San Francisco Ceramic Circle
SFCC PROGRAM	Museums with Major Collections of Ceramics	HOME
This list of Museums with major ceramic collections was prepared for the SFCC 2008 seminar. Each museum has been visited and recommended by one or more SFCC members. Updated 12/7/2010 (Added S. Korea and Thailand)

PLEASE NOTE

EUROPE : Austria : Czech Republic : Denmark : France : Germany : Hungary : Italy : The Netherlands : Poland : Russia : Sweden : Switzerland : United Kingdom : NORTH AMERICA : Canada : U.S.A : ASIA : China : Japan : South Korea :Taiwan : Thailand : OTHER COUNTRIES : Australia

EUROPE

Austria

Osterreichischen Museum fur Angwandte Kunst
Vienna
The mother-lode for Du Paquier and later Vienna porcelain

Czech Republic

Museum of Decorative Arts
Prague ; web site

Denmark

David Collection,
Kronprinsessegade, Copenhagen, K, 30DK-1306 ; web site
A most important collection of decorative arts - silver, furniture, ceramics ... closed until May 2009 for remodeling.

The National Museum of Denmark
Ny Vestergade 10, Copenhagen. : web site
The modern (1660 - 2000 ) Danish history floor has period displays... many with ceramics being used in context.

KUNST INDUSTRI MUSEET
Copenhagen K, Bredgade 68, 1260 ; website
Study collection of over 3000 European faience and porcelain objects from over 120 manufactories. Also Asian ceramics
On line catalog of ceramics contained in the study collection. ( Note: select "in English" at top of page. It is easiest to use the advanced search and select the manufactory from the pull down menu. )

Royal Danish Collections Rosenborg Castle and Amalienborg Palace
web site
At Rosenborg castle two small rooms of porcelain give an excellent display of important ceramics in the collection of the Danish Royal family. There are many pieces from the Flora Danica service (Copenhagen porcelain and originally intended as a gift to Catherine the Great of Russia) together with gifts of Meissen (including red stoneware) and Sevres. The collection also has Chinese and Japanese ceramics. Note: Rosenborg Palace has just received extensive restoration and re-installation of the collections of furniture paintings and decorative arts. There are outstanding collections of ivories and silver and the royal jewels are on display.

RETURN TO TOP

France

Many regional museums close in fall-winter. Check for open and closed days and times and free entry, often on Sunday. Museums of porcelain and faience in France cover the history of ceramics through the end of the 18th C. Includes Islamic, Hispano-Moresque, Chinese, Italian maiolica, Delft, and Meissen. All centers of French faience. Soft and hard paste porcelain represented, especially Sevres porcelain and influences on their designs.

Faienceries HB et Henriot
Allee de Locmaria, QUIMPER:(Finisterre, Brittany) 98) 90 09 36. Cl. Sat, Sun, holidays.
Two floors of display of Quimper wares over 3 centuries.

Guimet Museum
6, place d'Iéna, 75116 Paris ; web site
Collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelains.

LOUVRE MUSEUM. Note: "Atlas" requires French spelling of objects e.g. Porcelaine
Musée du Louvre, 75058 Paris Cedex 01, web site
In addition to major painting and sculptures and objects of art, houses European pottery and porcelain, antique and Islamic earthenware collections, including lustreware and faience from Middle East, Mediterranean and Egypt.

Musee des Arts Decoratifs
PARIS, 107, rue de Rivoli, Tel (1) 260 32 14. Closed Tuesday. ; web site
General large collection of tapestries and furniture and all types of decorative artifacts, including faience, porcelain, and soft paste in the galleries dedicated to the reigns of Louis XIV through Louis XVI . Paintings and sculptures appropriate to the periods.

MUSEE D'ORSAY. Note: Search requires French spelling of objects e.g. Porcelaine
Paris, Place de Bellechasse. web site
Collections of 19th and 20th C arts and crafts associated with Arts nouveau and Art Deco periods.

Musee National de Ceramique
Sevres, Place de la manufacture, 92310 SàVRES, (over the bridge from Paris) ; web site
Fabulous large collection on display with many more objects in storage.

Nissim de Camondo Museum
Paris,63 Rue de Monceau, 75008 ; web site
Decorative Arts with ceramics in 18th C house setting.

Musée des Tissus et des Arts décoratifs de Lyon
LYON:3032, Rue de la Charité, Lyon 2e, Tel: (7) 837 10 05. web site
Great collections of 15th-16th C faience and Italian Renaisance maiolica. One of original centers of French faience in 17th C.
Closed Mondays. (May be closed for restoration now, not appearing on the web for tourism.)

