What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm

The Stained Glass Museum

Home
United Kingdom
Ely
The Stained Glass Museum

The Stained Glass Museum is the only museum dedicated to the art of stained glass in the UK. A specialist library is available to researchers by appointment.

The Stained Glass Museum is the only museum in the UK dedicated to displaying and interpreting the art of stained glass to the public. The Stained Glass Museum is an independent museum and registered charity (no. 1169842) in the UK. The museum was founded in 1972 initially to rescue windows from redundant churches. The Museum first opened to the public in the north triforium of Ely Cathedral in 19

79. In 1997 an Appeal was set up to rebuild the Museum in the south triforium of Ely Cathedral. Our collection spans an enormous chronological range, showing the development of stained glass from the thirteenth to the twenty-first century. The Museum also has a growing collection of tools, and stained glass designs and cartoons related to the design and making of stained glass windows.

13/09/2024

We're delighted to be hosting our popular online autumn talks series again this October! Join us for;

Autumn Talks 2024: Douglas Strachan: his Life and Legacy with Juliette Macdonald and learn more about one of the most important figures in the Scottish revival of stained-glass design, the Aberdonian, Douglas Strachan who produced over 350 windows throughout Britain and beyond. His work, which spanned the first half of the twentieth century, continues to inspire and influence designers. This talk takes place at 7pm (GMT) on Wednesday 16 October

Grace Ayson Art and Glass is a stained glass artist, designer and conservator based on the Kent coast in the UK. Join us for Autumn Talks 2024: 'Drawn to Light' with Grace Ayson where Grace will take you on a journey charting her career so far, from her starting point as a sculptor, through her work as a conservator, to her work as a stained glass artist. Using past projects and commissions, she will explore the techniques and approaches she has used, her influences and inspirations, and ideas about the tradition and craft of stained glass. This talk takes place at 7pm (GMT) on Wednesday 23 October

Finally, join us for Autumn Talks 2024: From Heaven to Earth - The Stained Glass of Christopher Webb with John Edwards. Webb's reputation as a stained glass designer and artist was at its height in the decades immediately before and after the Second World War; and during his active career from 1920 to 1964 he produced over 400 windows with a distinctive character and style, as well as designing a wide selection of other church art. Now that his work has been comprehensively listed, and a large collection of design sketches, full-size cartoons and other material given to the Stained Glass Museum, it is timely to reassess his work and its contribution to English stained glass in the 20th century. This talk takes place at 7pm (GMT) on Wednesday 30 October

Tickets for each of the talks are available online here https://the-stained-glass-museum.myshopify.com/collections/tours-lectures Tickets are £5 for Friends of The Stained Glass Museum or £6.50 otherwise

12/09/2024

Remember you can join us for some fantastic, free events this weekend as part of the national Heritage Open Days weekend!

Join us after hours on Saturday evening from 6:30-8:30pm to enjoy a special and see our beautifully illuminated windows as the sun sets during Heritage Open Days at The Stained Glass Museum

Then, join us on Sunday from 12-4pm for our free Open Day as part of Heritage Open Days at The Stained Glass Museum - we'll be hosting spotlight tours throughout the day as well as offering fun children's crafts too!

There's no need to book, just pop by & last admission is 30 mins before we close.

Ely Cathedral is also open as part of Heritage Open Days so join them for their free extended opening hours on Saturday evening between 6.30pm-9pm and experience the Cathedral in the evening light. In the day on Saturday, they're also hosting a number of free activities including a tour of the Physick Garden, and during the evening you can enjoy a Cathedral highlights tour

10/09/2024

Yesterday, The Stained Glass Museum enjoyed a fantastic trip to Northamptonshire, where we saw some beautiful stained glass in Apethorpe, at Oundle School, Kimbolton and in Wellingborough.

We had a fantastic day seeing some beautiful glass by a great range of artists - be sure to follow our page as we share some more photos soon

📸 Our group in the Oundle School chapel

08/09/2024

Next weekend, on Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th September, join us for Heritage Open Days at The Stained Glass Museum and enjoy a FREE open evening on Saturday + a FREE open afternoon on Sunday!

This is the perfect opportunity to stop by and explore our beautiful collection of stained glass, with over 130 examples on display from medieval to modern.

Throughout both events there will be spotlight tours taking place and free children's craft activities to enjoy.

There is no need to book, just drop by between 6:30-8:30pm on Saturday or from 12-4 on Sunday.

Remember to check out all the other Heritage Open Days fun taking place at Ely Cathedral too and make a day, or evening of it!

Heritage Open Days is an annual event taking place across the county with many venues and locations opening specially for this weekend. Find out more on their website https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk

01/09/2024

This 15th century roundel is from one of the museum's 'Labours of the Month' series. Designed to depict typical jobs and tasks for the months, these series are often made in glass or ceramic too.

