Gelman Stained Glass Museum, Texas, United States

4.5 (3 reviews) Tuesday: Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #2 in San Juan Points of Interest & Landmarks • Convention Centers • Art Museums

Breathtaking. Must see. Worth a special trip.

The Gelman Stained Glass Museum in San Juan, Texas, is home to the most comprehensive collection of stained-glass windows in the United States. This 16,000 square foot state-of-the-art museum, replicates the Latin-cross cruciform architecture of European medieval cathedrals, providing a sacred setting for these antique stained-glass windows salvaged from deteriorating churches around the country. The windows on display represent the most renowned manufacturers of 19th and 20th Century American and European stained-glass art. With over 170 antique windows, the collection consists of works from Tiffany Studios, John LaFarge, Lamb Studios, Mary Tillinghast, and pieces from the German Munich styles by Franz Meyer and F. X. Zettler. This museum has also rescued other religious relics such as antique altars, baptismal fonts, and statues, giving a sacred church-like ambiance for the public to experience.

Address

411 Virgen De San Juan Boulevard, San Juan, TX 78589

Mobile

+1 956-603-7608

Website

http://gelmanmuseum.org

Email

[email protected]

Working hours

Monday :
Tuesday :
Wednesday : 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Thursday : 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday : 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saturday : 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Sunday : 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Current local date and time now

Tuesday, May 14, 2024, 17:00

User Ratings

4.5 based on (3 reviews)

Excellent

67%

Good

33%

Satisfactory

Poor

Terrible

Reviews

5sahkazoo 5:00 PM Feb 18, 2022
Outstanding Museum!
Fascinating history that is being thoughtfully preserved! The museum was relatively new when we visited, but we were lucky to be able to interact with the owner. They are developing printed materials that will help explain the history of the windows and the different types of stained glass, and that will be very helpful.
4maa-maa 5:00 PM Nov 13, 2022
Beautiful stained glass -- but museum could be better
The stained glass was beautifully presented in a building that was custom-built for the purpose. Most of the pieces date from the early 20th century and seem to have been rescued from (or purchased from) churches that were being demolished or otherwise were falling on hard times. The view when I first walked into the "sanctuary" (for want of a better term) literally made me stop and say, "Wow!" On that basis alone, I have to give this place four stars. However... they have a long way to go to make this into a "museum" there is zero notation on the glass pieces themselves like you might expect in a typical art museum. They do have an online "guide" which is difficult to navigate and only lists the artist (if known) and the date of the piece (if known). No details about where the piece came from or the context of the piece. Stuck me as very odd for a "museum". Came to find out that they also (primarily?) rent the hall out for events and they didn't want to make it feel too much like a museum. Was told that they are working on a book and other documentation that more fully describes the pieces, but as of now there is almost nothing. Visits are timed and could be (had to be?) reserved in advance through their web site. Each time slot is for one hour only, but that was a good amount of time. On the weekday we were there they had only three slots on offer at 4pm, 5pm, and 6pm. They say that each slot is limited to 50 people, but there were only six people in our time slot; we basically had the place to ourselves. Cost is $20 per person, which felt overpriced. Still, it's a pretty unique attraction and I can't say it wasn't worth going.