The need to establish a Museum of Ceramics in Grottaglie arose from the awareness of the central role that museums play today as places that not only preserve history but also allow for its knowledge and dissemination.

The ceramic heritage of Grottaglie boasts a centuries-old history, although doubts still exist today about the origins and probable dating of the start of ceramic production due to uncertainties in documentary evidence.

Established on December 22, 1999, the museum was considered the privileged tool to start a reconstruction of the history of ceramics in Grottaglie. The choice of location was particularly successful, specifically the lower rooms of the Episcopal Castle, built in the fourteenth century by the will of Archbishop Giacomo d'Atri and for a long time the residence of the Archbishops of Taranto.

The museum collection, significantly enriched over the years, presents a composite body of works, mainly consisting of private donations, divided into thematic and chronological areas.