This panel for the month of September depicts corn harvesting, a typical agricultural task and a common sight for this time of year! This job is now normally done using a combine harvester, but the figure in this panel is using a traditional scythe to do the job.

The panels originally decorated the clock tower of Matfield House in Kent and date from the 15th Century.

Following a later sale of the house, the panels were donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum who have loaned them to The Stained Glass Museum , where they are on display alongside another from this series, November.

30/08/2024

Join us for a day exploring some wonderful in Northamptonshire on Monday 9 September.

On this guided coach tour we will visit four churches in Northamptonshire to see remarkable modern stained glass windows in situ by artists and craftsmen including Louis Comfort Tiffany, John Piper, Patrick Reyntiens, Evie Hone, Mark Angus and more.

Open to all, this visit is one not to miss! The British Society of Master Glass Painters, Friends of Friendless Churches, National Churches Trust, The Churches Conservation Trust, The Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass, Contemporary Glass Society, The Arts Society

https://stained-glass-museum.arttickets.org.uk/stained-glass-museum/northamptonshire-churches-study-day-664b5e3a99bac

29/08/2024

Today, the 29 August is a feast day commemorating the beheading of John the Baptist, major figure in many religions including Christianity and Islam.

John is known for the unique practice of baptism for the forgiveness of sins, with most scholars agreeing that John baptised Jesus. Scholars also generally believe Jesus was a follower or disciple of John.

The liturgical commemoration of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist is almost as old as that commemorating his birth, which is one of the oldest feasts, if not the oldest, introduced into both the Eastern and Western liturgies to honour a saint
In the New Testament Salome was the dissolute young woman who persuaded King Herod to execute St John the Baptist. This lively panel is from a large four-light window depicting his life and martyrdom.

This beautiful panel, made in 1856, comes from and depicts the life and death of Saint John the Baptist. The panel was made by Antoine Lusson, an important figure in the French Gothic Revival style. In 1847 his Le Mans workshop was involved in the restoration of the 13th-century glass of the Sainte-Chapelle de Paris, the most important and prestigious project of its day. The Ely window, one of his very few works in England, is painted in an early 14th-century style and makes extensive use of acid etching of flashed ruby and blue glass.

28/08/2024

From today, until the 31 October, we are delighted to have a brand new temporary exhibition on display in Ely Cathedral's South West Transept, 'Inspired by William Morris'.

Organised by The British Society of Master Glass Painters, this exhibition invited members to make a 30cm square glass panel in response to the theme ‘Inspired by William Morris’ for an online and touring exhibition. Open to professionals, enthusiasts and novices alike, more than 90 submissions were received.

William Morris described the two leading passions of his life as the desire to create ‘beautiful things’ and a ‘hatred of modern civilisation’. As well as being an artist and designer Morris was also a writer, activist and poet. He was in every way a radical of his time, in both thought and action.

This exhibition displays 24 panels (on rotation) made by individuals ‘Inspired by William Morris’ using traditional stained glass techniques as well as contemporary and experimental methods. It is hoped that the exhibition will inspire a new generation of people to work with stained glass and commission it for public buildings and homes as William Morris succeed in doing.

An online gallery with all submissions for the exhibition can be found here: https://www.bsmgp.org.uk/news-events/events/exhibition-inspired-by-william-morris/

The touring exhibition began in Stourbridge at the International Festival of Glass earlier this month before coming to the museum. Later this autumn it heads to Rochdale Town Hall until the end of the year.

After viewing the exhibition downstairs, do make sure to come The Stained Glass Museum to see pieces made by Morris in our displays too!

27/08/2024

With the new school year beginning soon, we are so pleased to be welcoming our mini's back to The Stained Glass Museum too!

Join us every month for our SGMinis: Fun For Under 5s at The Stained Glass Museum sessions in the gallery from 10 - 11:30 - our first session is on Wednesday 4 September

Come and join us for fun in our beautiful gallery and enjoy crafts, rhymes and stories linked to the theme - our theme in September is shapes galore!

Explore our light box and interactive toys and meet new friends, all whilst relaxing with a drink and a biscuit. Story time will be under one of our beautiful stained glass windows!

The session is suitable for babies and children up to 5 years old, but tickets must be pre-booked online here: https://the-stained-glass-museum.myshopify.com/products/sg-minis-10-00-11-30

26/08/2024

Today is International Dog Day & we are sharing just two dogs from our collection here at The Stained Glass Museum 🐶

The first panel depicting a lap dog seated on a red cushion & surrounded by a rococo border in the museum's main gallery.

Designed and made by William Peckitt of York in March 1756, the panel originally came from Gisburne Park in Lancashire, then owned by Thomas Lister. Once a Grade 1 listed home, the house is now run as a hospital and the large estate is enjoyed as a country park, an equestrian facility and as a holiday destination!

