Culture Buzz: AMA's Jane Austen Fashion Exhibition Open

Published on January 13, 2026

The Arlington Museum of Art’s latest exhibition celebrates the 250th birthday of one of the most beloved writers of all time: Jane Austen. In partnership with Jane Austen Society of North America – North Texas Chapter and with costumes loaned from NBCUniversal Archives & Collections, the AMA will feature costumes and jewelry from film adaptations of two of Austen’s most iconic works: Pride and Prejudice(2005) and Emma (2020).

Bringing together costumes and accessories from two important films in the Austen world, the exhibition immerses visitors in the elegant, expressive, and often politically charged world of fashion during the Regency era. 

“Literature, film, and costuming are all important expressions of time, place, and identity,” says AMA Director of Exhibitions Kendall Quirk, “Jane Austen’s novels are full of observations of the time period she was living in. Using costume to portray these subtleties of the Regency era highlights how important details are. We hope visitors experience costumes from their favorite Austen films and gain a better understanding of what each costume signified for the characters.”

The exhibition opened Jan. 9 and will close March 22, 2026. There is no admission charge to see Dressed for the Drawing Room: Fashion in Jane Austen’s World. The Arlington Museum of Art is located at 1200 Ballpark Way in Arlington's Entertainment District.

“Miss Thorpe… could compare the balls of Bath with those of Tunbridge, its fashions with the fashions of London; could rectify the opinions of her new friend in many articles of tasteful attire.” Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen