The Museum of Textiles is the largest cultural center in Italy dedicated to the enhancement of ancient and contemporary textile art and production. The Museum represents the historical memory and cultural interface of the district of Prato, which has been identified with textile production since the Middle Ages and today boasts over 7000 active companies in this sector.

The Museum was established in 1975 within the “Tullio Buzzi” Textile Technical Industrial Institute, thanks to an initial donation of about 600 ancient textile fragments, which were added to the testimonies collected over the years by the school's professors for consultation and study by the students. Over the years, the collections have significantly increased thanks to the contribution of the Ex-Students Association of the Buzzi Institute and other important city institutions, such as the Municipality of Prato, Cariprato, and the Pratese Industrial Union.

In 1997, the Museum was temporarily located at the Municipal Palace, and during this period, the collection of contemporary textiles was born, which grows with seasonal fashion trends thanks to the relationship with the PratoTrade association, a selection of textile companies producing fabrics for clothing. In 2003, the definitive headquarters was inaugurated in the restored premises of the former Campolmi factory, a precious testimony of industrial archaeology located within the fourteenth-century walls of the city.

Since 2012, the Museum has obtained the recognition of the qualification of museum of regional relevance pursuant to articles 20 and 21 of regional law no. 21 of February 25, 2010.