William Peckitt was the most significant glass painter of his time, and was known across the country for his skilled enamel painting. He also painted another version of this subject for the daughter of John Bourchier of Benningborough Hall in Yorkshire. The panel was purchased by the museum in 2010

The second piece is a small panel from our newer acquisitions at the museum which features numerous animals. This late 18th century panel is arranged against a coloured background of purple and yellow glass & was kindly donated by some Friends of the museum.

26/08/2024

Today on bank holiday Monday, we'll be open as usual from 10am - 5pm!

This bank holiday is the perfect opportunity to explore our beautiful gallery and enjoy the chance to see over 130 illuminated stained glass windows at eye level. Our collection spans over 800 years, from the medieval to the modern!

There is lots to enjoy for all ages too, with fun activities throughout the gallery for families, including dressing up, being creative at the light box and lots of stories to enjoy! Download our free digital guide which includes videos, an audio guide and much more available via our Bloomberg Connects app or via our website here: https://bit.ly/3xZYs2P

25/08/2024

Queen Margaret of Anjou and wife of King Henry VI of England died , the 25th August 1482, aged 52.

This panel depicts the heraldic shields of Queen Margaret and shows a large crown surmounting shield of arms with quartered fleur-de-lys and lions, supported with two yales. The right light depicts a crown surmounting eight quarterings; on the left are the arms of England and France, on the right are fleur-de-lys, fish and cross pattern. These heraldic shields are supported by eagles and a mythical beast - the yale - with the head of an antelope and the body of a lion

Queen Margaret was one of the principal figures in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses and at times personally led the Lancastrian faction. Owing to her husband's frequent bouts of insanity, Margaret ruled the kingdom in his place. It was she who called for a Great Council in May 1455 that excluded the Yorkist faction headed by Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York, and thus provided the spark that ignited a civil conflict that lasted for over thirty years, decimated the old nobility of England, and caused the deaths of thousands of men, including her only son Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales, at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471.

These panels were made c.1843 by the stained glass artist William Miller. Miller trained as a plumber and glazier but had developed his business, which was based in Soho, London, to produce stained glass by the 1840s

The panel is originally from Crockerton Church in Wiltshire, however once this church was no longer in use, the panels were cleaned and repaired the workshop of Salisbury Cathedral before coming to The Stained Glass Museum .

The panel is also a faithful copy of a 15th-century armorial in the Great Hall at Ockwells in Berkshire. This window combines traditional glass-painting techniques with those of enamel painting, used here to decorate the crown.

24/08/2024

Today is the Feast Day of St Bartholomew. Born in the 1st century, Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is said to have been martyred for having converted Polymius, King of Armenia, to Christianity. He was martyred by being flayed alive and is always identified by the tanner's knife that he holds in his hand. Appropriately, he is the patron saint of shoemakers and bookbinders.

This window, which is on loan to The Stained Glass Museum by the Victoria & Albert Museum, depicts St Bartholomew holding a knife and a book. He is nimbed and has yellow curly hair and beard & is also wearing white robes whilst standing underneath a canopy.

He was one of a series of prophets and apostles originally located in the nave clerestory of Wi******er Cathedral and was made between 1404 and 1422. The windows were funded by a bequest from the will of Bishop William of Wykeham (died 1404), Chancellor of England to King Edward III and King Richard II and one of the most important patrons of stained glass in England during the Middle Ages. In his lifetime, William of Wykeham founded both Wi******er College & New College, Oxford and paid for their sumptuous glazing, much of which survives.

The original east window of Wi******er College Chapel not only showed Wykeham as donor with his royal masters, but also the craftsmen who had worked for him. These included the glazier Thomas of Oxford, a telling tribute to the regard in which such craftsmen could be held. The present panel is in a style similar to Thomas's work elsewhere. It was removed from the cathedral during the restoration of 1852.

23/08/2024

Create your own bespoke glass artwork at our Screen Printing on Glass Masterclass this September at The Stained Glass Museum!

This Masterclass is an opportunity to explore the screen-printing on glass technique with award winning artist James Cockerill of HALTglass as he guides you through making a beautiful, personal artwork. Layers of digital photographs will be used to create unique collages that can then be printed on glass, allowing coloured light to animate the images. Tuition is in a small group, meaning James is able to welcome absolute beginners alongside those who wish to develop their art, print or stained glass practice.

The Masterclass includes:

👉 Design - James will work with you to select four of your own digital images which will form the basis of your glass artwork

👉 Personalised screen - James will use your digital images to prepare a screen

👉 Printing - Using your bespoke screen, specialist glass paints and enamels, you will learn to compose and print your images, overlaying them on both sides of float glass. You will also have access to James’s large selection of screens prepared with his own stock images.

