Cees van Olst
Founder and director of Het Nederlandse Museum voor Glas en Glastechniek. The Glasmuseum was opened the19th of May 1979.

Cees van Olst was born in Rotterdam in 1947. His education in glass began in 1961 at TNO Delft. TNO stands for Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (Applied Science Research). After completing his training he worked in a research team applying his many talents in various glass techniques, such as high vacuum. His talents lead him to invent the three wall glass chromatograph, capillary and a number of high vacuum taps. He has participated in research projects for defence, medical, chemical and biological weapons.

After 20 years as a lampworker at TNO, Cees founded the Dutch Museum for Glass and Glass techniques. The purpose of the museum is to conserve the knowledge of glass whilst passing on to all the techniques. The museum began by specialising in radio valves, bicycle lamps, neon tubes, cold working and industrial technique.
From here on his interest shifted from scientific and practical objects to works of arts. Several lampworked designs carry his name from candlesticks to glass trees and other items of functional glass.
He is advisor to several glass-factories and large companies.
Later the passion for glass spread from lampwork to furnace work and now thousands of objects, sculptures and unique pieces of art carry his name.

In 1990 he was honoured with the Young at Heart Award, the Larix Trophy, “Distinguished citizen of the year” in Hoogeveen. Recently he received a Royal Decoration for his works and dedication to glass.
He contributed to several popular television programmes. At the moment he is working on a documentary for the Dutch Television Foundation.

Another string to the Van Olst bow is the yearly Glass-In initiated in 1992 which takes place every year in Hoogeveen. Each year the event takes on the theme of a foreign land where not only the glass on display comes from outside of the Netherlands but also the culture is brought to Hoogeveen. The event involves not only the museum, but the community of Hoogeveen and many shops and local businesses.

Alongside the many projects, Cees is an advisor for the NMCP (Netherlands Management Co-operation Programme).The program has so far involved 3 visits to Ghana where he has taught the workers at CEDI Beads how to blow glass and other glass making techniques. Three of the employees from Ghana are now being trained at the Museum in the Netherlands. Cees is now supervisor for this project which involves the employees being further trained in a wider range of glass making and technology.

The Glasmuseum will soon be expanding and developed into an International Glass expertise Centre, where the conservation and transference of knowledge can continue whilst research and training can take centre stage.
In the course of 25 years thousands of people have visited the Glasmuseum and all these people have contributed to the development of the museum.
The Museum

Here at the museum you’ll find the fascinating world of glass. The collection has been dedicated to building a bridge between the past, present and future of glass.

Since its discovery in 1500 BC, glass has conquered the world. You can see exactly how and why here in the museum. You’ll be surprised by the size of the collection (set out over three floors), the variation and diversity of the material glass.
The Collection

The Museum has and collects a fascinating array of machinery from old to new. Ever wondered how bike lamps or bottles were made? You can see it all here. We also have an area set out to show the production of laboratory equipment, made by lampwork. Within the museum are several audio visual presentations of glass; its history and production methods. This is just a small part of the educational collection here, with a small room especially for children.

The unique and vast art collection of the museum contains work from Ermanno Nason, Copier, Cees van Olst, J.F Zimmermann, R.Price, Edith Hagelstange, Mats Jonasson, Kjell Engman, Göran Warff, Allister Malcolm, Albrecht Greiner-Mai and many more.

Besides all this you can see an summary about the history of packing glass in Schiedam. There is also an unique collection of bottles and machines. And the first machine ever that made bottles of glass.
Glassblowing Demonstrations

The demonstrations are at fixed times throughout the day and are given by Cees van Olst. The glassblower gives full commentary on the development of the glass throughout the demonstration with an opportunity for questions and answers at the end. The audience is given the chance to witness the forming of vases plates or sculptures, from beginning to the end.
In the demonstration room is the furnace which is held at 1100 degrees C. This contains the molten glass which is kept on 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The glassblower will also give an explanation of the machinery and the tools used to form the glass.You will 'feel' the heat of the glass, learn about colour combinations and the many possibilities and impossibilities of glass.