New York > Creative Experiences

Private Glass Blowing

Brooklyn, NY

From: $271

Item #: CRE-NEW-0033

(41 Reviews)

For one of the most unique things to do in NYC on a weekend, engage in a Private Glass Blowing Class in NYC!

Discover the magic behind molten glass, design a colorful piece of art that's all your own.
Receive hands-on guidance from an expert glass blower in NYC with 25+ years of experience.
Practice skills behind the art and science of glass blowing: safety, handling, Venetian cane techniques, color application, cold working, and casting.
Your Brooklyn glass blowing instructor's work is sold around the world in places such as the Museum of Modern Art.

From: $271

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Overview

For one of the most unique things to do in NYC on a weekend, engage in a Private Glass Blowing Class in NYC!

Discover the magic behind molten glass, design a colorful piece of art that's all your own.
Receive hands-on guidance from an expert glass blower in NYC with 25+ years of experience.
Practice skills behind the art and science of glass blowing: safety, handling, Venetian cane techniques, color application, cold working, and casting.
Your Brooklyn glass blowing instructor's work is sold around the world in places such as the Museum of Modern Art.

Full Description

Availability

When Do I Choose A Date?

If giving as a gift, your recipient can choose a date at their convenience; otherwise, you can choose one after checkout.

Year-Round:
Saturdays - 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM

Important Details

Essential Information

Participants must be at least 16 years old
Participants under 18 years old must be accompanied by a parent
All levels are welcome and your class will cater toward your ability
Materials and tools are included
Students typically will take home handmade marbles and a paperweight so that they can show their work to the world
Items must cool overnight in the oven, but will be available for pick-up
- Shipping fees will apply for items that cannot be picked up

Duration

2 hours per class

Experience Provider Info

Complete information for your Experience Provider, including contact information, will be included on your booking confirmation email once you or your gift recipient have scheduled the experience. Our Product Management team handpicks top-rated experience providers, removing the guesswork for you and ensuring your peace of mind.

Maximum Participants

For 1 or 2 participants depending on the option selected.

Spectators

This is a private glass blowing class.

Weather Dependent

This experience is not weather dependent.

What To Wear

Wear long sleeves and long pants made of cotton. Please also wear closed toed shoes and bring eyewear.

FAQs

Do I need to have experience?

You don't need any glass blowing experience. All skill levels are welcome, whether it's your first time giving glass blowing lessons a go, or you have prior experience. The instructor will be sure to tailor the class to best fit your ability.

Can I take my designed piece home at the end of the class?

Due to the heating and cooling characteristics of glass, your creation must be left overnight at the studio, to cool in the oven and set properly. Items may be picked up by students shortly thereafter, and shipping is available (for a fee) for those unable to return to the Brooklyn location.

Returns, Exchanges & Cancellations

Returns
Experience Vouchers that have not been redeemed can be returned hassle-free within 30 days. All refunds will be made to the original purchaser.
Exchanges
Experience Vouchers that have not been redeemed can be exchanged for anything else in our marketplace at any time. If you choose to exchange for an experience that costs more, you'll simply have to pay the difference. If you choose to exchange for an experience that costs less, you'll have a credit towards your next booking with Virgin Experience Gifts.

Cancellation Policy

Once you have received a booking confirmation, cancellations and rescheduling are allowed up to 14 days prior to the experience. Failure to appear on your booked date or to cancel and reschedule at least 14 days prior to your booked date will result in the loss of the value of your experience.

Other New York Experiences

Customer Reviews

This experience has a customer rating of 5
based on 41 reviews.

View More Reviews:

Once in a lifetime experience Our instructor kevin was amazing I would highly recommend this experience to everyone.

— Jessica M | Jan 27, 2020

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

What an amazing Christmas gift! I'm so glad our awesome providers were able to treat you guys to such a cool glass blowing experience! Cheers, Jake.

I purchased the 2hr glass blowing class for 2 as a surprise for my wife for our anniversary. Kevin was very nice and, importantly, patient as he showed us how to work with glass for our first time ever. We had a lot of fun and each came away with a marble, long stem flower, and oval paperweight as well as a mug he made especially for us to demonstrate some more advanced techniques that were beyond what we could attempt in just the 2 hrs we had. We learned a lot and my wife thoroughly enjoyed it. I know I personally wouldn't mind going back for more if it wasn't a tad far away from where we live. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who is considering it.

— Steve D | Oct 10, 2019

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Steve, What a lovely surprise for your wife! Kevin is so wonderful to work with, and he's so excited to share his knowledge. Glass blowing is such a unique experience, and I'm glad to hear he made you feel at ease. I hope that you made some wonderful new memories in the studio, and that your souvenirs always remind of this anniversary. Cheers, Inah

My sister and I had a great time. The instructor was very attentive and helpful. We felt very safe during the process of working with the hot glass. This was something my sister had always wanted to try, and she was very happy she finally had the chance. It was definitely a worthwhile experience for both of us.

— E. P | Jul 01, 2019

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi, That's so wonderful to hear! Kevin is fantastic to work with and I'll be sure to pass your compliments along. I know that glass blowing can be intimidating, but I'm thrilled that your sister was able to check this one off the list! It's definitely a one of kind experience. Let us know when you feel like taking another turn in the studio! Cheers, Inah

From beginning to end Kevin made this an exceptional experience! His knowledge, patience, and skill created a great learning experience. He covered it all; safety, history, and step by step instructions. I highly recommend it!

