Glasmuseum Rheinbach

The Glasmuseum Rheinbach stands in the Himmeroder Hof, a former farmyard of the Himmerod Abbey. The main building is a half-timbered structure from the early 18th century. The museum moved into the restored complex in 1989 after the city converted it into a cultural centre. The Himmeroder Hof now houses not only the glass museum but also a council chamber used by Rheinbach’s local government. The museum workshop allows visitors to watch craftsmen shape molten glass into finished pieces. The collection focuses on north-Bohemian hollow glass from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It includes baroque cut glass, Biedermeier colour and engraving glass, friendship beakers, Historicist goblets and 19th-century souvenir glass. Modern studio glass shows how artists experiment with the material today. The museum also displays Rheinbach’s own glassmaking tradition, often recreating historical designs. Works from the local glass school appear alongside pieces by separate designers and makers. Inside, the largest room doubles as an exhibition hall and council chamber. Smaller galleries hold glass from different eras and styles. Outside, the Himmeroder Wall still marks the old boundary of the abbey’s lands. The museum’s displays trace the craft from baroque tableware to contemporary sculpture. Visitors leave with an idea of how glass shaped Rheinbach’s history and continues to inspire artists.