The Glass Museum has an interesting history, both as a building and a collection. The exterior is an impressive Gothic construction set in the Flamboyant style. Since the 17th Century, it served as a residence of the bishops of Torcello, and at that time constant reconstruction works were carried out. In the 19th Century. it was acquired by the municipality of Murano – one of the beautiful islands of Venice. The museum was founded in 1861. The collections grew in size, and in 1923, when the municipality of Murano was abolished and annexed to Venice, the Glass Museum already occupied the entire building.

The museum keeps memories of both the hard times and the flourishing ones for the glass-making industry. When it was founded, the times were unfavourable for glass makers. Ironically, it was the troubled years for the industry that provoked the sharp rise of the museum's collections. The glass factories, which were forced to close or cut down their production capacity, donated many objects to the museum. Later on, when the economic situation improved, those factories re-started work with new vigour. At that time, in 1862, a glass-making school was established at the museum. It was attended by the glass-makers in their days off.

History shows that the museum assisted in its own way the rebound of the industry it exhibited. Today, the Venice Glass Museum is one of the most fascinating of its kind, not only in Europe but worldwide. It represents all periods of glass-blowing traditions in the exquisite Venetian style.