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Frequently Asked

Questions

Q: Why are you by appointment only?

The Couture Pattern Museum offers access by appointment to protect our irreplaceable collection and authentic haute couture garments, to create a private and intimate experience for you, and to remain open year-round. This model also supports our financial and nonprofit efficiency, preserving limited resources for ongoing digitization, preservation, and research. We are entirely volunteer-led, and all tours are conducted privately by the lead curator.

To book your visit book online here.

Q: Why Does It Cost $125 to Visit? Isn’t That High for a Museum?

A: The Couture Pattern Museum is privately funded and personally curated, with no public or institutional support. The visit fee reflects decades of independent research, collecting, preservation, and the founder’s ongoing work to maintain the museum's building and operations to be able to share this rare archive.

Each private visit offers guests meaningful access to historical materials that would otherwise remain inaccessible. The $125 research fee directly supports the museum’s continued preservation efforts.

Q: Can I contact the museum to discuss or negotiate the cost of a visit?

A: If you are unsure about the value of the experience, it may indicate that this opportunity is not right for you at this time, and we honor that without judgment. Access is reserved for guests who respect the uniqueness, time, energy, and integrity behind the museum.

Out of respect for the work, we kindly ask that prospective visitors refrain from contacting the museum solely to negotiate pricing. Our resources are dedicated to our conservation efforts and to our current dedicated members and visitors.

Q: Why don't you allow full pattern downloads?

A: The reason behind our decision is simple: our mission is not commercially driven. We prioritize the preservation, education, and protection of the rights of designers and pattern companies from potential exploitation. By restricting pattern downloads, we ensure that patterns are studied responsibly and for educational purposes only. Founding Members have scholarly educational access to the archives. Members are required to sign a no-duplication or resale contract before receiving educational materials.*

 

*For materials not created by the Couture Pattern Museum, permission will be granted by the Museum as the owner of the physical materials and does not imply permission for use by any copyright holder, any licensee, or any assignee of any property right therein. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all necessary permissions from the copyright holder.

Q: Are you a 501(c)(3) organization?

A: The Couture Pattern Museum operates as a fiscally sponsored project of Creative Visions Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

 

Please note: memberships, event tickets, digitization sponsorships, gift shop purchases, and private visits are not tax-deductible, as they involve goods and services.

If you wish to contribute directly to our charitable work, you can donate online here, or mail a donation to:

Couture Pattern Museum
1525 State Street, Suite #301
Penthouse Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Contributions for the charitable purposes of the Couture Pattern Museum must be made payable to “Creative Visions” and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Q: How can I become a Founding Member?

A: This is the only digital program currently available that allows scholarly access to the patterns for study and learning. Please visit this link for more information on becoming a Founding Member.

Q: What other institutions have patterns and how is CPM different?

Very few museums preserve original couture sewing patterns, and even fewer focus on them. Most major institutions collect finished garments, not the technical patterns behind them.

The Couture Pattern Museum is one of the only archives dedicated exclusively to preserving and studying couture sewing patterns as historical artifacts. These patterns offer rare insight into the hidden process of fashion-making. The authentic haute couture garments in our collection are used for study and education, allowing members and visitors a chance to learn and understand the technical craft of haute couture finishing and construction from the Golden Age of Couture.

By combining line-by-line pattern instruction with research into iconic garments from our collection, we offer a well-rounded, hands-on education that deepens our members’ understanding of design and construction, helping us to fulfill our mission to preserve and celebrate the savoir-faire of this fading art form.

Q: What makes your Museum unique?

A: The Couture Pattern Museum is the only founder-led archive devoted exclusively to preserving and studying couture sewing patterns as cultural heritage. It offers rare access to the hidden blueprints of historic design through a privately curated, independently funded collection.

Q: Can I visit your museum?

