6 Places To Experience Art Pottery Around The World

The Arts and Crafts Movement has a lot to answer for, as today’s collectors dedicate their time to tracking down the best pieces derived from the art pottery phenomenon of the late 19th and early 20th century.

Here are six places where art pottery lovers can experience the work and traditions of ceramic masters around the world up close and personal.

Van Briggle Pottery, Colorado Springs, US

The Van Briggle legacy that began in 1899 is well known amongst art pottery fans who search with fervor for Van Briggle pottery characterized by flower, animal and human designs finished with a soft matte glaze.

The Van Briggle pottery studio closed in 2012, but the legacy lives on. The Van Briggle Memorial Pottery Building on Glen Avenue — designed by Anne Van Briggle in 1907-1908 and featuring over 5,500 hand-crafted tiles — still stands and is now owned by Colorado College. The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum holds over 700 Van Briggle pieces, including works from the 1904 World’s Fair, and is free to visit.

Address: Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, 215 South Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm. Free admission.

Ephraim Pottery, Lake Mills, Wisconsin, US

While many of the great art potteries have closed their doors, Ephraim Pottery is a living, thriving studio carrying the Arts and Crafts tradition forward. Founded in 1996 in rural Wisconsin, Ephraim Pottery creates handmade art pottery, tiles, and tableware using in-house designed glazes — every piece hand-thrown and sculpted to order.

Their work draws deeply from the Arts and Crafts movement, with nature-inspired designs and rich matte glazes that would feel at home alongside vintage Van Briggle or Grueby pieces. For collectors who love the tradition but also want to support living artisans, Ephraim is the place. Their Studio Gallery in Lake Mills offers a chance to see the potters at work and browse finished pieces in person. They also have a West Coast gallery in Cambria, California.

Address: 203 W Lake Street, Lake Mills, WI 53551. Opening Hours: Wednesday 9am to 4pm. Thursday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.

Rookwood Pottery, Cincinnati, Ohio, US

Rookwood Pottery is a modern day example of an iconic brand battling through the worst of economic decline, starting with the Great Depression, to emerge with its history and identity intact — thanks in large part to passionate collectors. The impeccable craftsmanship and design of Rookwood pottery started life with a focus on naturally colored clays to produce works in splendid pinks, olive greens and grays.

Since being restored to glory, Rookwood has re-established a presence in its founding city, Cincinnati. Their current facility on Race Street in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood houses production, an architectural tile showroom, and a retail store. For anyone interested in the Rookwood-Van Briggle connection, this is where Artus Van Briggle honed his craft before heading west to Colorado Springs.

Address: 1920 Race Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. Contact for opening hours.

Moorcroft, Staffordshire, UK

William Moorcroft is behind the world renowned English pottery company that first opened its studio in 1897. Since those early days the Moorcroft brand has gone on to merit regular sales at Christie’s and Sotheby’s and a collection of this artistic pottery placed within London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.

Located in Staffordshire in the middle of England, Moorcroft offers tours of its factory where visitors can witness the techniques that have been honed over 100 years and are still applied today. After a factory tour you can spend time in the elegant Moorcroft Museum before visiting the Heritage Visitor’s Centre to peruse and splurge on the kaleidoscope of designs for sale.

For art lovers searching for their next holiday destination, England’s Potteries district is the perfect spot.

Address: Sandbach Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 2DQ. Tour times: Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 11am and 2pm. Friday 11am.

Haeger Potteries, East Dundee, Illinois, US

Haeger Potteries was in its fourth generation of producers deriving from the Haeger family when it marked its 140th anniversary in 2011. The rich history of Haeger saw many designs over time, but its dedication to customers, craftsmanship and quality remained consistent throughout.

Haeger closed its factory in 2016 after 145 years of production. The factory building in East Dundee — part of the Dundee Township Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places — still stands as a monument to this long-running American pottery tradition. While tours are no longer available, the building itself is worth seeing if you’re in the Chicago area.

Address: Van Buren Street, two blocks south of Rt. 72 in East Dundee, Illinois.

Porches Pottery, Algarve, Portugal

Porches Pottery may be one of the newer kids on the art pottery block but founder and Irish artist Patrick Swift managed to preserve the essence of Portuguese tile art when he opened his studio in the Algarve in the 1960s. Today tiles, jugs and vases are created in a style that was popular as far back as the 15th century and might otherwise have been lost to Portugal forever.

The building that is home to Porches Pottery was designed by Swift in the style of an 18th century farmhouse, and visitors will feel immersed in the essence of a thriving craft workshop.

Porches pottery works have been instrumental in the revival of the craft of art pottery in the region and provides the perfect reason for visiting the warm climes of Europe’s Portuguese Algarve.

Address: Porches Pottery, EN125, Porches 8400-451, Algarve, Portugal. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. Saturday 10am to 2pm.

---

Bring a Reference Along

Whether you’re visiting these studios or hunting for art pottery at shows and estate sales, a good reference book makes all the difference:

• The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Van Briggle Art Pottery — essential for identifying Van Briggle pieces.
• Rookwood Pottery at the Philadelphia Museum of Art — beautifully illustrated study of America’s most prestigious art pottery.
• The Arts and Crafts Movement — the broader context that ties these potteries together.
• Arts and Crafts: Pottery and Ceramics — focused specifically on the ceramic tradition within the movement.