Corning Christmas tree hits 14-feet second time around

The new Corning Christmas Tree is made up of more than 2,000 ornaments, dwarfing the 600-ornament tree from 2008.

Following the success of last year’s 8-foot-tall hand-blown glass ornament tree, the Corning Museum of Glass has gone almost twice-bigger with it’s new pyramid of glass orbs topping out at a jaw-dropping 14-feet. It is made from more than 2,000 individual ornaments made over at the neighboring Hot Glass Show hotshop.

Last year’s version, the first-ever ornament tree Corning put up in their museum, turned into such a crowd-pleaser that it’s become a new holiday tradition. Many museum visitors took pictures of their loved ones in front of the colorful tree. The individual ornaments were blown by the staff of the museum’s Hot Glass Show team that includes Steve Gibbs, Hot Glass programs manager; John Cownden, Hot Glass show supervisor; and gaffers George Kennard, Eric Meek, Lewis Olsen, Don Pierce, Annette Sheppard, and Carl Siglin.

The tree is just one of the many holiday-themed events at the museum, including a children’s special breakfast and lunch with Santa (reserve your spot early by calling 607.974.4084 or 607.974.800 as this $5 meal goes fast).

Of special note is free admission this coming weekend during the museum’s Holiday Open House on December 5th and 6th. This special event on the first weekend in December offers visitors free admission, holiday music, and discounted Make Your Own Glass experience, where ornament-making workshops are offered to the public.

The museum will be open seven days a week from 9 AM – 5 PM this holiday season, closing only on December 24th and 25th, and January 1st. Admission is $12.50 for adults, and free for anyone 19 years old or younger.

IF YOU GO: