The Corning Museum of Glass, in America’s “Crystal City,” celebrates the holiday season with a glass wonderland of giant glittering ornament trees, hands-on holiday-themed glassmaking and special events.
Through January 2, 2011, visitors to the Museum can:
See Giant Glass Ornament Trees: Two trees of glass ornaments sparkle and delight all ages. One tree measures in at 14 feet and holds more than 1,200 glass ornaments made by glassmakers at The Corning Museum of Glass Hot Glass Show. The other, featuring handmade flameworked ornaments by Museum artist Bob Carson, is eight feet tall and features more than 600 ornaments.
Make Your Own Glass Ornament: Visitors of all ages can blow their own glass ornaments in daily 40-minute glassblowing experiences. Open to all ages (as young as preschool), the ornament-making experience costs $25 per person.
Holiday Open House: On Saturday, December 4, and Sunday, December 5, the Museum opens its doors with completely free admission. Enjoy holiday music by local groups, discounted hands-on glassmaking experiences, craft activities, and Breakfast or Lunch with Santa (additional fee, book in advance by calling 607.974.4084).
Winter Wonder Hunt through the World’s Largest Glass Collection: Children can use special activity sheets to find winter-themed objects in the Museum’s collection of glass art and history.
Give the Gift of Glass: Don’t miss the GlassMarket’s After Thanksgiving Sale (November 26-28) with incredible discounts, or the Annual Studio Glass Sale (December 4-5) of objects made by students and teachers at the Museum’s glassmaking school.
The Corning Museum of Glass features galleries filled with more than 45,000 glass art and historical objects spanning 35 centuries (the largest collection in the world), hands-on exhibitions highlighting the science and technology of glass, and daily live glass demonstrations.
The Museum is located in America’s “Crystal City,” Corning, NY, in the heart of Finger Lakes Wine Country. Corning’s picturesque historic downtown Gaffer District hosts an evening “Sparkle” celebration on Saturday, December 4, with Santa in his Crystal House, horse-and-carriage rides and other events. A number of holiday events take place at wine trails throughout the region.
Corning, NY, and The Corning Museum of Glass are conveniently located directly off Exit 46 on I-86/Rte. 17. The city is four hours north of New York City, two hours south of Buffalo and six hours north of Washington, D.C., about mid-way between Niagara Falls and New York City.
The Corning Museum of Glass is home to the world’s most comprehensive and celebrated collection of glass, with more than 45,000 objects reflecting 3,500 years of glassmaking history. An independent, non-profit, educational institution, the Museum is dedicated to the art, history, science, research and exhibition of glass. The Museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day and from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the summer. Children and teens, 19 and under, receive free admission.
Image: The Corning Museum of Glass