Fine cameo glass was produced by the Romans in the 1st century BCE, as exemplified by the famous Portland Vase. Roman glass engravers created such pieces by manually cutting away chunks of opaque white glass to a darker background glass layer. In 1876 John Northwood, an English glassmaker, created a reproduction of the Roman Portland Vase.

Visit the museum for free this weekend to discover through our interactive displays, all about Cameo glass.

The museum also displays some of the finest British collections of glass. It spans the 17th to the 20th centuries, demonstrating how 400 years of fashionable glass have thrived in the area. 

Enjoy free entry on this day.