Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass

We discovered this while trying to fill in a week of October sightseeing in Wisconsin. I am not an artist, and honestly I am not really an appreciator of art, but one person in our foursome wanted to see this exhibit.
What beauty! I am not easily moved by «stuff» but this exhibit moved me. Currently they are displaying the work of Lino Tagliapietra who is a renowned glass blower. The museum’s permanent collection is beautiful too. Growing up, my family had a couple of paperweights that I took for granted. Seeing this display, with the story of how they are made changed forever how I feel about art.
I highly recommend visiting this beautiful building with its wonderful collection.

You learn every time you coming to Bergstrom-​Mahler Museum!!! Great time to walk around on a cloudy day or rainy day!!! I recommend this places!!!

Set in what appears to be a very, very large house (built in 1997, yes 1997… this isn’t a historic place) the museum houses a whole lot of… wait for it… glass paperweights! Actually, it does have more than that and even the paper weights are pretty cool, each containing a ton of detail. The museum does and excellent job explaining how these intricate glass globes are made and there is definitely a wide variety. At the end of the day, it’s a cool place to wander, but unless you appreciate a hobby like stamp collecting you will be in and out in under an hour.
The staff is extremely nice and helpful, the grounds are meticulously landscaped and there is plenty of parking. The museum is free, but they accept donations (throw in a couple of bucks– help keep the place free for others).

I love off-​beat museums, so when I learned of the Bergstrom-​Mahler Museum – aka «The Paperweight Museum” – I knew I had to check it out for myself. Located in residential Neenah, the museum was originally the home of paperweight collector Evangeline Hoysradt.
As you can imagine, seeing hundreds of paperweights in one place is absolutely mind boggling. The museum does a great job of explaining the art of paperweight making, and you learn about the different styles and signatures of the pieces. The craziest paperweight on display is the largest one ever made, which weighs a jaw-​dropping 55 lbs! I’d say your papers are pretty safe under that thing.
The Bergstrom-​Mahler Museum isn’t all paperweights; it also houses other pieces of art. Currently on display are the vibrant illustrations of Gerald McDermott which center around the theme of «Myth and Magic». There’s also a nice collection of Germanic glass and Victorian glass baskets.
This museum impressed me on so many levels; it’s impeccably clean, not at all crowded, and has the friendliest staff. Perhaps the best part, however, is that it’s free. If you are in the area, this is a definite must-​see!
*See pics*