Museum of Ceramics

The Museum of Ceramics, founded in 1980,  preserves the rich pottery history of the East Liverpool area. In 1840, James Bennett established the small town’s first commercial pottery. By the turn of the century,  the pottery industry had grown to the extent that it was producing 50 percent of America’s ceramics.  Over 200 pottery factories have operated in and around East Liverpool. The museum uses Rockingham and yellowware to tell the story of the fledgling pottery industry.  The switch to whiteware in the 1870s created an industry boom and early beginnings are seen in William Bloor’s whiteware and Parian Ware creations.