A: Yes, visits are available by advance appointment only. Appointments can be requested through our website, calling, or texting the museum. Availability is limited. Book an appointment online or call us at: 805-303-4775

Walk-ins and same-day requests cannot be accommodated unless approved.

Q: Where do you keep the collection?

A: After the Los Angeles, Malibu, and Pacific Palisades fires of 2025, we moved our digitized collection off-site to a secure, temperature-controlled facility outside of fire and tsunami zones. The physical patterns are carefully stored in acid-free archival materials to ensure their long-term preservation.

For more specific information regarding visiting the museum, appointments, or upcoming events, please visit our website or contact us directly through our contact page. We look forward to welcoming you to the Couture Pattern Museum and providing you with an enriching experience.

Fiscally Sponsored by Creative Visions Malibu

Your support makes a difference! Couture Pattern Museum is fiscally sponsored by Creative Visions, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports creative activists, those that use the arts and media to ignite social change. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Couture Pattern Museum (CPM) must be made payable to “Creative Visions” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Donations received will be used in accordance with the mission and operations of Couture Pattern Museum under the careful oversight and approval of our Fiscal Sponsor, Creative Visions. We strictly adhere to all applicable laws, grant terms, and foundation requirements in the management and application of these funds. Your generous contributions not only support our ongoing efforts to preserve and promote the lost story of the democratization of couture patterns, but they also reinforce our commitment to transparency, accountability, and the highest standards of fiscal responsibility. We deeply appreciate your trust and support in our work.​

 

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©2019 - 2024

 Couture Pattern Museum

Member of the Arts District of Santa Barbara
Professional Member of the American Alliance of Museums
Associate Member of Santa Barbara Downtown Organization

American Alliance of Museums (AAM)

As a professional member of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), CPM is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and quality in the museum sector. 

Non-affiliation disclaimer

Any designer product names, logos, brands, and other trademarks or images featured or referred to within couturepatternmuseum.com and/or on any social media forum are the property of their respective trademark holders. These trademark holders do not sponsor or endorse couturepatternmuseum.com or any of its products or comments. We declare no affiliation, sponsorship, or partnerships with any designer-registered trademarks. couturepatternmuseum.com operates independently as an educational museum website. couturepatternmuseum.com does not claim any right to any of the designer trademarks, logos, or brands referred to within this website. If you have any questions or concerns, please check out our Terms of Use or get in touch with us here.

Commitment to Transparency: 

As a fiscally sponsored organization, we prioritize transparency and flexibility in partnerships. Upon request, we provide detailed financial receipts showing how your contributions are used. Sponsors can direct support toward areas such as expanding organizational capacity, developing new educational programs, hosting events, digitizing patterns, exhibition frames, operational costs, digital platforms, advertising, PR and print materials, venue expenses, scholarships for students, and partnerships with colleges and universities. We welcome discussions to align your sponsorship with your goals and ensure funds are used efficiently and intentionally.

Couture Pattern Museum Accessibility Statement

At the Couture Pattern Museum, we're dedicated to making our website easy to use for everyone, no matter their abilities or the device they're using. We aim to follow the best practices for web accessibility according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We use the All in One Accessibility Pro tool from Skynet Technologies to help us achieve this. Our site is built to follow the WCAG guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), so it's accessible for people with disabilities, including vision impairments, cognitive disabilities, and more. We're always working to keep our site accessible. We regularly check, evaluate, and test our site to make sure we're meeting or exceeding accessibility standards. We're working hard to make our site accessible for everyone, and we appreciate your patience. Your thoughts and experiences matter to us. If you come across any problems or have ideas on how we can improve, we'd love to hear from you. If you have any feedback or run into any issues, please get in touch with us through the Contact Us form.

Non-Discrimination Policy of Couture Pattern Museum

Statement of Policy: The Couture Pattern Museum (CPM) is committed to fostering an environment that celebrates diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunity. We firmly believe in the value of different perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures, and we strive to create a space where all individuals feel respected and valued.

 

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