Musee Comtadin
CARPENTRAS (VAUCLUSE) 234, Blvd Albin-Durand. Closed on Weds.open from April through September. Closed for lunch.
Second room has collection of Pharmacy pots, faiences de Moustiers and Marseille..

Musee de la Faience.(Near La Poste)
MOUSTIERS STE-MARIE (Alpes de Haute Provence) Exposition of faiences of Moustiers by manufactory (atelier) historical up to contemporary works. Video on view. A must for all visistors to the village who expect to make purchases.

Musee d'Art et Histoire de Provence
GRASSE: (Alpes Maritimes) 2, rue Mirabeau, Tel (93) 36 01 61. web site
Rich historic and ethnographic collections of Provence including extensive collection of faience, principally of Moustiers.

Musee Cantini
MARSEILLE:19, rue de Grignan, tel (91)54 77 75.
Collection of 500 pieces of faience from Marseille and general region, including Moustiers, from 17th and 18th C.

Musee Bibliographique et Archeologique Paul- Arbaud
AIX EN PROVENCE (Bouches due Rhone) 2, rue de 4-Septembre,Tel. (42)38 38 95 closed Sundays.
Museum in a large private home of 1730 with collections of writer Paul Arbaud, especially good in all provencal faiences and also local painters (other than Cezanne who has his own museum.)

Musee National Adrien-Dubouche
8bis, place Winston Churchill, 87000 Limoges web site
Largest and most complete history and display after Sevres Museum. Foreign examples of earthenware and porcelain from China, Middle East, Italy, Spain, England, Germany and all French faience and porcelain centers. Display of fabrication technique, including hard and soft paste porcelains.

Musee Municipal
NEVERS( Nievre) 16, rue Saint-Genest, Tel: (86)57 37 86, cl. Tues
Installed in an early 20th C. mansion, once part of an abbey. Superb collection of Nevers faience and its development from the Italian influence of Della Robbia.

Musee de la Ceramique Hotel d'Hocqueville
Musée de la Céramique, Rouen, 1 rue Faucon, 76000 Rouen. web site
Collection of 750 pieces of faience from the 16th and 17th C in the famous Rouen style and additional examples inspired by Rouen in Moustiers, Sinceny, Nidervller, Marseille, Sceaux, Le Have, Paris and Chantilly. Also Ceramics from Asia Minor, Rhodes, China and Japan from the 17th and 18th C.

RETURN TO TOP

Germany

Germanische Nationalmuseum
Nürnberg (Nuremburg)

Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, web site
Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Prinzregentenstraße 3 , D-80538 München
Porcelain and faience galleries are on the upper floor. Has the only complete set of the Nymphenburg Bustelli Commedia figures

Schloss Nymphenburg, Marstall Museum, web site
Schloss Nymphenburg, Munich
Houses the Bauml collection of Nymphenburg porcelain, the most extensive in the world from the beginning of production to modern times

Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin Web site
Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten Berlin-Brandenburg,14414 Potsdam, Postfach 60 14 62
In the palace garden is the Belvedere museum which has an extraordinary collection of Berlin porcelain from the Wegely and Gotzkowky periods.

Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum,
Museumstraße 1, D-38100 Braunschweig : web site
Extensive collections of Furstenberg porcelain, Italian maiolica and some important early Meissen.

Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
Steintorplatz, 20099 Hamburg : web site
Fabulous collection of German porcelain, newly re-installed; also, the Hoffmeister Meissen plate collection is now installed there and one third of the Blohm Collection of German and European figure groups. Also has an excellent selection of German, Dutch and Northern European tin glazed ceramics ( very little Italian )

Museum fur Angewandtekunst. Frankfurt
Schaumainkai 17, Frankfurt am Main : web site

Museum fur Kunsthandwerk (Grassimuseum)
Leipzig

Kunstgewerbemuseum, Berlin
Matthäikirchplatz 1. 10785 Berlin : web site
A fabulous collection; Right across the large plaza from the picture museum.

Kunstgewerbemuseum der Stadt Koln
Cologne

Reiss-Englehorn-Museum der Stadt web site
Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen,Museum Weltkulturen D5 *,68159 Mannheim

Residenz Museum, web site Go to Ahnengalerie for the porcelain cabinet
Verwaltung der Residenz München, Residenzstraße 1, 80333 München
Good 18th century meissen and other german porcelains on display

Schloss Favorite, Rastatt
Schloss Favorite, Am Schloss Favorite 5, 76437 Rastatt-Förch : web site
Schloss Favorite bei Rastatt: an incredible repository of Meissen porcelain in a glorious palace; all pieces acquired almost three-hundred years ago when new !

