Museo del Vetro

Murano has displayed its glass-making prowess at the Museo del Vetro since 1861. Downstairs, 3rd-century iridescent Roman glass is featured alongside Maria Grazia Rosin’s 1992 postmodern detergent jug in impeccably blown glass. Upstairs, technical explanations detail the process for making murrine, the technique used in making Venetian trade beads. The section on glass mosaics explains the mineral sources and chemical reactions that produce specific colours, and by way of example, shows miniature portraits in glass that are outsized masterworks of technique. To the left is the frescoed Salone Maggiore (Grand Salon), with displays ranging from 17th-century winged goblets to Carlo Scarpa’s 1930 octopus. The museum building itself is a noteworthy 15th-century mansion with a peaceful garden. It served as the seat of the Torcello bishopric from 1659 until its dissolution in the early 19th century, when it briefly became Murano’s town hall.