My friends and I away on a girl's weekend, hell yes we want to do this. The people are the nicest on the planet. What you actually get to do is blow! Pick out your ornament and watch the process. It was a quick but very nice experience to do with my besties at a reasonable price. It's ready for pick up 24hr later. Check it out while in Corning read more

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If you are looking for a glass making experience this is the place. We have taken a class at the Corning Museum which was fun, but Hands-On Glass provides a more personalized experience. Our group of 4 had the entire place to ourselves! My experience was the most hands-on. I made a paperweight. I was able to dip molten glass into colors, roll it, pull the glass like taffy, shape it & flatten the bottom. With the instructor at the ready to save you or your project and take over when needed! And they engrave your name and date on the bottom of the paperweight! The rest of the group did blown glass pumpkins. After watching my project they learned the glass blowing is just that. The instructor get the glass, colors it, inserts it into a mold - then brings it to a stand for you to blow. It's kind over in a minute - but the pumpkins are spectacular! My granddaughter made a small pumpkin & the instructor immediately had her make another larger one! The pumpkin stem is made by twisting molten glass around a pipe, so the instructor does that difficult part. The projects need to cure (cool down) to be picked up the next day. What's fun is you can't really tell what the colors are until you pick it up! They sell all types of blown glass objects at a better price than that of downtown shops. Hope you have as much fun as we did. COVID protocols in place for safety. read more

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This is a must do experience if you are in Corning, NY. They are so welcoming! The process is amazing, and your finished product is so special. We go every time we visit Corning. Do not miss this experience. read more

Came here on a cousins night out and it was definitely a fun experience! That being said, it wasn't as hands-on as the museum offers, but it certainly is cheaper, especially if you're not interested in seeing the museum! All the staff were so friendly, and they have a cute selection of pre-made glass products to purchase! We ended up picking up a cute little glass pig to display in our house. read more

Had so much fun blowing our own pumpkins! Highly recommend this activity and shopping at the studio. I'll be back the next time I'm in town. Thanks so much for an amazing visit! read more

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My wife and I made glass paperweights at this hybrid retail-commercial glass blowing studio. The studio, aside from giving glass blowing lessons by appointment, has their glass products for sale. We picked up some beautiful pen sets. The owner and the staff were extremely knowledgeable and professional. The experience took about an hour, and as the name implies, the activity is very hands-on. This is no light-weight tourist affair. It is a serious and careful exercise that teaches you how to securely handle the tools and steps of glassblowing. We are very proud of our finished products, and will return in the future to practice our nascent skills. read more

Cool to watch. I came with family members that blew glass 2 days ago. They came to pick it up. Upon arriving, I noticed a cute garden outside. The lights weren't on inside and it was hot and humid. Huge bathroom and there's a cat! I was getting gifts for friends and thought the sign said 2 for $10, so rather than getting a $10 cup, marble, or paper weight, i got 2 pieces of jewelry. When it was rang up, it was $21 for 2. Why tho? Maybe turning on the light and having stuff clearly labeled would avoid awkwardness. Stuff inside is pretty, especially the pumpkins. The details on those were so intricate. I wanted one, but not for $25. It's not particularly useful. Nice to look at though. read more

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If I could give this establishment 10 stars I would. I am absolutely blown away by the kindness and knowledge of glass they shared with us during our visit. Hands-On is a family owned business we had the pleasure of meeting Rodi, her husband and their son. Super friendly!! While there I made a pumpkin and my husband made an ornament. We got to try out a new color called Frost and had the chance to make an extra ornament. A mishap happened with one of our ornaments during the cooling off period, it developed a crack. Without any questions asked they offered us to make another ornament. Which we felt truly grateful for. We love how they came out. They are beautiful!! Will definitely visit again! read more

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Highly recommend and was one of the best things that my wife and I did on our anniversary week. The people were over the top helpful. The people were very laid back but knew how to provide amazing customer service. Walked away with amazing memories, a pumpkin, and a Christmas ornament. read more

Hands-On Glass Studio - Glass Blowing Near Me - Corning, New York

We had a phenomenal time making glass paperweights at the studio and the experience was the highlight of our trip to Corning. The staff could not have been nicer and it was so fun. We were impressed with how much they let you do while making the glass and appreciated how informative they were about the process. We had the paperweights shipped to us since we were leaving early the next day and they arrived super quickly. I'd highly recommend visiting and hope to go back! read more

We hoped to go to Corning Glassworks Museum to blow glass pumpkins, but no appointments were available, so as luck would have it someone in downtown Corning recommended Hands On Glass Studio! We called, got an appointment, and had the best afternoon ever! Fun, informative and the end result was fabulous! Highly recommend this hidden gem and can't wait to return! read more

You MUST go to this amazing studio! We traveled to Corning from Georgia and after speaking with the locals, we learned about this amazing place. Several people insisted that we must take a class with Rodi. We drove to the studio, which was just on the other side of the bridge from downtown Corning, and met Rodi. She was incredibly kind and chatted with us for a long time about glass, her work over the years, and she entertained my partner's questions (my partner is a lampworker and makes glass beads). While it is clear that she is highly skilled, talented and knowledgeable, she was also incredibly humble and kind. We came back the next day for a hands on glass experience like no other! The price to make our own pieces, no matter which one(s) you choose, was very affordable especially when compared to the museum. My partner and I both made paperweights with Rodi and her assistant. They thoroughly explained the process in advance and then we created the paperweights with their help. Despite the fact that the glass is very hot, I felt very safe and comfortable with Rodi and her assistant by my side. We then made blown glass pumpkins and that process was much faster due to the nature of blowing glass but Rodi was just as informative and we actually got to blow the glass as opposed to just using a silly little pedal like the museum has. We had to have Rodi mail the pieces to us because we were leaving Corning that day but the shipping charge was beyond fair and she packed everything perfectly. All of the pieces arrived in perfect condition and they were even more beautiful than I had expected. As an added bonus, they etched my name and date onto the bottom of the paperweight at no extra charge (this is optional but now I will always remember when I went). I still can not believe that they are items I created with the help of Rodi! We did give her and her assistant a tip for their time and attention. We loved it so much, I wish we had more to give them! Additionally, Rodi has lots of cool glass pieces for purchase in her shop at incredibly low prices, locally made and not imported. She has sun catchers, pen holders with pens, paperweights, mushrooms, cups, glasses, vases, etc. I guarantee you can find a beautiful piece for yourself or as a gift. I purchased 2 vases for my home and sun catchers as gifts and they were a hit! All this to say, one day, we will return to Corning and instead of this being the place we go to on our last day, it will be the first place we go. Do yourself a favor and call Rodi in advance to schedule your unique hands on glass experience. You will not regret it! read more

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We drive back and forth from NYC + Toronto to visit family and Corning, NY is a great place to stop overnight, at the halfway point. We wanted to have a fun glass experience this time around and found Hands-On Glass by doing an online search. We had *such* a spectacular time. From chatting and getting to know the owner, who did a glass blowing demo for us, to my daughter (4.5y) and I actually getting to blow our own glass! We really enjoyed looking at all of the glass keepsakes for purchase (gorgeous) and our kids enjoyed a table full of kid-type activities while we perused the goods. A really fun experience for all four of us, we highly recommend. Our keepsakes were mailed to us within a few days (very well packaged) and now we enjoy our creations at home! read more

This was one of the coolest experiences ever. First off, they have four CATS just randomly hanging out there. You pick out what you want to make. They give a demo on the glass blowing. Then they do the whole thing in front of you and you get to blow. Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Heads up-you have to come back in 24 hours for your piece or they'll ship it (for a fee). Very reasonably priced read more

Honestly just a great experience every time I've been! A great hidden treasure right in our own back yard. Makes for a fun date night, family/group event. I loved making ornaments, pumpkins and a snowman. The crew was so knowledgeable and shared details with us all, encouraged and educated the kids when they were a little nervous, and allowed for us to take some amazing pictures from all angles- while promoting our safety throughout. They take such pride in their craft, The prices are super fair, and the memories are priceless! Definitely check them out if you haven't already!! read more

As you'll read, I'm a big fan of blown glass and this place is first rate. It may be a little out of the way from Ithaca, NY but it's worth the drive. Call ahead, make sure it's open if you're just buying Xmas ornaments and/or paperweights. What makes Hands-on Glass Studio nifty is---you can make your own. From simple ornaments to more elaborate items (where you can take lessons and learn the art). With all compliments, this is the proletarian alternative to the very bourgeois Corning Museum of Glass Studios, which are world-glass envy. This is a great experience for kids as well as us older kids. There's some satisfaction when you hear, "Yeah, tell Santa Claus I made that one for him." read more

We had the best time making a paperweight and pumpkin. The artists were very nice and explained things so well that it was a fun fantastic experience. read more

The staff is very accommodating and amazing. Our family had an amazing experience doing a few glass blowing projects: ornaments, pumpkin, and a paperweight. The ornament and pumpkin is perfect for kids. The paperweight is an amazing experience for adults as there are many steps involved. We arrived in Corning around 6pm at night. They were open to us coming in and we arrived at 7pm and stayed about 2 hours. Just amazing! I was too late to get a glass blowing activity at the Corning museum of glass and wow I am so excited that happened or else I would never of looked for this place.m. We basically had a private session with the staff at Hands On Glass and it will be remembered for a lifetime!!! This is a must do. read more

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This place was awesome. Rodi and her crew were extremely accommodating. My girlfriend and I had a limited amount of time to do our glass blowing. The crew there got us in, had everything ready, arranged shipping, and even offered us a lift back to where our tour bus was waiting. It was a great experience for very little money. I highly recommend it. read more

This is one of the best experiences I've ever had! If you've ever had the desire to make a paperweight or try your hands (well, lips) at glassblowing, this is not to be missed. Rodi, the owner and my instructor, was a gentle, knowledgeable guide demonstrating the necessary steps and encouraging me along the way. It was so incredible to be near the kiln and to see glass heated to 2000 degrees. It is a beautiful, creative experience which is not to be missed! read more

Great fun, the people are wonderful and the prices are good! They will let just about anyone participate in the glass blowing (even the small children). A must for out-of-town guests who would like a little glimpse into what made Corning famous - glass... read more