Issues → March/April 2007 → Travel →
Local Treasure: The Glass Flowers
Harvard Museum of Natural History, Cambridge, Massachusetts
More than 3,000 plant models crafted by father-and-son glassworkers Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka grace the shelves of Harvard's Museum of Natural History, but to understand the magnitude of their lifework, which spanned the years from 1886 to 1936, look closely at just one. Professor George Lincoln Goodale, founder of Harvard's Botanical Museum, prevailed upon the German master glassmakers to provide realistic models for the university's botany students. What the Blaschkas gave New England was rare beauty preserved forever, and a testament to lives lived with singular passion.
Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA. 617-495-3045; hmnh.harvard.edu/exhibitions/glass.html. Gallery talks on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. offer background on this extraordinary collection and feature some of the most famous models.
Reader Comments
Comment from Blue Magruder on July 7, 2008
There are no Glass Flower gallery talks offered currently.. But do sign up for email notices of new events and exhibits at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, open 361 days/year. www.hmnh.harvard.edu
Comment from Blue Magruder on June 12, 2009
Docent-led tours of Harvard's Ware Collection of Glass Flowers are offered for groups on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Advance reservations required. For more info, see http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/onexhibit/theglass_flowers.html
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