Corning Museum of Glass Offers Free Holiday Open House

Corning, NY – The Corning Museum of Glass hosts its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 1, and Sunday, December 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.During this weekend, admission is free to all visitors.Enjoy holiday music by local groups, unique glass displays, discounted hands-on glassmaking experiences (fee applies; first come, first served at The Studio), craft activities, and Breakfast or Lunch with Santa ($6; book in advance by calling 607.438.5500). Visitors to the event are encouraged to bring an unwrapped toy for children in need; these items will be distributed to local charities.

And don’t miss the Glass Wonderland (www.cmog.org/wonderland). In addition to a host of family-friendly holiday events and activities, the Museum features a variety of sparkling glass displays, hands-on ornament-making experiences and unique glass sales.

Through January 5, 2013, visitors to the Museum can:

• See Glittering Holiday Displays: With trees that won’t shed, snowmen that won’t melt, and a feast guaranteed to last the entire holiday season, the Museum has a backdrop for every family’s holiday picture. See two giant trees made entirely of glass ornaments, a life-sized snowmen family, and a holiday feast made entirely of glass. Visitors can even watch the creation of these glass marvels on the Museum’s YouTube channel.




• Make Your Own Glass Ornament or Snowman: Visitors of all ages (as young as preschool) can create their own glass ornaments and snowmen in daily 40-minute glassblowing experiences. The ornament- and snowman-making experiences cost $27 per person. These handmade pieces make great holiday gifts or decorations.




• Explore the Galleries with a Winter Wonders Hunt: Children can explore the Museum’s galleries with winter-themed activity sheets to find objects in the Museum’s collection that feature things like holly, snowflakes, boots and more.




• Give the Gift of Glass: Shoppers can kick off the holiday season at the GlassMarket’s After-Thanksgiving Sale (November 23–25), with discounts of up to 80% throughout the eight boutiques. Shop for unique gifts, including handmade jewelry, decorative ornaments, housewares, gifts for kids, and much more. The Annual Studio Glass Sale (December 1–2) features objects made by artists who teach and create work at The Studio, the Museum’s state-of-the-art glassmaking school.

The Corning Museum of Glass features more than 45,000 glass art and historical objects, spanning more than 3,500 years (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 Corning, NY—America’s “Crystal City”—in the heart of Finger Lakes Wine Country. Corning’s historic downtown Gaffer District hosts an evening “Sparkle” celebration on Saturday, December 1, with Santa in his Crystal House, horse-and-carriage rides and other events. The region is also home to a variety of outdoor activities, natural wonders and a number of holiday events that take place at wine trails and scenic towns.

The Museum is conveniently located directly off Exit 46 on I-86/Rte. 17. Corning, NY, 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.

About The Corning Museum of Glass

The Corning Museum of Glass is the foremost authority on the art, history, science, and design of glass. It is home to the world’s most important collection of glass, including the finest examples of glassmaking spanning 3,500 years. Live glassblowing demonstrations (offered at the Museum, on the road, and at sea on Celebrity Cruises) bring the material to life. Daily Make Your Own Glass experiences at the Museum enable visitors to create work in a state-of-the-art glassmaking studio. The campus in Corning includes a year-round glassmaking school, The Studio, and the Rakow Research Library, the world’s preeminent collection of materials on the art and history of glass. Located in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York State, the Museum is open daily, year-round. Kids and teens, 19 and under, receive free admission.