The 3,600 square foot Zuest Family Spinners Cottage, located on the AGSEM grounds, and houses the Henzie Fiber Arts Collection, donated to AGSEM by Susie Henzie.
A longtime Member of the Southern California Handweavers Guild and a former Handweavers Guild of America Board Member, Mrs. Henzie is a nationally recognized expert in the field of fiber arts, has authored "After the Wheel, the Reel" on her collection, and has served as a consultant to the film and television industries.
Mrs. Henzie has spent her life traveling the globe to collect antique to modern fiber-related equipment from Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. While portions of her collection have been displayed at museum and galleries over the years, her dream has been to have her entire collection on permanent display to be studied and enjoyed by all. Now located in the Zuest Family Spinners Cottage, the Henzie Collection includes more than 50 spinning wheels, 75 looms (including the loom used in the famous television series "Roots"), and hundreds of other artifacts.
The Zuest Family Spinners Cottage is the realization of over four years of fundraising and dedicated volunteer activities by Museum Members including the Palomar Handweavers Guild at AGSEM, supportive Donors, and the community. The museum thanks the Zuest Family who provided the primary funding for the construction of the Spinners Cottage. The Zuest Family are active philanthropists in the San Diego community, and Michelle Zuest herself is an award-winning spinner and weaver, and a long-time Member of the Palomar Handweavers Guild at AGSEM.
The Henzie collection adds to the AGSEM's Fiber Arts Program, a great Southern California asset. Fiber Artists of the Palomar Handweavers Guild founded the weaving and spinning programs at the Museum and regularly demonstrate these important "Americana" skills. The Program serves a wide variety of community groups, including Scouts, youth groups, and K-12 students studying aspects of U.S. Culture and History and teaches and trains adults who volunteer throughout the region. With the acquisition of the Henzie Collection, AGSEM can preserve and house unique and important historic artifacts and use them to extend its