Furstenberg Works Museum,
Meinbrexener Straße 2, 37699 Fürstenberg/Weser : web site
The museum is devoted solely to Furstenberg pocelain. It has examples of their products from 1750's through modern times including a complete reconstruction of a roccoco table setting. Occasional special exhibits.

Focke Museum, Bremen,
Schwachhauser Heerstrasse 240, Bremen 28213 : web site
Extensive collection mainly of German porcelain and Faience. Also delft and some English creamware decorated with representations of ships from Bremen. Ceramics are located in large cases in the 3 story reference block. Descriptions are available on computer stations by inputting object numbers.

Kestner Museum, Hannover,
Museum August Kestner, Trammplatz  3, Stadtteil: Mitte, 30159  Hannover : web site
Nice collection of German porcelains housed in display cases in the café area of the museum. Examples of Meissen, Furstenberg, Frankenthal, Ludwigsburg etc. There is a very interesting collection of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean pottery from 3000 BC to early Christian times and also modern design ceramics..

Huelsmann Museum, Bielefeld, the Schneider collection
Museum Huelsmann. Ravensberger Park 3, D 33607, Bielefeld : web site
A small jewel of a museum, The top floor is mainly devoted to ceramics with good examples of Meissen, Berlin, Nymphenburg, Furstenberg, Ludwigsburg and Frankenthal. Also good selection of late 18th and early 19th C presentation cups and saucers from various factories. The museum also has an important collection of silver and scientific instruments.

LWL-Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Münster
Domplatz 10, 48143 Münster : web site
Good collections of Meissen anf Furstenberg porcelains and other manufactories. Museum also has furniture, paintings and other objects

Kulturgeschichtliches Museum, Osnabrück
Lotter Str. 2, 49078 Osnabrück : web site
Has many good examples of Furstenberg porcelain but no other ceramics of note on display.

Schlossmuseum (Schloss Friedenstein),
Gotha
Superb collection of Bottger stoneware (acquired when new); also Gotha porcelain.

Schlossmuseum,
Arnstadt:
Highly important early Meissen.

Schloss Belvedere
Weimar

STAATLICHES KUNSTSAMMLUNG, PORZELLANSAMMLUNG,
Semperbau am Zwinger, Theaterplatz 1 , 01067 Dresden: web site Porcelain collection web site
Still the mother-lode for Meissen; the Meissen acquired by Augustus the Strong and his son directly from their manufactory; also a great collection of Japanese and Chinese porcelain.

Staatliches Museum, ( Schlossmuseum Schwerin )
Lennéstr.1 · 19053 Schwerin. : web site
There are over 3500 ceramic objects in the collection with probably over half on display in galleries on the top floor. Many were acquired over the years by the Mecklenburgs and range from early Meissen stonewares through most 18th C. German manufactories to more modern pieces. There is a reasonable representation of pieces from the less familiar Thuringian manufactories and some pieces from other countries. Note: the Castle Museum is one of a complex of Museums in the Schwerin vicinity.

Hungary

Decorative Arts Museum
Budapest :
Best things may still be locked up

RETURN TO TOP

Italy

In Italy many cities have museums of Etruscan wares e.g. Volterra, Florence, Cortona, Rome (Villa Giulia). Cities which were ceramic centers often include maiolica in their national museums e.g. Gubbio, Montelupo, Siena,. Ravenna.,or in their Palazzi, displayed as period furnishings. Before buying at the local shops, especially antiques, it is wise to visit museums first.

The Duca di Martina Museum
Naples, Villa Floridiana, web site
An incredible across-the-board collection of Asian and Continental porcelain (no English).

Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Nani, Mocenigo

Il Museo Correale di Terranova, web site
Via Correale, 50 - 80067 Sorrento (NA)
Wonderful collection of ceramics on the third floor. Italian Capodimonte, Doccia and Naples: German Meissen Frankenthal, Furstenberg etc and some Vienna and Swiss ceramics.

Museo Archeologico
Montelupo
Includes antique shards and artifacts plus examples of maiolica from local workshops which were sold as Florentine.

Museo di Arti Decorative,
Turin

Museo Civico d'Arte Antica di Torino
Turin

Museo di Doccia. web site
Florence, Sesto Fiorentino,
Superb collection of Doccia ( Ginori ) porcelain from the factory founding through modern times. One room is devoted to the 20th C. work of Gio Ponti for the factory

Museo del Bargello
Florence, Palazzo del Podesta, Via del Proconsolo 4, Florence. Cl.Mon.
Amidst all the fine sculptures are two rooms of jewelry and majolica, the major display of Northern Italian earthenware in Florence.

