International Centre for Glass Art

" Look down from the mezzanine and admire the glass blowers in action during a behind-the-scenes immersion in glassmaking. Also discover temporary exhibitions and a gift shop with glass objects "Made in Meisenthal". "

The Meisenthal glassworks was founded in 1704. It produces several million pieces of cheap glassware. Between 1867 and 1894, it served as a laboratory for Émile GALLÉ, leader of the Nancy School, who carried out technical and artistic research, giving Meisenthal the status of "cradle of Art Nouveau glass". The production unit survived the world wars but did not choose to modernise its production facilities and was run aground at the dawn of the 1970s. The factory, which had up to 650 employees, closed its doors in 1969.

After the conversion of the former glassworks site, which began with the creation of the Musée du Verre de Meisenthal in 1978, the Centre International d'Art Verrier (CIAV) was created in 1992 in the former glassworks workshop. Its aim is to preserve the technical memory of its territory, to ensure its continuity and to reintegrate traditional glass production into its time. It thus brings together the worlds of craft production and industry, contemporary creation and traditional know-how, with the aim of initiating new cultural, economic and tourist dynamics around the glass professions.

The site of the former Meisenthal glassworks (1711-1969) is the privileged witness of a second wind and the marriage between memory and modernity. After many stages of conversion, this industrial site now offers visitors the magic of a heritage enriched by the vision of contemporary creators and a demanding cultural and tourist programme.

Attended by more than 60,000 users per year, the Meisenthal Glassworks Site is run by three partner structures (Glass Museum, International Glass Art Centre and Glass Hall) which combine heritage and contemporary creative disciplines (design, contemporary art, contemporary music, street theatre...).

The Glass Museum transmits to visitors the testimony of the local glassmaking memory. The audio-visual projection is complemented by a guided tour of the "salle des techniques" and the sumptuous collection of Art Nouveau glass (including exceptional pieces by Émile GALLÉ).

The CIAV is a workshop that works to safeguard traditional glassmaking skills and contemporary creation. It offers the spectacle of the ballet of the glassblowers who comment on their work. Discover also temporary exhibitions and the shop offering glass objects "Made in Meisenthal".

The Halle Verrière is a 3,200 m² industrial cathedral, renovated in 2005. It offers exhibitions of contemporary artists, contemporary music concerts and street theatre festivals.