Museo del Vidrio y Cristal, Málaga

Museo del Vidrio y Cristal in Malaga is a private museum dedicated to the art of glass and crystal, set inside a restored historic townhouse in the heart of the old town.

Where is the museum and what is the building?

The collection occupies a restored 18th-century mansion, built in 1761, tucked into a street of Malaga's historic center right next to the Baroque church of San Felipe Neri. The building itself — once the home of the Cassini family of merchants — is part of the experience, letting visitors step into the atmosphere of a two-hundred-fifty-year-old Andalusian townhouse before they even reach the display cases.

When did the museum open and what does the collection contain?

The museum opened its doors to the public in September 2009. Its holdings run to roughly three thousand pieces, though only about a third are on view at any given time, with the rest kept in storage and rotated periodically. Alongside glass and crystal, the collection includes furniture, paintings, and other decorative objects spanning different eras and cultures.

How is the exhibition arranged?

The lower floor is arranged chronologically, running from the sixth century BC through to the present day. The earliest pieces are blown Phoenician and Roman glass, and the following rooms move through Byzantine glass and Persian crystalware, tracing how production techniques changed over the centuries. The 18th century is represented by goblets, pitchers, mirrors, and chandeliers, largely made from English crystal and Spanish crystal from La Granja. Rooms devoted to the 19th century and beyond display Austrian and Bohemian glassware, English and French cameo glass, and Pre-Raphaelite-style stained glass, considered among the more valuable pieces in the collection.

Who is this museum for?

It suits visitors interested in decorative arts and the history of interior design, as well as anyone in Malaga looking for an alternative to the city's larger, busier museums. The intimate scale of the display and the historic setting make for a more personal visit than the big municipal institutions offer. Its location right beside the San Felipe Neri church also makes it easy to combine with a walk through Malaga's historic center.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Museo del Vidrio y Cristal in Malaga open? It opened to the public in September 2009, after the restoration of an 18th-century mansion built in 1761.

How many pieces are in the collection? The collection totals around three thousand items — mainly glass and crystal, but also furniture, paintings, and other decorative pieces. Only part of the collection is on display at any one time, with the rest rotated in.

Which historical periods does the exhibition cover? The display spans from the 6th century BC (Phoenician and Roman glass) to the present, with dedicated rooms for, among others, 18th-century crystal and 19th-to-20th-century Austrian and Bohemian glassware.

Exactly where is the museum located? It is located in Malaga's historic center, in a heritage building next to the Baroque church of San Felipe Neri.