There are many museums around the world that feature incredible jewellery collections, so we decided to put together a quick round up of some of our favourites. So whether you are looking for inspiration on where to spend a weekend morning or want to plan your next holiday around seeing some incredible pieces of jewellery, this list is for you.
The V&A, London
The V&A’s jewellery gallery is probably the most comprehensive in the world, and spans ancient societies up until the present day with the inclusion of contemporary makers.
The British Museum, London
The British Museum has an incredible amount of collections, one of which is the collection of artefacts found in Sutton Hoo, Suffolk. The Anglo-Saxon ship burial features jewellery and metalwork crafted using techniques that are still used today by jewellers.
The Natural History Museum, London
With the world’s largest collection of coloured diamonds, the Vault Gallery within the Natural History Museum is a great place for gem lovers to visit.
Pforzheim Jewellery Museum, Pforzheim
The only museum in the world to devote itself to jewellery alone, the Pforzheim Jewellery Museum is situated in Germany, close to the Black Forest.
The permanent display at the Pforzheim Jewellery Museum focuses on Greco-Roman antiquity, the Renaissance and Art Nouveau. As well as the history of the jewellery and watch making industry in Pforzheim dating back to 1767.
The Galerie des Bijoux, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
The Galerie des Bijoux situated in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris provides a chronological overview of the history of jewellery from the Middle Ages to the present day. The museum’s offering features donations and loans from Cartier, Boucheron and Mellerio, the oldest jewellery house in Paris.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Within the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Costume Institute, although primarily focusing on dress, also houses a collection of accessories including jewellery.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
One of the most comprehensive art museums in the world, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, has a collection of 500,000 artefacts.With a dedicated jewellery collection permanently on display including not only fine and historical pieces of jewellery but also costume jewellery - jewellery made to compliment fashion and made from inexpensive materials. In 2018, the museum acquired an important collection of more than 500 examples of costume jewellery from the Toronto-based collector Carole Tanenbaum.
Green Vault, Dresden State Art Museums, Dresden
The Dresden State Art Museums is a network made up of 15 museums, including the Green Vault which features treasures from many periods including Baroque and Classicism.
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas
As well as a permanent collection of jewellery works, the Dallas Museum of Art has one of the best museum websites to discover their collection. Via their website you can look through the museum’s pieces by different categories including department, dress type, climate and colour.
Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, New York
Predominantly design focused, the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum has an extensive collection of jewellery items within their Decorative Arts department. The collection also spotlights the design process within jewellery including drawings and sketches.
Do you have a favourite museum with a great jewellery collection you like to visit and would like it to be added to our round up? Email us at skomerstudio@gmail.com and we will include it.