👉 Kiln firing - Your printed glass will be kiln-fired to make permanent its collaged images

👉 Photoshop tutorial - James will demonstrate the ways in which he uses Photoshop to prepare images for screen printing and explain the process of photo sensitive transfer, used to create stencils of images on a screen

👉 Consultancy - drawing on his own diverse art practice, James will offer advice on integrating screen printing into your creative work

👉 Museum admission - the Masterclass takes place in the museum’s beautiful workshop space, with views onto Ely Cathedral’s stunning Victorian glass. From there you will have free access to stained glass inspiration in the museum’s permanent collection and in our current exhibition of James’s work, ‘Layers.’

If you would like to learn more about this Masterclass, and to book your place, please visit our website https://stainedglassmuseum.com/screenprinting or give us a call on 01353 660347

22/08/2024

That's a wrap on our drop in activities this summer holiday here at The Stained Glass Museum!

We've welcomed hundreds and hundreds of children and their grown ups to the gallery this summer and loved seeing all of your fantastic creations too

Your designs have been brightening up the gallery and have been much admired by our visitors. The dragon from yesterdays "Knights and Dragons" drop in morning, filled with stained glass inspired scales is another great addition as well!

Although our remaining pre-booked craft workshops are fully booked, there is still lots to enjoy in the gallery. Come and help to come and help Cyril the squirrel find the plants and animals hidden in the window and collect a reward for designing your own nature inspired window 🐿️

Once school has begun, so do our monthly SGMinis: Fun For Under 5s at The Stained Glass Museum sessions. Our first one takes place Wednesday 4th September 10:00-11:30. You can find out more and book online at https://the-stained-glass-museum.myshopify.com/products/sg-minis-10-00-11-30

21/08/2024

This summer, we've enjoyed some fantastic children's glass fusing workshops with Louise from Little Bean Glass here at The Stained Glass Museum!

At the workshops, the children have begun by learning about the principles and theory of glass cutting, fusing and firing. After this they learnt how to cut the glass themselves!

Using a variety of clear and coloured glass, including fritt, confetti, stringers and noodles, they have each made their own piece to take home.

We've loved seeing each of your fantastic designs, and seeing you learn new skills too!

Make sure you're following our page, and sign up for our mailing list online (https://bit.ly/3yKv4Oz) to be the first to hear about our next workshops during the school holidays.

16/08/2024

Have you thought about how stained glass artists cut their glass into the right size? How do they translate the cartoons we talked about last week into the final window? They use cutlines!

Cutlines play an important role in making stained glass windows. But what are the differences between design, cartoon and cutline and why artists need so many preparatory documents in advance? Find out more from todays video and get to know more about the unique process of making a stained glass window.

Check our website https://bit.ly/4bXJx7u and search ‘cutline’ to find more pieces from our collection

15/08/2024

Until the end of the summer, we're delighted to have 'Paradise Place' by the artist Catherine Lee on display - do pop in to see this fantastic piece!

This diptych, which is on display in our shop area, is part of a series that delights in the voyeurism of daily life. Cathy says "This tower block is home to me, to you? and our neighbours but we know little of each other. But here, at Paradise Place, you can peek through the windows and find hiding inside, places of love, fear, laughter, loneliness, anger, s*x and television. Familiar, sad, amusing and odd. Stained glass is an unusual but perfect medium to show domesticity: it is a window to our lives. You are invited to look through this window of windows and find out what's happening behind them"

Cathy’s work in stained glass is inspired by her ongoing experience working with people who have complex lives. Her artistic background comes from working in traditional crafts of all types and she is an art historian.

This is the second time Cathy's work has been on display here at The Stained Glass Museum, her panel 'Warp and Weft' was the first prize winner of global architectural stained glass Stevens competition in 2023 hosted by the The Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass and on display here in the summer last year.

14/08/2024

Today is & did you know that The Stained Glass Museum has a panel featuring a lizard too? Can you spot it? 🦎🦎🦎

This panel, which was made in 1890 also depicts an angel with an oil lamp and a woman with a book & is dedicated to the late Lady Kaye.

This pieces forms part of a three light window depicting Christ resurrected as the Good Shepherd in it's central light. The outer lights, including this one, depict the three Maries at the tomb

It was made by the studio of Heaton, Butler and Bayne, a company formed in 1862 and had an enormous output of stained glass windows across the world until they closed in 1953

14/08/2024

Our Summer at The Stained Glass Museum: Amazing Animals Drop In Craft Morning will still take place today between 10am - 12 noon, but please note there will be no access to the Cathedral's toilets available.

The nearest public conveniences are available on Palace Green, with disabled access toilets and baby changing facilities available at the Cloisters shopping centre toilets.

