Walk In + Make-It-Now - Pittsburgh Glass Center
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Walk In + Make-It-Now
Walk In + Make-It-Now
Walk in and try glassmaking...no reservations necessary!
Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1:00–5:00pm through May 2, 2026
Every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am-4:30pm May 23 – July 26, 2026
(Subject to availability; slots are limited to 6 per hour)
Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday you can walk in and try glassmaking at Pittsburgh Glass Center without a reservation. In 20 minutes or less, you’ll make a sculpted glass paperweight or a blown glass ornament with the assistance of our artists for just $55. No experience is required. Adults and kids ages 5+ with adult supervision are welcome to participate.
Make a sculpted glass paperweight
Make a blown glass ornament
This is a quick opportunity to get a taste of the glassmaking experience with lots of assistance.
Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be done in person at the Front Desk. For best availability please arrive early, as space is limited and seats often sell out quickly!
Be sure to check the
event calendar
—there are a few special event and closure dates when Walk-In Make-It-Now will not be available.
We also offer many activities where you can have a more hands on experience and you can register ahead to guarantee a spot!
See the list of upcoming activities
here
Due to the nature of hot glass, items must cool first and can be picked up 5 days after your activity. Shipping can be arranged for an additional fee.
Upcoming Walk In + Make-It-Now Dates
Apr
24
Apr
25
Apr
26
May
May
View Calendar
Hot Shop Activities
With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to transform 2,000°F molten glass into a unique glass artwork. Sculpted items will be manipulated and shaped with various metal hand tools. Blown items will be inflated via a flexible tube attached to a blow pipe. The Hot Shop, as the name might suggest, can get warm at times, particularly during summer months. That being said, the activity will only take about 10-15 minutes per person so you won’t be warm for long. We encourage our guests to wear lighter, natural material clothing for safety and comfort. Visitors are welcome to bring water bottles and a water fountain/filling station is available. These activities will involves sitting, standing, and walking around. Suitable for ages 5 and up.
Kiln Shop Fusing Activities
Combine brilliantly colored pieces of glass granules and thin glass strands to create a one-of-a-kind luminous fused glass artwork. Once you design it, we’ll fire it, so that all pieces become one. Participants will work seated in our climate-controlled Classroom and with room temperature pieces of glass. You will begin with a glass tile that acts as your “canvas,” then arrange the colorful glass granules and thin glass strands into a design of your choosing. Once the designs are complete, suncatchers are placed in a kiln overnight to melt (fuse) together forever. Suitable for ages 5 and up.
Flame Shop Activities
With the help of an instructor, participants will learn how to use tools and a tabletop torch to melt and manipulate glass rods and transform them into truly one-of-a-kind objects. These activities take place in our climate controlled Flame Shop, which involves working with a flame, but is not nearly as warm as our Hot Shop. Participants will be sitting at a workstation, making this option slightly more accessible and less physically demanding. Suitable for ages 8 and up.
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