About The New Bedford Museum of Glass

Thanks to lines such as Royal Flemish and Crown Milano, the city of New Bedford rightfully earned the nickname “Art Glass Headquarters of the Country” by the late 19th century. With 7,000 objects to its name, The New Bedford Museum of Glass not only celebrates the area’s rich heritage, but also spans more than 3,000 years of worldwide glassmaking history. Through its permanent collection and rotating exhibits, the museum highlights everything from Victorian glass syrup bottles to 19th-century glass cigar holders. Our Nation’s Heritage in Glass encompasses 500-plus pieces of American-themed glass, including Bicentennial glass and the glass teeth George Washington wore in battle. Along with its rich displays, the museum’s in-house libraries delves deeper into global glassmaking with more than 8,000 volumes in 10 languages.