Thank you

13/08/2024

Join us tomorrow at the museum for our fun, FREE Summer at The Stained Glass Museum: Amazing Animals Drop In Craft Morning

From 10am - 12pm on Wednesday 14 August, come along and make your own stained glass inspired animal bookmark inspired by all the animals in our stunning gallery.

The crafts are suitable for all ages, a suggested donation of £1 per child is recommended to cover the cost of the materials. One free adult is admitted per child, usual admission is applied for any additional adults

12/08/2024

Today is World Elephant Day which is an annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants 🐘🐘🐘

You can find out more about it here: https://worldelephantday.org/

This panel, which was donated to The Stained Glass Museum in 2018 also features an elephant! The panel was originally from St Margaret's Church in Walmgate, York. St Margaret’s dates from the 12th Century and is one of the six medieval churches that were once in this area.

The panel was made by in the 20th century by John Alder Knowles, a York based stained glass artist. It was made at the family firm, J.W. Knowles & Sons, begun by his father, John Ward Knowles in Stonegate, York. Following his fathers death in 1931, John Alder Knowles continued the business, and spent time studying new glass manufacturing methods in the United States before the outbreak of the First World War. He was interested in the history of glass, publishing widely on the subject.

11/08/2024

First developed in China over 1000 years ago, screen-printing is the technique of making images by pressing ink through a fine mesh screen held taught within a frame.

A stencil is created on the screen first, so some areas of the mesh allow ink to pass through to the surface below, while other areas block the ink’s passage. In this way, images were transferred on to paper and fabrics. In the early twentieth century, commercial uses for screen-printing developed rapidly. The mid-20th century saw an explosion in the use of screen printing as an artform.

Artists were excited by the possibilities and meanings that modern methods of image making provoked. Many iconic screen-printed works, from Andy Warhol’s Marilyn to Jamie Reid’s graphics for the S*x Pistols, are so impactful because of the way the technique encapsulated the era. Screen print enabled artists to distil their subjects to a visual essence which could then be amplified back in a way that mimicked the bold, repetitive imagery of a burgeoning consumer-culture.

The technique of screen-printing on glass has progressed in a similar way, with commercial development influencing artistic exploration, allowing glass artists to engage with the aesthetics of contemporary life. Instead of ink, glass enamels, specialist glass paints, or finely crushed glass frit is pressed through a stencilled mesh screen on to a glass surface, then fired at extremely hot temperatures to permanently fix the image.

If you would like to learn more about this technique, our current exhibition, ‘Layers,’ explores screen-printing on glass through the work of contemporary artist James Cockerill of , and in September James will be teaching a Screen Printing on Glass Masterclass here at where he’ll share his expertise as he guides you through creating your own bespoke screen-printed glass artwork https://stainedglassmuseum.com/screenprinting

We hope you can join us!

10/08/2024

St Lawrence died the 10th August in 258, which is also his feast day
This medieval panel, originally in St Andrew's Church, Woodwalton Cambridgeshire, depicts St Lawrence who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Valerian. He was said to have been roasted on a gridiron, a fate similar to that of St Vincent.

Although this grisly detail may not be founded on historical fact, well over two hundred English medieval churches were dedicated to him. The tracery panel contains rearranged medieval fragments.

Born in Valencia, Spain on the 31th December 225, he was one of the seven deacons of the city of Rome, Italy under Pope St Sixtus II.

This panel depicts St Lawrence wearing a blue halo and green robe. His left hand is raised while his right hand holds a gridiron, the instrument of his death. The panel also contains a plain red background with trefoil cusped arch, steep gable and green crockets. The base of panel is incomplete and has been replaced with green panes, though the tracery contained rearranged medieval fragments.

The window dates from between 1310 - 1330 & is by an unknown artist.
The panel is on loan to The Stained Glass Museum by the Friends of Friendless Churches

St Lawrence is the patron saint of many things, people and places, but is also patron saint of glaziers, stained glass makers, librarians and archivists, which we like to think covers most things here at the museum!

09/08/2024

Following on from our video last week at The Stained Glass Museum on stained glass designs, this week we're discussing cartoons!

But do you know what a cartoon is?

Unlike cartoons from your childhood, a cartoon is an important step in the creation of a stained glass window.

Find out more about the size of these cartoons and also how medieval artists made their cartoons in our new video!

Explore the different steps involved and and learn more about how cartoons are made.

