Glass Collections

Visiting glass collections and exhibitions

There are many museums and galleries with wonderful glass objects in their collections. The following list includes only those that are open to the public and either specialise in glass or have significant glass collections.  All information is provided in good faith.  It is recommended that you contact the relevant museum or gallery before making a special journey to ensure the glass you wish to see is on show and to check information such as opening times and admission charges.

To discover more museums and galleries with glass or decorative arts collections, visit Culture 24 Online, the UK gateway to museums, galleries and heritage attractions, on http://www.culture24.org.uk/.  

If you know of any glass collections that do not appear on this list, please forward the name and contact details to the Glass Museum for consideration.    

England

• Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH, tel: 01865 278000, http://www.ashmolean.org/.  (Antiquities collection and Western Art collection.)
  

• British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, tel: 020 7323 8000, http://www.britishmuseum.org/, information@brisitshmuseum.org.  (Extensive collection of glass from all periods.)

• Broadfield House Glass Museum, Compton Drive, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 9NS, tel: 01384 812745, http://www.glassmuseum.org.uk/.  (Large glass collection spanning 17th century to present day, focusing on Stourbridge glass industry.)

• Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1RB, tel: 01223 332900, http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/, fitzwilliam-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk  (Large glass collection, especially pre-Medieval and 18th century.)

• The Glass Art Gallery, 7 The Leather Market, Weston Street, London, SE1 3ER, tel: 020 7403 2800, http://www.londonglassblowing.co.uk/, info@londonglassblowing.co.uk  (Contemporary gallery with glass for sale and hot glass studio run by Peter Layton.)

• Haworth Art Gallery, Haworth Park, Manchester Road, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 2JS, tel: 01254 233782, www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/hag.  (Best collection of Tiffany glass in Europe.)  

• Laing Art Gallery, New Bridge Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AG, tel: 0191 232 7734, www.twmuseums.org.uk/laing/.  (Historic glass including a fine collection of Beilby enamelled glass) 

• Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3JL, tel: 0161 235 8888, http://www.manchestergalleries.org/.  (Large collection of 18th century English drinking glasses.)

• National Glass Centre, Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 OGL, tel: 0191 515 5555, http://www.nationalglasscentre.com/.  (Temporary exhibitions of contemporary and historic glass, permanent display on properties of glass, plus the University of Sunderland's glass department and glass blowing demonstrations.)

• New Walk Museum & Art Gallery, 53 New Walk, Leicester, LE1 7EA, tel: 0116 225 4900, www.leicester.gov.uk/museums.  (Decorative arts collection including glass from all periods, including glass by Maurice Marinot and contemporary studio glass.) 

• Shipley Art Gallery, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE8 4JB, tel: 0191 477 1495, www.twmuseums.org.uk/shipley/.  (Decorative arts collection including historic, pressed and contemporary glass, plus craft exhibitions.) 

• The Stained Glass Museum, The South Triforium, Ely Cathedral, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4DL, tel: 01353 660347, http://www.stainedglassmuseum.com/, info@stainedglassmuseum.com  (British stained glass.)

• Studio Glass Gallery @ Thomas Goode, 19 South Audley Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 2BN, tel 0207 7499 2823, http://www.studioglass.co.uk/, mail@studioglass.co.uk  (Contemporary gallery specialising in British, Czech and Slovak glass art.)

• The Turner Museum of Glass, University of Sheffield, Department of Engineering Materials, Sir Robert Hadfield Building, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 4DU, http://www.turnermuseum.group.shef.ac.uk/.  (19th and 20th century glass from Europe and America, plus Helen Munro Turner's fibreglass wedding dress.)

• Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL, tel: 0870 442 0808 or 0207 942 2000, http://www.vam.ac.uk/  (The National Museum of Art and Design, permanent exhibitions include glass galleries featuring electronic labels.)

• Victoria Art Gallery, Bridge Street, Bath, Somerset BA2 4AT, tel: 01225 477233, http://www.victoriagal.org.uk/.  (Large collection of 18th century drinking glasses.)

• The World of Glass, Chalon Way East, St Helens, Merseyside WA10 1BX, tel: 01744 22766, http://www.worldofglass.com/, info@worldofglass.com  (Museum and visitor centre including temporary exhibitions and glassblowing demonstrations.)

• Yelverton Paperweight Centre, Leg O' Mutton, Yelverton, Devon PL20 6AD, tel: 01822 854250, www.paperweightcentre.co.uk.  (Permanent display of the Broughton Collection of paperweights, plus gift shop and art gallery.)

• Zest Gallery, Roxby Place, London, SW6 1RS, tel: 020 7610 1900, www.zestgallery.com

Scotland

•  Burrell Collection, Pollock Country Park, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow G43 1AT, tel: 0141 287 2550, www.glasgowmuseums.com, museums@csglasgow.org (Comprehensive collection of Western European tableware.)

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AG, tel: 0141 276 9599, www.glasgowmuseums.com/. (Large collection, especially Roman and pre-Roman, 18th century and glass from Cyprus.)

• Royal Museum and National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, tel: 0131 225 7534, www.nms.ac.uk.  (Extensive collection from pre-Roman to 21st century.)

Northern Ireland

• Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5AB, tel: 0845 6080000, www.nmni.com/um (Good collection of Irish glass.  Please note this museum is currently closed for major redevelopment.)

Glass collections overseas

The following is just a small selection of museums in other countries that specialise in glass. The Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass has an extensive list of North American museums with glass collections and a further international list of glass museums on their website, www.contempglass.org.

• The Barcelona Glass Centre, Spain, http://www.fcv-bcn.org/. (Library-documentation centre, school of art and gallery.)

• Corning Museum of Glass, 1 Museum Way, Corning, NY 14830, USA, www.cmog.org. (Home to the world's most comprehensive collection of glass.)

• Deutsches Glasmalerei-museum, Linnich, Germany, www.glasmalereimuseum.de. (German Stained Glass Museum)

• Glasmuseum Passau, Germany, http://www.glasmuseum.de/

• Glasmuseum, Denmark, http://www.glasmuseet.dk/.  (The museum for international contemporary glass in Denmark.)

• Glass Art Museum, Giza, Cairo, Egypt, www.glassartmuseum.com/.  (Museum and gallery.)

• Glass Museum, New Zealand, http://www.glass.co.nz/.  (A virtual 'museum' with lists of articles and a message board.)

• Glasmuseum, Doesterring Weg 34, 8315 PV Luttelgeest, www.glasmuseum.nl/, info@glasmuseum.nl

• Museum of Arts and Crafts, Croatia, http://www.muo.hr/.  (Croatian Biedermeier glass.)

• Museum of Glass, Tacoma, USA, http://www.museumofglass.org/.  (International Centre for Contemporary Art.)