The Corning Museum of Glass is home to one of the most extensive glass collections in the world. Corning, New York, is more than four hours away from New York City and is light-years away. Corning and Steuben County are what people mean when they say they’re from “upstate New York.” But this small town has giant museums, great food, and terrific wine.
The Museum’s permanent collection features more than 70 works pulled from over 50,000 pieces the museum owns. Most of us consider Corning Ware, Corell, and Pyrex modern creations. I knew blowing glass was an old art. Still, to put it in perspective, recent excavations have unearthed glass tubes created fifty years before Christ. The Corning Museum of Glass has a permanent display, 35 Centuries of Glass, for you to examine, wonder about, and shake your head over. To me, the exhibits from ancient Egypt were the most surprising.
Corning Museum of Glass’ permanent gallery displays glass and glassmaking from its beginnings through today. Exhibits highlight glass from Asia, Europe, North Africa, Arabia, Egypt, America, and so many other places around the globe.
Since my family came to America through Jamestown, established in 1607, I was especially interested to learn that the Virginia Company of London started a glasshouse only a year later. According to information at the Corning Museum of Glass, they wanted to create a glassmaking industry in Jamestown. It failed several times, but the die was cast, so to speak, and the industry would later blossom in the New World.
The Mesopotamians discovered liquid sand thousands of years ago. From that material, they created glass. Today, glass is used in everything from cell phone faces to wine bottles to encasements for all-glass elevators that speed 1,200 feet up the side of New York’s One Vanderbilt skyscraper. And beauty—glass is used daily to fill our need for beautiful objects.
Artisans in Jerusalem in the 1st century found a way to insert a blowpipe into molten glass and blow, which created an inflated bubble of glass that could be shaped. This new creation allowed more useful shapes, and glass began to replace clay in many uses.
I find the history of glass to be fascinating. Evidence of glassblowing is found worldwide, from ancient wine bottles to tiny glass beads. For example, archaeologists have discovered beads that are over 2,500 years old in India. An “inflated glass” blowing technique left a cavity inside a tube, which created the beads. When workers cut the tube into segments, the hole inside helped artisans string the beads.
Intricate beadwork pieces are on display. I’ve done a bit of beading, so this exhibit completely enthralled me. I know just how tiny those beads are. I’m still wondering if they had magnifying glasses way back when.
The inflated technique with a blowpipe is similar to today’s techniques to create things like pumpkins. My friends created a pumpkin and an apple while I happily made a heart-shaped paperweight. My project was more hands-on, with molten glass pulled like taffy, while theirs was blown and shaped. Both styles of glasswork were fun, and it was exciting to be a part of the history of glassmaking.
The contemporary gallery is inside the Contemporary Art + Design Wing. This newest wing (2015) is 26,000 square feet lit by diffusing roof skylights. Natural lighting is nearly all that is required to view the objects of glass art. One of the best-known American glass artists is Dale Chihuly. He took glassblowing to an entirely new level—literally. One of his massive “trees” fills the second floor balcony.
The Museum’s permanent collection features more than 70 works. Many of these are large-scale pieces that have never before been displayed. This gallery concentrates on international works from the last 25 years. The one that caught my attention was the Meat Chandelier (maybe I was ready for lunch.) This fantastic work was just like looking into a butcher’s window.
Since temporary exhibits and demonstrations happen throughout the day, you will always enjoy visiting the Corning Museum of Glass.
The fantastic exhibits of Fire and Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine are on display until January 2025. The exhibit walks you through the evolution of wine vessels, bottles, and glasses through the centuries. The display includes a 400-year-old document that mentions preventing wine spoilage by using an “almost unbreakable glass jar.” Another display holds a still-sealed bottle of wine discovered inside a ship sunk off the English coast. There is also a rare glass cameo that depicts a grape harvest.
In one museum, the Corning Museum of Glass brings science, chemistry, art, and education together. When you enter, your museum map includes a demonstration schedule. The first session of the day is the Gaffers Project Session, during which visitors get a peek at what objects the glassmakers are creating for the gift shops. A “gaffer” is a master glassblower. Thirty-minute demonstrations are scheduled throughout each day between 9 am and 5 pm.