Make sure you’re following our page as we share more about the different preparatory designs, cartoons and cutlines needed to create a stained glass window

Don’t forget to visit our website and search ‘cartoon’ to find more pieces from our collection here: https://bit.ly/4bXJx7u

08/08/2024

Today is & whilst we don't have windows featuring domestic cats in our collection at The Stained Glass Museum, we hope this window featuring some big cats will suffice! 🐱🦁🐱

This panel shows a scene from the biblical story of Daniel, who was sentenced to death and thrown into a pit of lions, but was saved from the lion's den because God sent an angel to rescue him. In this scene Daniel is shown in chains in a dark den with four lions. Human bones are shown at his feet. Above, we see an angel lifting a figure representing Daniel away, revealing his divine rescue.

The stylised lions suggest that the artist had never seen an accurate portrayal of these animals - not particularly surprising given it was made in 17th century Europe!

They are more like heraldic lions and have elements of other animals including horses and dogs. The panel is painted using glass pigment (grisaille), coloured enamels and silver-stain.

The panel was originally from Gisburne Park in Lancashire, then owned by Thomas Lister. Once a grade 1 listed home, the house is now run as a hospital and the large estate is enjoyed as a country park, an equestrian facility and as a holiday destination.

Originally situated in a sash window in the lobby of Gisburne Park, alongside several others in our collection, it was then framed together possibly arranged by William Peckitt. The sash window included a mixture of secular and biblical scenes and were probably acquired during a Grand Tour. William Peckitt was the most significant glass painter of his time, and was known across the country for his skilled enamel painting

07/08/2024

Thank you to all 130+ people who came along to our drop in craft morning today - we loved seeing all your brilliant ‘At the Seaside’ themed roundels which must look beautiful hanging in your windows!

Thank you also to everyone who has designed a nature themed window for Cyril the Squirrel! Many of you have chosen to add your design to Cyril’s gallery which is making the museum extra colourful this summer! 🐿️

Remember you can join us next week for our next drop in session on Wednesday 14 August for Summer at The Stained Glass Museum: Amazing Animals Drop In Craft Morning from 10-12

Address

Ely Cathedral
Ely
CB74DL

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm

Website

https://stainedglassmuseum.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Stained Glass Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to The Stained Glass Museum:

Videos

Children's Workshops at The Stained Glass Museum

This summer, we've enjoyed some fantastic children's glass fusing workshops with Louise from Little Bean Glass here at The Stained Glass Museum! At the workshops, the children have begun by learning about the principles and theory of glass cutting, fusing and firing. After this they learnt how to cut the glass themselves! Using a variety of clear and coloured glass, including fritt, confetti, stringers and noodles, they have each made their own piece to take home. We've loved seeing each of your fantastic designs, and seeing you learn new skills too! Make sure you're following our page, and sign up for our mailing list online (https://bit.ly/3yKv4Oz) to be the first to hear about our next workshops during the school holidays.

Stained Glass Techniques: The Cutline

Have you thought about how stained glass artists cut their glass into the right size? How do they translate the cartoons we talked about last week into the final window? They use cutlines! Cutlines play an important role in making stained glass windows. But what are the differences between design, cartoon and cutline and why artists need so many preparatory documents in advance? Find out more from todays video and get to know more about the unique process of making a stained glass window. Check our website https://bit.ly/4bXJx7u and search ‘cutline’ to find more pieces from our collection

Stained Glass Techniques: The Cartoon

Following on from our video last week at The Stained Glass Museum on stained glass designs, this week we're discussing cartoons! But do you know what a cartoon is? Unlike cartoons from your childhood, a cartoon is an important step in the creation of a stained glass window. Find out more about the size of these cartoons and also how medieval artists made their cartoons in our new video! Explore the different steps involved and and learn more about how cartoons are made. Make sure you’re following our page as we share more about the different preparatory designs, cartoons and cutlines needed to create a stained glass window Don’t forget to visit our website and search ‘cartoon’ to find more pieces from our collection here: https://bit.ly/4bXJx7u

Thank you to all 130+ people who came along to our drop in craft morning today - we loved seeing all your brilliant ‘At the Seaside’ themed roundels which must look beautiful hanging in your windows! Thank you also to everyone who has designed a nature themed window for Cyril the Squirrel! Many of you have chosen to add your design to Cyril’s gallery which is making the museum extra colourful this summer! 🐿️ Remember you can join us next week for our next drop in session on Wednesday 14 August for Summer at The Stained Glass Museum: Amazing Animals Drop In Craft Morning from 10-12

Stained Glass Techniques: Creating a Design

How is a stained glass window made? You need to start with a design! Making a design is the artists first step in creating a stained glass window. Check this video and learn more about the process of making a design. You’ll also have a chance to see some rarely seen examples from our collection here at The Stained Glass Museum. Make sure you’re following our page over the coming weeks as we share more about the next steps including cartoons and cutlines from the collection. Why not visit our website and search ‘design’ to find more pieces from our collection: https://bit.ly/4bXJx7u

Day 1 of our two day Stained glass workshop with Claire Hart and Tracey Chamberlain is underway!

