About

From children looking for an adventure to artists looking for inspiration, there's something for everyone at The Corning Museum of Glass. See more than 35 centuries of glass art in the galleries, explore glass innovations in our hands-on science and technology area, and watch live glass demos — all day, every day of the week. You can even Make Your Own Glass! There is a lot to see and do, so we recommend allowing 3-4 hours for your visit.Conceived of as an educational institution and founded in 1950 by Corning Glass Works (now Corning Incorporated), the Museum has never been a showcase for the company or its products but exists as a non-profit institution that preserves and expands the world's understanding of glass. When the Museum opened to the public in 1951, it contained a significant collection of glass and glass-related books and documents: there were 2,000 objects, two staff members, and a research library, housed in a low, glass-walled building designed by Harrison & Abramowitz.By 1978, the Museum had outgrown its space. The Gunnar Birkerts addition raised the galleries high above the flood level on concrete pillars. In the early 1990s, architects Smith-Miller + Hawkinson designed an addition to the main Museum building, using glass wherever possible. At the beginning of 2012, the Museum announced a $64 million expansion project, designed by Thomas Phifer, to expand the contemporary gallery and Hot Glass Show space. The Contemporary Art + Design Wing is slated to open in March 2015.In just over 60 years, the Museum has grown into a collecting, exhibiting, teaching, and research facility whose scholarship and outreach are felt around the world. The Corning Museum of Glass is now home to the world's largest collection of glass, containing more than 45,000 objects representing 3,500 years of glass history. Free admission for kids and teens, 17 and under.