Our Mission

To Preserve Lace and the Art of Lace Making

To Exhibit Lace and its Historical Use

To Offer Instruction in All Facets of Lace Making

Our Story

The Lace Museum was founded in 1976 in the San Francisco Bay Area in California by a small group of women in order to preserve the art of lace making. By meeting regularly, the founding members were able to teach each other lace making techniques, teach other groups and individuals how to make lace, and to educate the community about the fine art of lace making through exhibits, shows and community events.

The Lace Museum was incorporated in 1981 as a non-profit organization administered by a Board of Directors and is staffed entirely by volunteers. It is supported by donations, Friends of the Museum, and sales from the gift shop.

Please visit our memorial pages for our co-founders, Cherie Helm and Gracie Larsen, and for Eleanor (Ele) Schwartz, an exemplary leader for the Museum, an extraordinary teacher of lace techniques, and an energetic creator in various lace methods.

The Lace Museum is associated with: