Glass Art Collections, Chrysler Museum of Art

Chrysler Museum of Art houses one of the world’s greatest collections of glass (including outstanding works by Louis Comfort Tiffany), distinguished holdings in the decorative arts, and a fine and growing collection of photography.

For folks who don’t have a coffee cup that’s survived from college, we have glass more than 2,000 years old. Chrysler Museum of Art have centuries-old artistry ranging from fantastic beer steins to exquisitely crafted goblets and one of the finest collections of Tiffany works you’ll find anywhere.

Chrysler Museum of Art have an astounding collection of Studio Movement glass art, works by artists who redefined what can be done with the medium.

The Perry Glass Studio is a state-of-art facility on the Museum’s campus. The studio offers programming for aspiring and master artists alike in a variety of processes including glassblowing, fusing, flameworking, coldworking and neon. The studio has also cultivated a reputation for its cutting-edge performance evenings and was the host venue of the 2017 Glass Arts Society Conference.

100 Highlights in Glass
Works Selected by the Curator of Glass, 2500 years of glass history can be viewed amongst these 100 highlights of the Museum’s glass collection.

Tiffany Studios glass and decorative objects

Works made by Louis Comfort Tiffany includes lamps, leaded glass windows, pottery, mosaics, silver and metalwork. The Chrysler’s collection of blown glass made by Tiffany is broadly representative with many unique and rare examples.

Glass Studio
The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio offers classes and workshops for beginners, intermediate and advanced skill levels, and you can see a full catalogue of our course offerings here. We also offer short video previews of our classes to whet the appetite. When signing up, be advised that glass art must be cooled to room temperature slowly, so the items you create will need to be picked up (or shipped) at a later date. Your instructor will provide pickup details related to your specific class.

Glassblowing
Glassblowing is the art or process that begins by taking a pipe and gathering molten glass from the furnace. It can then be formed or shaped with tools and by blowing air into it.

Flameworking
Flameworking (also known as lampworking) uses a gas-fueled torch to melt glass rods and tubes. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools.

Fusing
Glass Fusing is the process of cutting flat sheets of glass, assembling them together and adhering them in a kiln. These flat plates or tiles can then be “slumped” into molds to create platters or bowls.

Solid Sculpting involves shaping molten glass on the end of a long metal rod, however, there is no hollow bubble inside. Glass working tools, heat and gravity are used to achieve the final shape.

Sandcasting
Sandcasting is the process of pressing forms into sand to create a mold. This mold is then filled with molten glass using a ladle.

Coldworking
Coldworking is done using various tools to cut, grind, carve and polish glass at room temperature. Desirable surface designs and textures can be achieved through this process.

Kilncasting
Kilncasting is the process of creating a mold out of plaster and silica. This mold is then filled with glass and fired in a kiln.

Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, United States

The Chrysler Museum of Art is one of America’s most distinguished mid-sized art museums, with a nationally recognized collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one of the great glass collections in America. The core of the Chrysler’s collection comes from Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., an avid art collector who donated thousands of objects from his private collection to the Museum. In the years since Chrysler’s death in 1988, the Museum has dramatically enhanced its collection and extended its ties with the Norfolk community. The Museum, expanded in 2014 to add additional gallery spaces and amenities for visitors, now has growing collections in many areas. The Chrysler also mounts an ambitious schedule of exhibitions and educational programs and events each season.

In addition, the Chrysler Museum of Art administers two historic houses in downtown Norfolk: the Moses Myers House and the Willoughby-Baylor House, as well as the Jean Outland Chrysler Library on the campus of Old Dominion University.

The Chrysler Museum of Art, One Memorial Place, Norfolk, and its Perry Glass Studio at 745 Duke St., are open to the public Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The Historic Houses on East Freemason Street are open weekends. General admission is free at all venues.