Learning is always best when it’s hands on and Corning Museum of Glass has really set the bar high for hands on activities. In addition to touring the facilities and experiencing the wonders and history of glass, visitors can register for a variety of glass working experiences. These include blowing glass ornaments and balls, making glass beads, creating seasonal items, etching glass and much more. The classes are taught by qualified experts and have a great student to teacher ratio.
To give you more background on the different types of sessions, the museum has posted a number of short videos that highlight each offering. This will help you decide what is right of you and your family. It is important to remember that the difficulty level may be adjusted depending on the age of the participant.
Making a glass pendant:
A personal handmade glass object is the perfect idea for a holiday souvenir or it could be given as a birthday or Christmas present. Handcrafted art that can be displayed or worn is also a perfect way to remember all of the other beautiful glass you saw while at the museum.
Our daughter was 11 when we visited the Corning Museum of Glass and she truly enjoyed her experiences creating a glass pendant and a large glass Christmas ornament. As would be expected, the challenges associated with working with melting and molten glass determines the amount of actual participation in the creation of the object. She was completely hands on creating the pendant and helped in the creation of the ornament.
Check out a short video of her creating the Christmas ornament.
What you need to know:
- It is best to book online prior to arriving to ensure that there is an opening but you can also drop by the desk and see if any new classes have been added.
- While there is something for everyone, many of the classes do have age restrictions to ensure safety.
- Some classes have seasonal themes depending on the time of year.
- Plan to arrive at the workshop 10 minutes before your appointment. This will allow you to register and then observe others as they try their hand at glassmaking. You can also use this time to see if there are any other classes you might want to try.
- All glass (except the sandblasted objects) must go through a slow cooling process called annealing so you won’t be allowed to leave with your creation. You can pick them up the next day or they can be shipped to you. If your glass isn’t cooled properly, it will break.
If you are visiting with a group of 10 or more you can sign up for special Fun with Glass programs. This is a great idea for a team building exercise or a social group outing.
More information:
- Visit the Corning Museum of Glass website to plan your visit to ensure that you get the most out of your time there as there are always new exhibits, demonstrations and activities.
- Find out more about the Make Your Own Glass Experience.
- Admission for teens (under 17) and children is free and they have special pricing for seniors, students, military and locals.
Getting there:
Corning Museum of Glass
One Museum Way, Corning, NY
