Bergstrom-Mahler Museum holds the finest and most representative collection of glass paperweights in the world.
The paperweights comprise our primary collection, and the majority of the museum's time and collection assets are focused here. Mrs. Evangeline Bergstrom bequeathed 652 pieces in 1958 to become the foundation of a collection that has grown to 3,000 objects. The majority of the pieces are on permanent display in our ground floor galleries. We strive to be a resource for collectors, artists, and scholars, as well as educate our museum visitors about this fascinating and appealing decorative art form.
Tools In Motion: Works from the Hechinger Collection July 2 - September 19, 2010
Tools in Motion celebrates the repetition and motion found in everyday tools such as hammers, saws and wrenches. This wide array of Bright colors and vivid textures make this collection enjoyable for visitors of all ages The artists in the exhibition range from emerging to world renowned. They include Arman, Jim Dine, Claes Oldenburg and Jacob Lawrence.
This exhbition is funded in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the state of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. Thank you exhibition sponsors, Oscar J. Boldt Construction and Krueger's True Value.
Jon Brunner
Germanic Glass
Ernst Mahler, a Neenah resident and Kimberly- Clark Corporation inventor, purchased this collection of drinking glasses in 1931 in Vienna, Austria as a gift for his wife, Carol. By 1994, the entire collection was given to Bergstrom-Mahler Museum.
Since Wisconsin was home to the first Studio Glass program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, it's fitting that our Wisconsin glass museum should have a fine display of pieces representing achievements in this art form.
Big Ideas/Small Packages: Magnificent Glass Under 20
November 1, 2008 through February 21, 2009
This exhibition honors the paperweight tradition on which Bergstrom-Mahler Museum was founded. It explores the processes of glass techniques used in paperweight making and earlier, to examine the continuum of glass working methods today.
Many of the techniques used in working and decorating glass did not begin and end in one era. Glass is a material that evolved over centuries with a long history of use for creating decorative and functional objects. The earliest objects were small precious inlays, beads, unguent jars and containers for oils and perfumes. These can be traced back to Egyptian use, at least 6,000 years ago or earlier.
This exhibition examines the dynamic possibilities of these ancient glass methods, expanded upon by technology, creativity and contemporary thought, in small scale to honor the initial direction of Bergstrom-Mahler Museum and discover the unending possibilities of the material.
The visual surprises are many as you explore the profound ingenuity of the artists using this historically alluring, versatile and dynamic material: glass.
A true collector, Mrs. Bergstrom also began our collection of Victorian Glass Baskets. After substantial gifts from patrons Marjorie Seybold and Judson Fowler, this collection grew to 102 pieces.
From Vasa Murrina to Amberina, opaline to opalescent, satin to spattered and spangled, this collection provides a comprehensive look at the variety of surface treatments applied by English and American artisans. The vast majority of objects take the basket form, but a few companion pieces, such as vases, pitchers, and rose bowls, round out the collection. These are exhibited annually.
Collections & Exhibits
