Corning Museum of Glass

If you ever find yourself in Western (upstate?  Not sure which is more appropriate, here) New York, stop in Corning, the former home of Steuben Glass, where nothing stands of it except the Corning Museum of Glass.

Dale Chihuly

sculpture right in the

main entrance.

Opened in 1951 as part of the Steuben Glass factory, the Corning Museum of Glass is a large, glass (surprised?) building that showcases glassblowing and the process of making glass, art, as well as historical uses and collections of glass.  You know you're in for a treat when Dale Chihuly's 15-foot "Fern Green Tower" greets you.  Built in 1999 and reconfigured in 2013 to be even bigger, Fern Green Tower comprises 712 hand-made pieces, attached to a steel structure.  Tiny pieces of Chihuly artwork sell for thousands.  So, don't lean against this thing unless you have deep pockets.

Of course, the best part of the museum is the gift shop, where every time I go I can't help but buy something I totally don't need.

Enough already!  Let's get to the pictures:

A glassblowing demonstration.  

Blood cells art.

A four-story still life.

Another Chihuly piece.

Hershey's Kisses?

This is called "Soma, 2015".  Borosilicate glass rods, fused and
flameworked, polymer, and LED lighting.

I've got one just like this at home!

This is "Ghost Walk under Infinite Darkness".  Blown and
mirrored glass, fused, hot-worked, and cut murrine cane,
applied dichroic glass, two-way mirrored box, wood pedestal,
LED light.