Written by DCist Contributor Amy Cavenaugh

The Textile Museum, which announced this summer plans to open a second branch sometime in 2008, has settled on a location, as Penn Quarter Living noted yesterday.

The museum, currently located at 2320 S St., NW, plans to open the outpost at 421 7th St., NW, close to the Mall and many of the other District’s museums. The new branch plans to focus on contemporary textile pieces, and will also give the museum an opportunity to invite more traveling exhibits.

“We picked the location for the mall proximity, and also because there are a number of interesting galleries in Penn Quarter,” said Annie Sanchez, communications assistant at the museum. “It’s an expanding and revitalized area.” At 23,400 square feet, it will almost double the museum’s space, making it possible for the museum to hold special exhibits and display more works from the collection.

“We hope to make alliances with other museums and tie in with their shows,” Sanchez said. “The original site will be more focused on the permanent collection. We have over 18,000 pieces, so we have plenty of works to rotate through and give more visibility.”

Photo courtesy Penn Quarter Living.