Málaga’s Museo del Vidrio y Cristal (Museum of Glass and Crystal) showcases 700 pieces of glass and crystal that date from the 6th century BC to the 20th century. Located in an 18th-century Casa Palacio (“palace house”) in the center of town, the decorative arts museum is one of the few dwellings from this era to be preserved in Málaga. With spacious patios and gardens, the museum is furnished like a home and has an intimate atmosphere. Antique sofas, rugs, mirrors, and paintings take their places alongside the glass pieces displayed in cabinets.
The collection is divided across two floors into various historical eras, with period furniture from each era to complement the glass. On the ground floor, visitors will see English pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows. The first floor has several sections, starting with the Ancient Civilizations: Egyptian, Phoenician, Greco-Roman, Islamic, and Byzantine. Keep an eye out for the pretty, brightly-colored Phoenician pieces that date from the 6th century BC. The 16th- and 17th-century exhibits feature Catalan, Dutch, Bohemian, and Venetian lead glass; the 18th-century exhibit has glass made in La Granja; the19th-century exhibit shows English cameo glass by Thomas Webb; and the 20th century showcases Lalique and Whitefriars pieces.