Museo del cristallo
Civic museum, unique in Italy, in the former Boschi glassworks: it tells the story of the glass and crystal of Colle di Val d’Elsa from the 19th century to today.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo del Cristallo opened in 2001 in the area of the former Boschi glassworks, the engine of Colle’s economy between the 1920s and the early 1950s, and is the only museum of its kind in Italy. The route unfolds over two levels beneath the glassworks’ chimney and traces the history of the local glass industry from the early 19th century to the establishment, in 1963, of the lead crystal mixture that made Colle known as the “Città del Cristallo” (City of Crystal).
The story begins with medieval finds linked to the so-called gambassini (the glassworks of Colle are documented from 1331) and moves on to 1820, when the glassmaker Francesco Mathis opened a crystal factory in Piano, next to the church of Sant’Agostino; the production, later taken over by Giovan Battista Schmid, soon distinguished itself for the quality and purity of its white glass. Even then the pieces were ground and engraved. Today the town produces about 15% of the world’s crystal and over 95% of Italian crystal, with research increasingly directed towards lead-free mixtures.
The display, completely revised in 2023, devotes the first level to the historical narrative, which ends with a large section on design, and the second to the people who work in the factories, the “piazze” (work teams) beside the furnaces. Videos, testimonies and tools take visitors into the lives of the master glassmakers, while an immersive route based on earth, water, fire and air shows the birth of crystal, from raw materials to the incandescent mass and finally to solid, transparent forms.
Highlights
- The only crystal museum in Italy
- Route through the former Boschi glassworks beneath the chimney
- Section on crystal design
- Video documentary with master glassmakers
- Immersive route on the four elements
Permanent exhibition
- Percorso permanente sulla storia del cristallo – Two levels devoted to the history of the local glass industry, to design and to the work of master glassmakers, with videos and an immersive route.
- Founded
- 2001
- Operated by
- Comune di Colle di Val d'Elsa
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
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| Reduced | €4 |
| Joint ticket for 3 museums – standard | €12Valid for 48 hours from issue; reduced ticket €8 |
Ticket for this single museum; the joint ticket for three museums is valid for 48 hours. Bookings: museicolle@gmail.com or info@prolococollevaldelsa.it.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | For bookings write to museicolle@gmail.com or info@prolococollevaldelsa.it. Municipal tourist office: +39 0577 912 257. |
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