The Blaschka Glass Invertebrates

Now Open!

In the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries, Bohemian glassmaker Leopold Blaschka and, later, his son Rudolf Blaschka created and sold an amazing series of glass marine invertebrate models. In a time before SCUBA or underwater photography, these models allowed people to see what marine invertebrates looked like when they were alive, rather than what they looked like when preserved. During the course of their lives, the Blaschkas created thousands of models, many of which are still held today at institutions in Europe, the United States, and other countries. This exhibit explores the Blaschka models from the Cornell University collection, currently on display at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, New York.

Explore our online exhibit now to begin learning about these beautiful glass models.