Museo Civico
Bassano del Grappa

Museo Nazionale Atestino
Este

Museo Stibbert
Florence, via Frederick Stibbert 26 , 50134 Firenze : web site
Varied collection of Italian, Meissen, English French and Chinese export porcelains. The Museum has three of the large early Doccia mythological figure groups that alone make a visit a "must do" in Florence. The Museum has some outstanding Victorian tiling in the interior and houses an excellent collection of arms and armour.

Museo Teatrale dell Scala
Milano, Castello Sforzesco

Museo di Capodimonte
Napoli

Museo delle Ceramiche
Faenza, Viale Baccarini Tel: (0546) 21240, Cl. Mon.
First floor history of ceramics in Faenza and works from other Italian centers, including Venice Urbino, Gubbio, Caffaggiolo, etc. Both earthenware and porcelain (Ginori, Capo di Monte). Includes Eastern, African and American ceramics. Also later works up through 20th C,

Museo Filangieri
Napoli

Musei Capitolini
Roma

Museo Civico Correr
Venice, 'Ca Rezzenico

Societa Ceramica Italiana
Milano, Sede Centrale, Via Goldoni 10, Italia 20129

Villa Caquola
Varese, La Gazzada

RETURN TO TOP

The Netherlands

The Groninger Museum
Groningen, The Netherlands

Museum Princessehof
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, Hobbemastraat 20, 1071 ZC Netherlands : web site
Extensive collection of Dutch, Meissen, Asian and other ceramics - now closed for extensive remodelling. Reopening 2010.

Poland

Museum Czartoryskich
Krakow

Museum Narodowe w Warszawie. web site Note: Slow to load.. be patient. English summary available.
Warsaw

Russia

THE STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM, web site
Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya, 34, 190000 St Petersburg, Russia. Note: The museum of the Imperial Porcelain Factory can be accessed from the Hermitage web site.

Sweden

Nationalmuseum
Stockholm, Sdra Blasieholmshamnen, 11148, Sweden : web site
Good collection
Limited on line catalog... helps if you understand Swedish

Switzerland

Musée Ariana
Musée suisse de la c©ramique et du verre
Geneve, Avenue de la Paix 10, 1202 Switzerland : web site
Extensive collection of Swiss and European ceramics.

Haus zum Kirschgarten (Basel History Museum)
Basel, Elisabethenstrasse 27-29, Switzerland : web site
the Pauls-Eisenbeiss Foundations porcelain collection.

Swiss National Museum
Zurich, Museumstrasse 2, 8021, Switzerland : web site
Fayence stoves, tiles and wares.

Zunfthaus zur Meisen
Zurich, Münsterhof 20, 8001, Switzerland : web site
Largest collection of Zurich porcelain.
Porcelain and Faience Exhibition.

RETURN TO TOP

United Kindom

The South

Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum
Salisbury, 65 The Close, SP1, UK: web site
Collection of English pottery and porcelain (including a plate from the Wedgwood Frog service ). Limited highlights in web catalog

BRIGHTON MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY
Brighton, 4-5 Pavilion Buildings, , BN1 1EE, UK : web site
Has the fascinating Willett Collection of Popular Pottery formed in the late Victorian era. Complete web catalog.

Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery
Bristol, Queen's Road, , BS8 1RL : web site

Greater London Area

MUSEUM OF LONDON
London, London Wall, EC2Y 5HN, England : web site
Extensive ceramics collection from neolithic to modern times. Strong on London porcelain manufactories. Full web catalog.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM
London, Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG : web site Now has a useful selection of ceramic object images available.
Extensive collection of important ceramic objects from all cultures and all periods: Antique, Middle Eastern, Islamic, Asian, European and English. Among these is the recently installed Sir Percival David collection of Chinese Ceramics in Gallery #95 ( Besides the objects on display there are more in storage - seen by appointment only).

Clandon Park:
Guildford, Surrey,West Clandon, GU4 7RQ, England : web site
Large collection of 18th C. English, German and French ( Sevres ) porcelain. Strong on figure groups ( many Meissen Commedia dell Arte groups ) Some in cabinets that allow relatively close inspection of details.

Fenton House:
London, Windmill Hill, Hampstead, NW3 6RT. England : web site
Moderate size collection of 18th C. English porcelain ( strong on Bristol and Plymouth ).

THE WALLACE COLLECTION
London, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN: web site
Very fine collection of 18th C Sevres porcelain ( also French Art and Decorative Art. Large collection of arms and armour ). Good on line catalog. Go to Explore the collection>advanced search and select appropriate options e.g. ceramics

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
London Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL : web site Note: Now has an extensive web catalog
Superb collection of ceramics from all cultures and periods. Ceramics in period galleries are on view, The re- installed porcelain galleries have over 3000 prime objects displayed and another 26,000 veiwable in the study collections.

