Permanent exhibition

The layout invites visitors to travel back in time, taking them from the present to the origins of glass. Through techniques, the interplay of colours and the prism of light, each stage leads to the discovery of a material that is tamed and shaped by the action of fire. The permanent exhibition features nearly five hundred works of art and objects that are the jewels in the collection.

All the major artistic movements are represented, both internationally and in Belgium, offering a comprehensive view of glass – artistic, historical and technical. First there are the Mycenaean beads (14th-12th centuries BC) and the Gallo-Roman objects. In the showcases are some very fine examples of Venetian and Bohemian production from the 16th and 17th centuries. In the Modern Age, England made its mark by perfecting the crystal formula, while Holland developed diamond-point engraving. The 19th century focused on imitating the Ancients and, as with other art forms, left us with neo-Gothic, neo-classical, Orientalist and other works of art.

Later, the innovative spirit of the 20th century tamed the floral fragrance of Art Nouveau, which was overtaken by the geometry of Art Deco. The end of the 1930s saw the reign of designers and artists working for companies. Glass then became an artistic medium in its own right, as demonstrated by contemporary and recent internationally-renowned artists such as Erwin Eisch, Ian Zoritchak, Isabelle Monod, Toots Zynsky, Antoine Lerperlier and Maria Lugossy.