Corning Museum of Glass facts for kids
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| Established | 1951 |
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| Location | Corning, New York, United States |
| Visitors | 400,000 (2012) |
The Corning Museum of Glass is a special museum in Corning, New York. It's all about the amazing world of glass. You can learn about its art, history, and even the science behind it. The museum was started in 1951 by a company called Corning Glass Works. Today, it has over 50,000 glass objects. Some of these pieces are more than 3,500 years old!
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History of the Museum
The Corning Museum of Glass, often called CMOG, is a non-profit museum. It was first part of the Corning Glass Center, opening in 1951. This happened when Corning Glass Works celebrated its 100th birthday. The company is now known as Corning Incorporated.
Museum Growth and Changes
The first museum building opened in 1951. Over the years, the museum has grown a lot. A new part was added in 1980.
In 1996, a special place called The Studio opened. Here, people can take classes to learn about glass.
The museum was updated in 2001 with new ways to show off its collections. In 2012, it got even bigger. A new section for modern art and design opened in 2015.
In 2023, The Studio got a huge expansion. It grew from 24,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet! This new area is called The Wendell Weeks & Kim Frock Residency Center. It gives artists and students more space to work on glass projects. It also hosts the Glassmaking Institute, which has a two-year program.
The 1972 Flood
In June 1972, a big storm called Hurricane Agnes caused a lot of damage. The museum was hit hard by flooding. Many rare books were covered in mud and broken glass. About half of the library's books were damaged. Also, over 500 glass objects were broken or harmed.
During the cleanup, the library moved to an old grocery store. Staff and volunteers worked for two years to dry, clean, and fix over 7,000 wet books. Special experts helped restore the very rare books. The museum reopened on August 1, 1972, even while repairs were still happening. It showed how determined everyone was to save the collection.
The Amazing Glass Collection
The museum has a huge collection of glass art. It shows how glass has been used throughout history and today.
Museum Galleries
The museum's collection includes modern artworks by famous artists. Some of these artists are Klaus Moje, Karen LaMonte, and Dale Chihuly. You can see glass in many forms, from sculptures to everyday objects.
The galleries cover many different topics, such as:
- Glass in Nature
- How Glassmaking Began
- Glass from Ancient Rome
- Glass from the Islamic World
- Early European Glass
- The Rise of Venetian Glassmaking
- Glass in Europe from the 1600s to 1800s
- Asian Glass
- Glass in America
- Paperweights from Around the World
- Modern Glass
There are also special galleries like the Jerome and Lucille Strauss Study Gallery and the Ben W. Heineman Sr. Gallery of Contemporary Glass. The Ben W. Heineman Sr. Gallery shows how glass is used in art, craft, and design from 1975 to 2010.
Special Exhibitions
The museum always has new and exciting exhibitions. These shows might focus on a specific artist or an important part of glass history. For example, past shows have included "Medieval Glass for Popes, Princes and Peasants" and "East Meets West: Cross-Cultural Influences in Glassmaking."
The Rakow Commission
Since 1986, the museum has a special program called the Rakow Commission. It helps artists create new glass artworks. Each year, an artist gets $25,000 to make a new piece. This new artwork is then added to the museum's collection. It is shown to the public for the first time at an annual event. This program is made possible by Dr. and Mrs. Leonard S. Rakow, who were big supporters of the museum.
Glassmaking Demonstrations
Visitors to the museum can watch glass being made live. You can even learn to make glass yourself!
The museum offers several live glassmaking shows. The Hot Glass Show is very popular. A glassblower shapes hot, melted glass while another person explains what's happening. Cameras show close-ups of the glass and furnaces. This show teaches you about ancient Roman techniques still used today.
The Hot Glass Show happens daily at the museum. It's included with your admission ticket. The show lasts about 20 to 40 minutes. The museum also takes the Hot Glass Show on the road. They bring the demonstration to other places, even on cruise ships!
GlassLab Program
GlassLab is a special design program at the museum. It helps designers and artists try out new ideas with glass. Designers from different fields, like fashion or product design, get to work with glassmakers. They create new designs and see how glass can be used in new ways. Sometimes, they even do "design performances" for the public.
Researching Glass
The museum does a lot of research about glass. They publish books and give talks on many glass topics. It also has a special library called The Rakow Research Library.
The Rakow Research Library
The Rakow Research Library opened with the museum in 1951. It has a huge collection of materials about the art and history of glass. You can find everything from old handwritten books to the latest information on glassmaking techniques. It also has unique papers from artists, companies, and scholars.
The library is open to everyone. In 1985, it was renamed the Leonard S. and Juliette K. Rakow Library to honor its generous donors. You can't check out books from this library. However, you can often get copies of articles or books through other libraries.
Selected collection highlights
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Unknown author
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Louis Comfort Tiffany
See also
In Spanish: Museo Corning del Vidrio para niños
