Chrysler Museum of Art
An encyclopedic collection, exceptional glass holdings, photography, European and American painting, and a working glass studio occupy a gracious waterside campus.
Artwork inspired by Nell Blaine
Walter Chrysler Jr.’s transformative gift gave Norfolk a collection unusually deep in glass, European painting, American art, photography, and decorative arts. The museum is strongest when visitors compare technique: a noon studio demonstration can make historic vessels, Tiffany surfaces, and contemporary glass far more legible.
Free admission allows a focused visit. Begin in the glass galleries, watch the studio team handle heat and gravity, then return to one painted or photographic work with the same attention to material decisions. The nearby Moses Myers House has separate weekend access and should not be assumed open with the main museum.
- Collection
- Nearly 35,000 objects
- Live craft
- Daily noon glass demo
- Allow
- 2–4 hours
Quick guide
- Start
- Glass galleries before the demo
- Compare
- Historic vessel and hot-shop process
Make the visit count
- Watch the gather
- At the studio, follow one blob of molten glass from furnace to annealer.
- Find a quiet room
- The famous collection is broad enough that lesser-known galleries reward undistracted looking.
- Check both buildings
- The Perry Glass Studio and museum have related but distinct schedules.
- Travel light
- Large bags and backpacks must be checked before entering galleries.
Good to know
The museum and glass studio are free, but classes and special events may require registration. The Myers House and library keep narrower schedules than the main building.
Notice these
- Glass collection
- Perry Glass Studio
- European and American painting