Like most large cities that attract a steady flow of tourists, Málaga has its fair share of museums; the Picasso Museum is probably the most popular and famous of them all. However, there is a little museum hidden in the back streets of Málaga’s old town which is creating a lot of positive buzz on travel sites such as Tripadvisor; I’m referring to the Museum of Glass and Crystal in Málaga.
Located in a restored 18th century palace, this unique museum contains a private collection with some of the most beautiful and artistic glass and crystal pieces.
Visitors to the museum will be able to view 3000 pieces of glass and crystal from a variety of different cultures and time periods. 1000 of these works of art are fixed in exhibition and the others are in rotation. The Palace’s exquisite decoration and furniture – which correspond to the specific time period from which the exhibits derive – make this museum experience all the more special.
One of the highlights of this Museum is that the entrance fee (€4) always includes a guided tour. Many lucky visitors have had the privilege of being shown around the museum by one of the owners! There’s no better way to learn about all the wonderful pieces being exhibited.
When touring the museum, visitors are taken through a number of different rooms located on different levels of the Palace; each of these rooms represents a different period in time.
Here’s a quick overview of what you can see on the tour:
From the Museum’s central features, 3 beautiful internal patios, visitors are lead to a separate historical era.
The ground floor contains an impressive stained glass collection, most of which is pre-raphaelite.
The exhibit on the first floor is split into various time periods, with glass and crystal split into the following categories: Ancient Civilisations, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th century.
- Ancient Civilisations – This exhibit includes pieces from ancient Egypt, Phoenician, Greco Roman, Byzantine, Medieval and Islamic cultures.
- 16th & 17th Centuries – In this room, visitors can find Catalan, Venetian, Dutch and Bohemian glass, displayed in contemporary furniture and surrounded by paintings by Adriaan Hanneman and John Riley.
- 18th Century – Paintings by Philippe Mercier, John Vanderbank and Joseph Wright accompanied by an exhibit of glass made during the reigns of Charles III and Charles IV.
- 19th Century – In this exhibit you will find a large portrait of a lady painted by Angel Maria Cortellini and a glass display case filled with English cameo glass signed by Thomas Webb.
If you are interested in visiting the Museum of Glass and Crystal in Málaga, the address is….. Antigua Calle Gaona nº20, Málaga (a quick word of warning…..apparently signage isn’t too great and the Museum can be a little hard to find so I recommend you ask a local for directions of pop into the Tourist Office for a map).
Opening times are 11am to 7pm – Tuesday to Sunday and the price is €4 for adults and €2.50 for retirees and kids. (Groups of over 8 persons pay €2.50 pp).
For more information, please visit the Museums website at www.museovidrioycristalmalaga.com You’ll find some lovely photos of the museum and the glass and crystal exhibits.
If you do visit the museum, please come back and comment about your experience 🙂
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