Corning Museum of Glass

Hot Glass Show Innovation Stage

A major goal of the construction phase of the new North Wing is to minimize disruption to our guest’s visit to the Museum and continue to provide the full experience, including one of the Museum’s most popular programs – live glassmaking. The tradition of glassmaking has been a part of the Museum campus since its opening in 1951. Museum gaffers put on more than 15 Hot Glass Show glassblowing demonstrations a day. The Hot Glass Show Innovation Stage renovation was one of the first steps in the North Wing Expansion project. The Hot Glass Show moved into the new light-filled space just above the Museum’s Admission Lobby, adjacent to the Innovation Center in July 2012. The space, formerly an orientation film theater, was designed by architects Smith-Miller + Hawkinson, who revisited their 1999 design to transform the theater into a new venue suited for glass demonstrations.

The new stage, with 165 seats, offers a unique presentation space, with state-of-the-art all-electric equipment, an energy efficient alternative to natural-gas-powered furnaces. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the east side of area offer views of Corning and also provide pleasant natural light into the space. A ramp between the windows and the theater allows for additional viewing.

The Hot Glass Show is live on the Innovations Stage throughout the day, every day, during the expansion project. See Today's Schedule.