Glass-making is an ancient tradition, which Venice took hold of sincei ts early days; however, it was in the 15th century, with the opening up of commercial routes to the East and to West Indies, that Murano glass objects became expensive, rare and coveted everywhere. Initially, Venetian glass pearls were what put Murano glass on the map, and were so treasured that they quired the function of coins in the Middle-east. From then on, Murano glass was one of the greatest sources of income of Venice’s wealth, which allowed it to dominate the trade routes for over three centuries. Unsurprisingly, the secret techniques of venetian glass-making are to this day kept completely secret; however, you can learn a great deal with live demonstrations by a mastro vetraio in various glass laboratories in Murano, and especially here at the Museo del Vetro, a museum on the history and evolution of Venetian glass-making, told through a unique selection of beautiful pieces of any shape, colour and size.
