Corning Museum of Glass

08/28/2026

At first glance, ‘Virtue of Blue’ looks like a swarm of butterflies suspended in midair. Look closer, and you'll notice that those butterflies are actually made from solar cells, transforming a piece of technology into something unexpected.

Our Teen Leadership Council selected this work as one of their favorites because of the creative way it connects nature and innovation. Butterflies rely on energy from the sun to take flight, while solar cells capture that same energy to power our world.

By bringing these elements together, the artist invites us to think about how nature and technology can work hand in hand.

Jeroen Verhoeven, Dutch, b. 1976, 2016.3.8

08/18/2026

How does one conserve a glass object that’s shattered into more than 400 pieces? Our new Glass Conservation Intern, Carson, is finding out! 
 
Carson joins us from Ecole de Condé in Paris and her first project is documenting this highly fragmentary glass object excavated from Fustat, near Cairo, Egypt, during a 1967 archaeological dig. The pieces are so delicate that they are paper-thin in places. Before conservation treatment can begin, each fragment needs to be individually laid out and photographed. The next step will be sorting the glass by color, because we suspect this may be more than one object.
 
Stay tuned as Carson works to bring this object one step closer to being reassembled. We’ll be sharing an update once it’s finished!

08/13/2026

The learning never stops at CMoG! You know that colorful shine you see on ancient glass? 🌈 It’s not decoration, it’s actually a sign of deterioration! 

During a recent volunteer training, our team met with Conservator Astrid van Giffen to learn what happens to glass in the ground. As water and minerals interact with buried glass, the glass surface transforms into hundreds of ultra-thin layers, changing how it interacts with light and creating the rainbow-like iridescence we often see on archaeological objects.

That colorful shimmer is actually a form of weathering, which is glass deterioration that happens in the ground. Different areas of the same object can weather in different ways, creating a variety of colors and textures across a single fragment.

These ongoing training sessions help equip our volunteers with deeper knowledge of our collection so they can bring even more stories, science, and discoveries to every visitor experience. 💙✨

08/10/2026

Last week, we had some very good visitors. 🐶

It was such a delight to host Guiding Eyes for the Blind So Tier NY Puppy Raising Region and their puppies in training as they explored the Museum. Exposure to different sights, sounds, and experiences helps prepare these future guide dogs for the important work ahead, and we’re so grateful to support that mission.

Thank you to Guiding Eyes for letting us be part of the learning experience. ❤️ And good luck to all the pups in training 🐾

08/07/2026

07/31/2026

See glass art differently on Fridays at the Museum during our new guided gallery tour and drawing workshop, ‘See & Sketch.’ ✏️👀

Learn artist tips and techniques while sketching from stunning 3D glass objects throughout the Museum’s galleries. Whether you’re picking up a pencil for the first time or looking to sharpen your skills, this experience invites you to slow down and connect with art in a new way.

✅ Free with Museum admission
🎨 Led by a teaching artist
📅 Fridays at 2PM through August 28

Come sketch with us and discover what happens when you take a closer look!