem for the magnificent traditional costumes of Mexico and the culture they represent. In order to help commemorate this history, the "Regional Costumes of Mexico" was produced. This 59 page book has over 65 full-color photographs of everyday, fiesta and gala costumes representing the 31 states in Mexico along with the Distrito Federal. The price for this book is $10.00. You can purchase it at the Museum or by contacting us by email, mail or by telephone.
Mailing Address:
Costumes of the Americas Museum
P.O. Box 3790
Brownsville, Texas 78523
E-mail Address:
admin@costumesoftheamericasmuseum.net
Museum Hours
Tuesday through Saturday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday
Noon to 4 p.m.
Admission
$2.00 per person
Children 10 and under are free.
Free Community Nights - Every last Thursday of the month!
Driving Directions
Coming South on U.S. 77/83, take the 6th Street exit. Veer to the right, traveling along 6th Street towards the Gladys Porter Zoo. Turn right onto Ringgold Street and make a 2nd right turn on Dean Porter Drive. Enter the second gated entrance to the left from Dean Porter Drive. Follow the park road until it dead ends at the resaca. Turn left and follow the park road to the Mitte Cultural Education Center which houses both the Costumes of the Americas Museum and the Children's Museum of Brownsville. The entrance to the Costumes of the Americas Museum faces the Dean Porter Park Plaza Fountain.
Revues
The Costumes of the Americas Museum retains a traveling collection in order to stage costume revues (for a fee ) for local academic functions as well as for private viewings to organizations or other interested parties. Contact the Museum for details.
Tours
Private tours (in English and Spanish) that feature a guided overview of the Museum's current exhibit are available upon request. Please contact the Museum for details and reservations.
For more information, contact us at:
(956) 547-6890
email: admin@costumesoftheamericasmuseum.net
We hope you will come and visit
The Costumes of the Americas Museum!
Welcome to the Costumes of the Americas Museum Website!
The Pollera, of Panama, is one of the most beautiful and admired indigenous costumes of the Americas. It is believed to have been adapted from gypsy dresses worn in Spain at the time of the conquest of Peru and brought to Panama by the servants of those who colonized the country. The hair ornaments, called tembliques, are embellished with pearls and gold and are worn on top of the head like a crown. They are part of a young lady's dowry.
Tehuanas, the women from the isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca are known for their grace and stately posture and for having one of the most beautiful fiesta costumes in Mexico. Their headdress, made in the form of a baby's dress, is quite unusual. (The back of the costume is pictured above.) The custom for the style is said to have originated when native Tehuanas found the lacy garments in a shipwrecked trunk and, not knowing what they were, put them on their heads. They're made in the same shape today, with a ruffle around the neckline and two tiny sleeves.
The ancient culture of the Huichols has been preserved by the isolated location of their five mountain villages located on the border of Nayarit and Jalisco. They never converted to Catholicism and still worship their old gods. Huichols wear traditional garments daily. Many pieces have a religious significance for them. Their costumes are lavishly hand cross-stitched in vibrant colors. The men's are the most ornate. They love personal adornment and wear many pieces of beaded jewelry and beaded bags.
