Whether members of your group are hardcore fashionistas, or they don’t know Jean-Paul Gaultier from Jean-Claude Van Damme, they’ll find plenty to enjoy about an enriching visit to the Kent State University Museum and its extraordinary collection of historic dresses, fashion textiles, and decorative arts from across time.
More than just a collection of historic fashions, the Kent State University Museum has had the mission of helping visitors understand various cultures of the world through clothes and textiles since its founding in 1982. In addition to viewing a staggering number and variety of historic fashions, visitors also learn the connection between the museum and the Kent State School of Fashion, recognized as one of the best in the world. All exhibitions show not only the evolution of fashion but also educate on the craftsmanship and design that went into each piece.


The Kent State University Museum features both permanent and rotating exhibits. A highlight of the permanent exhibits is the Fashion Timeline, showcasing a world-class collection of historic fashions. Encompassing over two centuries of fashion history, this exhibition is designed to show the evolution of styles and silhouettes while contextualizing the pieces with relevant political, technological, and cultural developments. Though the Fashion Timeline is always on display, the clothing featured is sometimes swapped out to refresh the exhibit.
The museum currently features two rotating exhibits: “Hepburn Style: Katharine and her Designers” and “Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman: Dazzling Day and Night.” Currently on display through May 25, “Hepburn Style” showcases the costumes of the famed actress and how they influenced women’s fashion of the era. “Dazzling Day and Night” runs through July 28, taking a look at the legacy of Rodgers and Silverman, who founded the museum with their own personal collection in 1982.
The Kent State University Museum is open year-round, every day except Monday. Hour-long, docent-led guided tours are offered for groups of 10 or more, though large groups may need to split up into multiple sections. Tours are wheelchair accessible, and motorcoach parking is available. Following their tour, groups are invited to explore the Dixie Lee Davis Museum Store, offering a wide variety of fashion-related merchandise, some of it even crafted by students in the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising.
Learn More
Central Portage County Visitors & Convention Bureau
centralportagevcb.org