The Sir Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art
Now installed in the British Museum.( Chinese Ceramics Gallery #95 ground floor ) London, England
Superb collection of Chinese ceramics.

Waddesdon Manor ( The Rothschild Collection )
Waddesdon, near Aylesbury , Buckinghamshire HP18 0JH : web site
Fine Sevres and Meissen ( together with other decorative Art and paintings ) Some ceramics are well displayed but may objects are in room settings where it is impossible to get close enough to study them.

The East

THE FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM
Cambridge, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RB : web site
Extensive collection: All ages and sources: pottery and porcelain.
On line catalog: Requires ID and password

Cecil Higgins Museum and Art Gallery
Bedford, Castle lane,
Closed until 2009 for major renovation : web site
Good sampling of collection in on line catalog of the English and continental ceramic collection.

Norwich Castle Museum
Norwich, Norfolk, Castle Meadow, NR1 3JU : web site
Excellent collection of Lowestoft porcelain and the Twinings teapot collection,

The Midlands

The Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust
Includes: Coalport China Museum and Jackfield Tile Museum
Telford, Coach Road, Coalbrookdale, UK, TF8 7DQ : web site
National Collections of Caughley and Coalport china in the old Coalport China works.

Lady Lever Art Gallery
Wirral, Port Sunlight Village, UK, CH62 5EQ : web site
Outstanding collections of Wedgwood and Chinese porcelain.

The Wedgwood Museum Trust Limited
Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, UK, ST12 9ES : web site
Reopened in spectacular new building October 2008
Great collection: Wedgwood products and history from the beginning. Also has demonstrations of ceramic manufacturing.

The Worcester Porcelain Museum
Worcester, Severn Street ,UK, WR1 2NE : web site
More than 10,000 pieces of Worcester porcelain from all periods.
Web catalog under construction. Limited number of star objects on line.

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery
Stoke-on-Trent, Glebe Street ST4 1RN, UK. : web site
The Holy Grail for English pottery ( > 5000 objects ... many in reserves ) also has ex-Minton Museum pieces. Web catalog with historic photos and documents, extensive modern art pottery collection and some 18th and19th C objects. Over 500 objects on line via museum services>theme explorer links.

Upton House & Gardens:
near Banbury, Warwickshire OX15 6HT, England : web site
Large collection of 18th C. English and French ( Sevres ) porcelain. Some in cabinets that allow relatively close veiwing of painting details.

Shugborough Hall
Milford, Near Stafford, ST17 0XB. web site
Highlight of the collection is the Admiral Anson Chinese Export dinner service ( over 200 pieces ). The collection also contains a good sampling of Meissen tea and dinner wares from the period from 1750 - 1800.

Royal Crown Derby Porcelain Museum
194 Osmaston Road, Derby, Derbyshire, DE23 8JZ. web site
Large and extensive collection of Derby porcelain figures and wares from the start of the manufactory to modern times.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery
The Strand, Derby DE1 1BS. web site
Good collection of early Derby porcelain figures and wares also other Derbyshire ceramics.

Ashmolean Museum,
Oxford, UK Beaumont Street, , OX1 2PH : web site
Great collection: Ancient, Asian, English and European: Pottery and Porcelain.
Good sampling of collection in web catalog www.potweb.ashmolean.org

Wales

National Museum Cardiff
Cardiff, Cathays Park, CF10 3NP : web site
De Winton collection of European ceramics and the Nance collection of Welsh ceramics.

The Glynn Vivian Art Gallery
Swansea, Alexandra Road, UK , SA1 5DZ : web site
Interesting collection of Welsh (particularly Swansea ) and continental ceramics,

The North East

Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens
Sunderland, Burdon Road, SR1 1PP. : web site
Collection of glass and pottery made on Wearside ( Sunderland lustre wares ),

Temple Newsam House
Leeds, Temple Newsam Road, off Selby Road, UK LS15 0AE : web site
Collection of Leeds pottery and English porcelains.

Wallington
Cambo, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 4AR England : web site
Large collection of 18th & 19thC. English porcelain and pottery also Chinese ceramics from Ming period.

The Bowes Museum
Durham, Barnard Castle, County DL12 8NP : web site
Bowes, Goldblatt and Lady Ludlow collections of English and Continental ceramics. An excellent place to see a very large range of porcelain from many factories. The Goldblatt collection has pieces from most major Continental factories. Gold Anchor period Chelsea is particularly well represented.

The North West

Walker Art Gallery
Liverpool, William Brown Street, UK, L3 8EL : web site
Liverpool pottery and Porcelain and other types also.

Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery
Cumbria, Castle Street, Carlisle, CA3 8TP : web site
Fine collection of over 800 pieces of 18th and 19th C English porcelain ( details ) donated by Robert Hardy Williamson, Limited sampling of the collection on a web catalog

RETURN TO TOP

NORTH AMERICA

Canada

George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art,
Toronto, 111 Queens Park, ON, Canada M5S 2C7 : web site
Superb extensive collection - English, Continental, Asian, Meso American & contemporary.

Royal Ontario Museum
Toronto, 100 Queen,Äôs Park, Ontario, Canada : web site
Comprehensive ceramic collection.

USA

North East

Strawbery Banke ( Note: Open May 1 through October 31 )
Portsmouth, NH 14 Hancock Street. : web site
Some ceramics including the Hawes collection.

Bennington Museum
Bennington, Vermont, 75 Main St.. : web site
Largest collection of Bennington pottery, On line catalog now de-activated was at ( ........./pottery_gallery.aspx )

The Flynt Center
Deerfield, MA, Historic Deerfield, Old Main Street. : web site
English pottery and some Chinese export.

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON
Boston, MA, 465 Huntington Avenue 02115-5523 . : web site
Superb extensive collection; English, Continental ( including Pflueger bequest) & Asian, Extensive web catalog ( go to collections>advanced search )

Peabody Essex Museum
Salem, MA, East India Square, 161 Essex Street. : web site
Largest collection of Chinese Export in the World. Also the Copeland collection of Chinese and Japanese figures.

Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute
Williamstown, Ma, 225 South Street. : web site
Some interesting ceramics among their decorative arts collection. Worth a visit if you are in the area (or interested in silver and paintings).

Rhode Island School of Design Museum,
Providence, RI, 224 Benefit Street. : web site
Lucy Truman Aldrich collection of 18th C porcelain figures also some Chinese Export.

The Wadsworth Atheneum
Hartford, CT 600 Main Street, : web site
J. Pierpoint Mogan Collection & others: Majolica, Meissen Sevres, Chinese export etc.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
New York, NY, 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, 10028-0198: : web site
One of the worlds great ceramic collections, including Asian,; much on show and much remains in storage. Excellent on line catalog.

Everson Museum of Art
Syracuse, NY, 401 Harrison Street. : web site
One of the largest holdings of modern American ceramics in the nation.

Middle Atlantic

The Newark Museum
Newark, NJ, 49 Washington Street. : web site
Art pottery and studio pottery collections, one of the most comprehensive collections of 20th-Century ceramics and New Jersey ceramics.

Winterthur Museum & Country Estate,
Winterthur, Delaware, Route 52 (5105 Kennett Pike) : web site
English, Chinese, French, and American ceramics (also on the house tours)
Has a ceramics conference annually.

WALTERS ART MUSEUM, BALTIMORE
Baltimore, MD, 600 N Charles St. : web site
Fine collection of English and French porcelain. Good on line catalog. Go to Works of Art>advanced search

Baltimore Museum of Art
10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218-3898 : web site
Varied ceramic collection. Mainly English 19th c porcelain and pottery ( including Amercan scene transferware ) also some 18th C English, European and Chinese export ceramics.

Mint Museum of Art
Charlotte, NC, 2730 Randolph Road 28207 . : web site
Delholm Collection of English and Continental ceramics.

PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA. : web site
Good general collection, English, continental ( more dutch than usual ), Isnik, Asian etc, Extensive on line catalog. Go to Collections>search collections

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum
Williamsburg, VA, 325 West Francis Street. : web site
Ticket required
general information www.colonialwilliamsburg.com

The Reeves Center & Watson Pavilion
Lexington, VA , Washington & Lee University Web site
Good collection of Chinese export now including the Howard collection of armorial porcelain cups. The catalog book with many object from the collection is viewable on the web site.

HILLWOOD MUSEUM AND GARDENS
Washington, D.C, 4155 Linnean Avenue NW. : web site
Good Sèvres colection and particularly strong on Czarist Russian Ceramics. Good on line catalog. Go to About us>art collection>advanced search. Note: This site insists on proper use of accents: use è in Sèvres or you will find no objects.

South

Birmingham Museum of Art
Birmingham, AL, 2000 Eighth Ave. N. : web site
Good collection of English porcelain and the Beeson Collection of Wedgwood. Limited on line catalog. Go to >collection search

Cummer Gallery of Art
Jacksonville, Fl, 829 Riverside Avenue, 32204. : web site
The Ralph Wark collection of Meissen.