Other demonstrations include hot glass and flameworking, using gobs of molten glass to create useful items and works of art. I was mesmerized by the Flamework Master, who created stunning works of art before an awed crowd. While calmly working on a piece, he told the story of glasswork, described what he was doing, and joked about things that could go wrong, all while holding a 4000° torch.
A fortunate few of us, travel writers in town for a conference, were treated to private demonstrations on the opening night of our International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) conference. That night, the gaffer created a clear glass dragon goblet, the door prize for a lucky attendee.
The unique Innovation Center holds interactive exhibits, blending technology and science. We’ve all heard the term “bend light” or “bend glass,” but in the Innovation Center, you can try it.
The Center was designed with children in mind. Still, we all turn into big kids when there are fun-filled experiments and activities to enjoy.
Another fun activity for kids, little or large, is the Glass Collection Galleries’ scavenger hunt. The themed hunt for October is “Harvest Scavenger Hunt,” which helps keep children engaged while visiting the museum. The first clue is to find a bottle with the right shape and a face that once held Roman wine made from grapes. Easy peasy…I was off and running to find the next item.
I created a glass flower blossom on my visit to the Corning Museum of Glass Studio. The petals are transparent, with shades of blue, white, and yellow mingled into the tips, and it has an intricately twisted stem.
My project started with a glob of hot glass, and I used pinchers to pull it outward around the tube, forming what would become petals. The glass was reheated—you wouldn’t believe how fast it cooled—then I had to repeat the process, pulling each tip further out from the throat. When a pleasing array of petals appeared, the gaffer placed it in a cool-down oven. Glass that cools at room temperature cools too quickly and tends to crack. Not my flower!
The creation process may sound daunting, but with the help of the gaffer, you can create a personal work of art. Every piece is unique!
Wear comfy shoes or running shoes. This place is enormous! Three floors, and a studio across the parking lot. But don’t worry, you will not go hungry. There is a café with a delightful array of foods, from chicken fingers to pizza, from noodle bowls to Pan-Seared Chicken over Jasmine Rice smothered with Lemon Butter Sauce and Steamed Fresh Vegetables.
The Radisson Hotel Corning – The Radisson is conveniently one block from downtown. The rooms are large, comfortable, quiet to the outside world, and the staff is friendly and welcoming (tell Aubrey and Anel at the desk that I said “hi”!) There is a hot breakfast buffet filled with the things you want to fuel your day. It is free if you’re a Choice Hotels member of a certain level. The cozy bar offers local wines and spirits, and there is a live band on many nights. On most summer weekends, the party spills out the back doors onto a large patio.
Corning is filled with delightful places to find your next meal, or to find extraordinary things to do. These articles will help you find your way to the best Corning has to offer.
11 Reasons You’ll Fall in Love With Corning
Best Places to Eat in Corning
Best Wineries in Steuben County’s Finger Lakes
Corning Museum of Glass Hours:
Regular Hours (Apr–Dec): Daily, 9 am–5 pm
Winter Hours (Jan–Mar): Monday–Tuesday, Thursday–Sunday, 9 am–5 pm
Closed Wednesdays
The Shops remain open until 5:30 pm.
15% Off Discounts Available:
AAA members
Age 62+
College students
Military personnel
Admission tickets to the Corning Museum of Glass are valid for two consecutive days. A bonus at the museum is the “Need a Seat?” rack, where visitors may borrow a portable stool to use throughout their visit. They just need to return the seat before leaving.
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Jo Clark is a travel writer, photographer, and podcaster. She calls the Grand Strand of South Carolina home, but enjoys visiting little-known corners of the globe in search of unique spots to share with her readers. It might be a café, winery, safari lodge, museum, or quaint bed and breakfast inn.
You can find links to all her articles on Have Glass, Will Travel, follow her on Instagram, and click this link to listen in to the monthly Jo Goes Everywhere! podcasts.