Two weeks ago when I was in Shanghai, a rainy afternoon provided me with an opportunity to visit a unique museum quite unlike anything you would expect to find in China’s capital of commerce. Built in a re-purposed factory in the little-known Baoshan District, Shanghai Museum of Glass (SHMOG – 上海玻璃美术馆) was opened in the spring of 2011 and is based on the theme of glass as both art and science.
![Museum Entrance](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408007752_82a5bef091_b.jpg)
The striking façade of the museum is made up of hundreds of enamelled glass tiles inscribed with glass-industry terms in ten languages. Imported from Germany, the tiles light up at night to create an extraordinary pattern.
![Museum Interior](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7407997588_dca25d33db_b.jpg)
Internally the former glass bottling factory consists of two buildings joined by a glass atrium with the lower floor being dedicated to the history and usage of glass, and the upper a stunning exhibition space. The structure of the original building has been preserved, providing hints of its previous life.
![Glasshouse Exterior](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408000618_7e3c582a17_b.jpg)
Much of the interior is covered in black lacquered glass with another brightly lit ‘glass house’ suspended in the centre.
![Glass Bottle Walls](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7407999600_830472b3fe_b.jpg)
Inside the walls are lined with shelves packed with mirrored glass bottles which reflect light off their cylindrical surfaces in every direction.
![Glass Exhibition](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408001680_7da550ac78_b.jpg)
The various permanent exhibition pieces are all interesting in their own right, each demonstrating a unique style and technique of construction.
![Glass Aperture](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408002538_53a73e5077_b.jpg)
I particularly liked those pieces which utilised glass in its raw form without any fancy adornments – simple, minimal, and truthful.
![Glass Cube](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408005398_180978593c_b.jpg)
My favourite piece was this polished glass cube with sculpted cutaways and a dye-like blue pigmentation. How it was made I have no idea.
![Glass Mould](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408004542_e8f8f853b1_b.jpg)
It struck me that the museum had far more of international quality than you would normally find in China – a good sign of things to come.
![Live Glass Blowing Workshop](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7407995478_6dffa1f344_b.jpg)
In a workshop nearby the main building the museum also runs ‘hot glass performances’ where visitors get a chance to see glass objects being made in front of them.
![Glass Jewellery Workshop](https://randomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/flickr_backup/7408006798_364208fe88_b.jpg)
The museum is supposed the be the centrepiece of a planned glass, art, research and technology park to be branded ‘G+ Park’ (likely named before Google’s social network!). The trip to Shanghai’s outskirts to visit the museum is well worth the visit.
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