The originally municipal museum was established in 1923 together with the Museum Society. Since 1968 it has been oriented onto engraved and cut glass; the collections are situated in a classicist object under historic protection where a plant of the Viennese companyJ.& L.Lobmeyr worked from 1918-1951.
The permanent exhibition named „Where from are we coming, who are we and where are we going to?“ offers the public information on the history and development of engraved glass since the 17th century until now. Thanks to some four hundred objects the museum offers the visitors a look at the past by skilful hands of craftsmen - genre and battle scenes, portraits as well as ornamental and other patterns. Works by Dominik Biman, the best engraver of the 19th century, pieces by Karl Pfohl, a skilful author of engraved glass pictures and works manufactured together with a sculptor Jaroslav Horejc or architect Adolf Loos attract by their outstanding craftsmanship. The exhibited pieces show among others historical and contemporary works of students of the Professional Glass School Kamenický Šenov the oldest glass school in the world. Neither the triennial international symposia of engraved glass held in Kamenický Šenov since 1996 have been forgotten. Among the most interesting and most admired objects there is a glass chair manufactured by a local company Elias Palme in the 1890s to order an Indian maharaja from Hyderabad. The museum exhibition is completed by traditional historizing crystal pendant lighting assemblies with the tradition of their manufacture dated since 1724.
The ground floor of the museum offers short-time exhibitions of contemporary glass art, historical exhibitions as well as presentations of works from other artistic branches and minor exhibitions of regional character.
The museum shop offers art and utility glass, jewellery, books and souvenirs.