Although there is no access to Ely Cathedral today due to services taking place, you can visit The Stained Glass Museum as normal! We'll be open until 5pm today and remember that, alongside exploring our beautiful collection of glass spanning over 800 years of history, you can also enjoy seeing various architectural elements of the Cathedral too. On your visit, download our FREE digital guide on Bloomberg Connects to take our self-guided 'Ely Cathedral as seen from The Stained Glass Museum' tour. From beautifully painted ceilings to stone grotesques, wonky columns and windmills - there's lots to explore and learn on this free tour! You can find out about our digital guide and download it via our website here: https://bit.ly/3xZYs2P

Yesterday we enjoyed our third and final day of The Stained Glass Museum study tour to Dublin & what a fantastic few days we’ve had! From the magic of Harry Clarke and the colour of Evie Hone, we’ve also enjoyed seeing lots of Michael Healy and glass from the Earley Studios and many artists working at An Tur Gloine. We’ve also been so fortunate to see so many fantastic buildings, churches and collections on our trip, many of which are not typically open to the public. A huge thank you to @stainedglassstephen and @irishstainedglass who co-organised this trip for us, and the fantastic guides who have joined us along the way to share their knowledge, including world experts, artists and descendants of the artists themselves. #StainedGlassMuseum #StainedGlass #Dublin

We began day 2 of The Stained Glass Museum Dublin study tour at National Gallery of Ireland to see their fantastic An Tur Gloine exhibition, print room & their beautiful stained glass gallery. Did you know that the Ireland window, Mother of Sorrows, is from the same Glasgow convent as the museums Harry Clarke window? We explored Dublin on foot for much of the day, taking in beautiful glass by Harry Clarke, Wilhelmina Geddes, Michael Healy, Ethel Rhind, Phyllis Burke and many more.We were especially delighted to have George Walsh join us to talk about his glass at Sandford Church, especially after we’d seen his windows at Dublinia We also enjoyed some mystery medieval glass at the Chapel Royal and lunch surrounded by Harry Clarke’s windows at Bewleys cafe Today we begin our third & final day of the tour!#StainedGlassMuseum #StainedGlass #Dublin

We began day 2 of the @stainedglassmuseum Dublin study tour at @nationalgalleryofireland to see their fantastic An Tur Gloine exhibition, print room & their beautiful stained glass gallery. Did you know that the Ireland window, Mother of Sorrows, is from the same Glasgow convent as the museums Harry Clarke window? We explored Dublin on foot for much of the day, taking in beautiful glass by Harry Clarke, Wilhelmina Geddes, Michael Healy, Ethel Rhind, Phyllis Burke and many more. We were especially delighted to have George Walsh join us to talk about his glass at Sandford Church, especially after we’d seen his windows at @dubliniaviking We also enjoyed some mystery medieval glass at the Chapel Royal and lunch surrounded by Harry Clarke’s windows at @bewleysgraftonst Today we begin our third & final day of the tour! #StainedGlassMuseum #StainedGlass #Dublin

We had a fantastic first day of our Dublin Study Tour yesterday & are looking forward to day 2! A big thank you to each of our excellent guides and to all the churches and schools who opened their doors for us! We enjoyed seeing excellent glass by Harry Clarke, Evie Hone, Michael Healy and much much more - see our stories or the ‘Dublin 2024’ highlight on our page for more details #StainedGlass #StainedGlassMuseum #Dublin

Have you been to see The Glass Heart exhibition at Two Temple Place yet? Open until the 21st April, this exhibition plots key moments through the UK’s glassmaking history. Through 170 years of glassmaking, it investigates the artistry, ingenuity and innovation needed to work with this challenging material. It examines how glass-making skills in the UK have evolved to contain and express stories, from historic marvels to contemporary works finding new relevance today. Earlier this year, The Stained Glass Museum was delighted to loan several pieces to the exhibition, largely from our stored collection, so are rarely seen by the public. This beautiful, FREE exhibiton brings together, for the first time, many rarely seen works from a number of other key UK collections & is absolutely worth a visit! There is also a fantastic range of events to enjoy at Two Temple Place, from stained glass walking tours to Curator led tours of the gallery. There's even a tour by the museums Curator, Jasmine Allen on the evening of Tuesday 19 March - do check it out here & book: https://twotempleplace.org/events/live-stained-glass-exhibition-tour/

Time to get planning your windows forWindow Wanderland Ely taking place 3-5 November! Watch our video to find out more and for top tips! Don't forget to register your windows here https://www.windowwanderland.com/event/ely-cambs-2023/ - this means your window will appear on the map for people to discover on their trail. #windowwanderlandely #windowwanderland #windowwander #Ely

Whether you want to learn about STEM or art, history or PHSE, a bespoke visit to The Stained Glass Museum for your glass or group can be perfectly tailored to the needs & interests of your class! Suitable for all sorts of groups, from early years to sixth form, schools, home-schoolers & after-school groups and clubs are all welcome! Find out more about the types of things you can do & learn about at the museum on our website here: https://stainedglassmuseum.com/learning or contact David, our learning manager at [ [email protected] ] Thank you to 20TwentyProductions CIC for creating this fantastic video of your recent visit to the museum with us!

Some news about our new free museum trails from our Learning Manager, David. Looking forward to seeing families and young people this summer at the museum!

Have you visited The Stained Glass Museum since we reopened following the Covid lockdown? Director and Curator of The Stained Glass Museum, Dr Jasmine Allen, says hello from our beautiful gallery, filled with over 130 stained glass examples from the medieval to the modern! Our collection of stained glass comes from all over the world and from a range of religious and secular buildings! Located in the South Triforium of Ely Cathedral, this unique space is not to be missed on your visit to Ely We're open Tuesday-Saturday, 10-3:30 & you can find out more on our website here: https://stainedglassmuseum.com Thank you to the museums Glass Painting tutor, Derek Hunt Glass Artist for filming this great video too!

This week is the annual MuseumWeek supported by UNESCO! During this week, museums, galleries, archives & many more share parts of their collection based on a different daily theme! Follow along this week as your favourite museums & galleries join in! Today’s theme is #BehindTheScenesMW This #BehindTheScenesMW video is from our recent glass painting workshop with Derek Hunt Glass Artist - you can see the wonderful pieces made during the workshop which the attendees can take home to proudly display! To find out more about our workshops, visit our website at https://stainedglassmuseum.com/Workshops

Tinker Tailor and other Tales in Stained Glass - upcoming webinar 9 Dec!

Join The Stained Glass Museum on Wednesday 9th December, 7pm (UK) for our webinar with artist Stained Glass by Rachel Mulligan Tinker Tailor and Other Tales in Stained Glass - Webinar with Rachel Mulligan will explore Mulligan's narrative themes in stained glass including her recent series which documents our living history during the current coronavirus pandemic. Tickets are available via eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/127988263341 for just £5+ small booking fee or a FREE for Friends of the museum!

Pictures of Violence

From confederate flags to slaves picking cotton, racist imagery is rife in stained glass and not only in the USA. In the UK, windows in hundreds of churches and other status buildings contain racist stereotypes and perpetuate racist hierarchies. These are part of our imperialist history which has contributed to the racism of our present day society. We must learn to interpret, explain and challenge such depictions which represent a false one-sided political ideology and narrative. Even more importantly we should work to ensure that we break away from entrenched racism in our art and in our churches. One artist that has produced art the challenges these relationships is the American artist Kehinde Wiley & we would love to have one of his panels in our collection in the future. Given the recent abhorrent scenes we have all witnessed on the news, or in person, which have once again shone the light on the injustices faced by so many, we welcome Association of Independent Museums statement, viewable here: https://www.aim-museums.co.uk/heritage-sector-organisations-issue-joint-statement-intent/. It is also a time for us, as an organisation, to reflect and act on ways in which we can make our collection more representative, and include stained glass artists of all backgrounds and cultures. We also wanted to share this panel, which is particularly poignant currently and one that always sparks conversation in our gallery. Made by the artist Rosalind Grimshaw in 1980, the panel depicts different representations of violence inspired by a number of 20th century events. In this complex composition, which uses a variety of stained glass techniques, pieces of glass have been etched with acid, stained, plated and leaded to juxtapose different textures and tones. The imagery reflects a number of stories that the viewer can contemplate individually or as a combined statement on the theme of violence. The artist trained in the stained glass studio of Joseph Bell and Son in

The Dawning of the Last Day

Shortcuts

Our Story

The Stained Glass Museum was founded in 1972 as a project to rescue windows from redundant churches. After being offered space by the Dean & Chapter of Ely Cathedral, the Museum was opened to the public in the north triforium of Ely Cathedral in 1979. In 1997 an anniversary Appeal was set up to relocate the Museum to the south triforium of Ely Cathedral. The Stained Glass Museum is the only museum in the UK dedicated to displaying and interpreting the art of stained glass to the public, and one of a handful of such museums in the world. Our collection spans an enormous chronological range, showing the development of stained glass from the early-thirteenth to the twenty-first century. The Museum also has a growing collection of tools, and stained glass designs and cartoons related to the design and making of stained glass windows. A specialist library is available to researchers by appointment.

As part of its mission to inspire, educate and encourage interest in the unique art of stained glass, the museum has a diverse programme of events, including talks and tours, as well as specialist workshops for all ages.

www.stainedglassmuseum.com