Dixon Gallery and Gardens
Memphis, TN, 4339 Park Avenue, 38117. : web site
Warda Stevens Stout Collection ( 600+ pcs ) of 18th century German porcelain.

The Museum of Fine Arts
Houston, TX, 1001 Bissonnet Street. : web site
Considerable diverse collection spread over 3 locations
The Museum of Fine Arts , Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
Houston, TX, 1 Westcott Street
English pottery and Tucker porcelain
The Museum of Fine Arts , Rienzi
Houston, TX , 1406 Kirby Drive
English and continental porcelain.

Mid West

THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
Chicago, Illinois,111 South Michigan Avenue. : web site
Excellent collection of English, French, and German ceramics. Some superb duPaquier pieces.

INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART
Indianapolis, IN, 4000 Michigan Road. : web site
English porcelain of the 18th century, including Wedgwood, Worcester, Chelsea and Derby, including a Wedgwood Portland Vase. European porcelain, including Sevres, Meissen, Nymphenburg and Vienna. On line catalog go to Art>Collections>Search

Detroit Institute of Arts
Detroit, MI 5200 Woodward Avenue. : web site
Good collection of European ceramics including some spectacular Medici porcelain.

CHIPSTONE FOUNDATION
On line Chipstone collection. Remarkable collection of Brisih and American pottery. Excellent on-line catalog web site

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Kansas City, MO, 4525 Oak Street. : web site
European pottery and porcelain including the Burnap Collection of English Pottery.

Cincinnati Art Museum
Cincinnati, Ohio, 953 Eden Park Drive. : web site
Selection of Ceramics, Rookwood and Cincinnati Pottery Club pieces.

Cleveland Museum of Art.
Cleveland, Ohio. web site
L imited number of galleries open during renovation ( see web site for details ). A reasonably good sampling of objects is shown in their on line decorative arts catalog.

West

AMERICAN MUSEUM OF CERAMIC ART : web site
399 North Garey Ave. Pomona, CA 91766
Ceramic art and historic innovations in ceramic technology.

ASU Art Museum
Tempe, Az, Main Campus of Arizona State University. : web site
Contemporary American and European ceramics ... half of the museum's collection of 3,500 ceramic pieces always on view.

The Getty
Los Angeles, Ca, 1200 Getty Center Drive : web site
Moderate sized collection of superb early ceramics... Mainly Meissenand Sevres and some Italian.
Also Antique Greek ceramics at the Villa, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway,Pacific Palisades, California

The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Garden,
San Marino, CA, 1151 Oxford Road, 91108. : web site
Sevres, Chelsea ( very strong on vases ) and other ceramics
Some galleries under restoration .... check before visiting

LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART
Los Angeles, CA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., : web site
English, European, American , Arts and Crafts,Tea cups etc dispersed among several galleries. Complete web catalog.

LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART
Long Beach, CA, 2300 East Ocean Boulevard. : web site
Delft, Staffordshire, Arts and Crafts and 20th century ceramics. Complete web catalog.

PACIFIC ASIA MUSEUM
Pasadena California , 46 North Los Robles Avenue. : web site
Asian Ceramics. Large on line catalog.

CROCKER ART MUSEUM ( Expanded and e-opened October 2010 )
216 O Street, Sacramento, CA : Web site
Wide range of ceramics including the Gilmeister Meissen collection, US and Japanese art ceramics and more. The 394 object Gilmeister collection has an on line catalog. NOTE : As of 11/12/2010 there is no link to this catalog from the museum web site

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
200 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA. : web site

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUMS OF FINE ARTS : web site
Palace of the Legion of Honor
San Francisco, CA, Legion of Honor Dr., end of 34th Avenue, Lincoln Park,
English and Continental Porcelain. Complete web catalog
The deYoung Museum
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Small collection of American Ceramics

Seattle Art Museum
Seattle, WA, 100 University St, 98101. : web site
Isaacson collection of Englsh, Asian and European porcelain (now spectacularly displayed).

ASIA

China

Hong Kong Museum of Art.  web site http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/Arts/english/aboutus/aboutus.html
10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Good collection of Chinese ceramics dating from Neolithic to the 20th C.  Shiwan pottery from Guangdong is of special interest.

Dehua Porcelain Museum.  Currently no web site
Address TBD 
The Porcelain Museum has exquisite wares from the Song to the Qing dynasties. A highlight is the Qu Dou Gong ancient kiln site.

Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors.  No dedicated web site. Try http://www.chinamuseums.com/qinshihuangt.htm
Address  TBD
A must see.  Life size pottery figures made 2,200 years ago to protect the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi.  The excavation site contains over 7,000 soldiers, archers, and horses.
Note: also nearby is the Banpo Neolithic Village and Museum, showing relics from Neolithic Yangshao culture (4500BCE to 3750 BCE)

Xi’an Temple Museum.   Currently no web site
Address  TBD   
The temple museum has a major collection of Tang era ceramics. Note: The temple was built in the 2nd C. AD to house a finger bone of Sakyamuni (the Historical Buddha).

Shaanxi History Museum.  No dedicated web site. Try http://www.chinamuseums.com/sx_history.htm
Address   TBD
Good collection dating forward from prehistoric times is strong in ceramics and also bronzes, jade, gold and silver, mainly from pre-Ming periods.

Zhejiang Provincial Museum.  Web site http://www.zhejiangmuseum.com/    Then select "English" from languages
No.25 Gushan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang PC:310007 
Excellent galleries of Long Quan and Ge ware.

Shanghai Museum.  No dedicated web site.  Try  http://www.chinamuseums.com/shanghai.htm
Peoples Great Road, #201, Shanghai
Comments Some of the best cultural relics from China's Neolithic period to the Qing dynasty (5,000 years).  Highlights include ceramics, bronze ware, calligraphy, painting, jade and furniture.

Jingdezhen Museum of Ceramic History.   No dedicated web site.  Try http://www.chinamuseums.com/jingdezhen.htm
Address   TBD
Demonstrates how ceramic pieces were made before modern technology.  Excellent history on development of porcelain.

Jingdezhen Porcelain Museum.  Currently no web site
Address    TBD
Collection of superb porcelains from the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. Also beautiful pieces produced since the establishment of the PRC in 1949. Note: While in Jingdezhen visit Jiefang Lu, the "Street of Porcelain," where dozens of vendors have pots for sale.

Forbidden City Museum,
Beijing, China

National History Museum
Beijing, China

Japan

Idemitsu Museum of Art
Tokyo
Extensive collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean wares

Tokyo National Museum
Tokyo, Japan

Kobe City Museum
Kobe City

Kurita Museum
Ashikaga, Japan

Kyoto National Museum
Kyoto
Ceramics dating back to the Heian period.  Many of their works of art are designated as National Assets or Important Cultural Properties

Kyushu Ceramic Museum
Arita 
Home of Imari and Kakiemon.  Has the most comprehensive collection of Japanese ceramics in the world

South Korea'

The National Museum of Korea. Web Site
135 Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-026 .
Three Kingdoms and Unified Silla period ceramics are integrated with other media in the ground floor galleries of this beautiful modern building. The great Goryo and Yi ceramics have their own rooms on the top floor. The two galleries of Goryo celadons are among the most dazzling ceramics installations anywhere. Collections database has 493 key objects as of 12/7/2010

Taiwan

National Palace Taipei Museum
Taipei, Taiwan . : web site

Thailand

Jim Thompson’s House: Open daily 9 to 5, guided visit required. Web Site
6 Soi Kasemsan 2, off Rama I Road, Bangkok. ( Near the National Stadium Skytrain station )
A re-designed assemblage of old Thai buildings put together and furnished around 1960 by an American silk entrepreneur and collector of Thai art. The installation is both very personal and artistically excellent.

Suan Pakkad Palace: Open 9 to 4 daily. Web Site
352 Si Ayutthaya Road, Bangkok. ( East of the Phaya Thai Skytrain station )
A loosely assembled group of traditional houses, put together in the 1950s by a Thai prince and former politician with a fine garden setting. Each house has a distinct collecting area and there is also a modern, air-conditioned gallery building. The most important ceramics display is red and white whorl-patterned Bronze Age pottery, but there is also later material.

The Thai National Museum in Bangkok: Currently open 9 to 4 Wednesdays through Sundays. Web Site
One long block north of the Grand Palace, ( The entrance on the side away from the Chao Phraya River )
By far the greatest Thai ceramics collection and perhaps the most important single art collection in Southeast Asia. The main ceramics displays are in an 18th-century palace that is the core of the museum. This sounds nice, but the Museum is decrepit, badly lighted, and not air conditioned, and the cases are sometimes dirty enough to be difficult to see into. The holdings are terrific, if you are mentally prepared for the viewing conditions.

OTHER COUNTRIES

Australia

Melbourne Museum. web site
11 Nicholson St, Carlton, Victoria, 3053
Good collection of 18th C through mid 19th C English porcelain and pottery. Also has a complete set of the seasons by Polwony for Wiener Werkstatt

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Tasmania web site
2 Invermay Road, Launceston Tas 7248
Good small collection primarily of English pottery and porcelain ranging from early slipware through 18th and 19th century porcelain

RETURN TO TOP