— Sharon Z | May 13, 2019

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Sharon, Thank you for taking the time to write in! Kevin will be so happy to hear you enjoyed your time with him. Let us know when you feel like exploring your creative side again! Cheers, Inah

The class was great! Kevin is so talented and helpful. We had no glassblowing experience before this session and it was a blast. I’d definitely recommend it to others.

— Adam C | Feb 11, 2019

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Adam, That's so wonderful to hear! We love working with Kevin for the same reason, and I'm glad your first glass blowing experience went well. Maybe you've found your new hobby? Cheers, Inah

Kevin gave a great introduction to glass blowing. He was friendly, gave just enough of the science behind what was going on, and provided a great overview of the tools and techniques. When it was time to get hands on he was patient and helpful and let me figure it out as I needed to. I hope I get a chance to go back and learn more.

— Josh B | Oct 29, 2018

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Blake, That's wonderful! I'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Kevin - he's so passionate about glass blowing and teaching, he'll be thrilled! Maybe you've found your new hobby? Cheers, Inah

Kevin is a great teacher and the space & view are also amazing! Memorable experience and very informative and fun. Highly recommend.

— Nicole R | Aug 06, 2018

We enjoyed our glass blwong class tremendously. Was interesting and with a great view of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan and I have a new found respect for the skill and the creativity it takes to turn molten sand into a piece of art!

— William A | Jul 24, 2018

This was a great introduction to the art of glass blowing (or, in this case, more like glass molding as we didn't actually blow any glass in the first lesson). Kevin was great - super patient and intervened just enough to make sure everyone's projects turned out well.

— Robert V | Nov 13, 2017

Great class and a fun learning experience! Thanks Kevin!

— George E | Apr 09, 2018

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi George, I'm glad you had a fun time with Kevin! Maybe you found your new hobby....? :) Have a fantastic day! Jennifer

The teacher clearly loves his craft and guided us through the experience safely. The location of the facility is inconvenient to get to, but very cool - with a gorgeous view of the Statue of Liberty.

— Stephanie M | Mar 12, 2018

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Good Morning Claire, I'm so glad to hear you had a nice time with Kevin! We love working with him- he is so knowledgeable and loves sharing that passion with his guests. I hope you were able to learn a lot and make some memories! Thanks for sharing! Jennifer

A true, hands on experience. Kevin really let you feel like you were control, but was always a step ahead to make sure you avoided disaster. Really enjoyed. As a bonus, great view of the statue of liberty from the workshop. Pro Tip: Go to Red Hook Winery afterwards, just a couple blocks away.

— Todd & | Mar 19, 2018

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Todd, I'm so glad you had a fun time with Kevin! We love working with him- he's an awesome instructor, and I will pass along your kind words. I'll definitely have to try out the Red Hook Winery at some point! Thanks again for your feedback! Jennifer

We had a great time. Kevin was knowledgable, and fun to spend time with. It was relaxed, fascinating, and a wonderful experience.

— Ted M | Feb 19, 2018

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Ted, I'm so glad you had a good time with Kevin, and I hope you were able to learn more about this unique art form! Let me know if you ever want to get out on a new adventure!

Kevin, our instructor, was awesome. We learned so much about the glass-making process and received incredible hands-on experience. I would highly recommend this experience!

— Karin G | May 08, 2017

Kevin was so informative. Our care and safety was his top priority. Kevin had the patience of a saint with us. He was great! I have always been fascinated with this form of art, and this experience was just what I was looking for. It was harder than it looks but I would recommend it to anyone. An A+ lesson.

— Karen B | Feb 27, 2017

Kevin was very knowledgeable, helpful, and a good teacher, not to mention experienced. I later learned he's been doing glassblowing since 1969! I bought the lesson for two for me and my girlfriend. After introducing ourselves to Kevin, he went through some basics with us with demonstrations and safety precautions, then we dove right in. While being able to work with the glass ourselves was fun, it was even more rewarding to be able to watch the master at work with a demonstration when we had some extra time. I'm definitely interested in continuing with a second class.

— Peter L | Aug 29, 2016

Kevin explained glass-making techniques and safely instructed us in making a few small objects. Kevin certainly knows what he is doing. I think a bit more about the history of glass blowing and his personal background would have enhanced the experience. Perhaps he could have demonstrated blowing glass himself. We watched others doing it, but it would have been nice to see Kevin do it himself.

— Mark S | Apr 18, 2016

I booked this class as a birthday present for my partner, and we had a great time! Kevin was extremely knowledgeable and talked us through everything. We managed to make some great paperweights. Fantastic experience!

— Anna H | Jan 31, 2016

Neil from Scanlan Glass was fabulous! He was patient and knowledgable. I can't wait to take another class with him.

— Amy N | Jan 17, 2016

It was a simple but sufficiently-detailed introduction into glass blowing history, with good instructions about the glass-blowing process. He made me feel comfortable trying first steps in the glass blowing process, to the point that I wish I could learn more!

— Irmgard B | Dec 31, 2015

Great time with Kevin! We got to take home 3 different pieces. Minimal training required. You can jump right in and Kevin does a great job teaching you how it works. Highly recommended for a different sort of afternoon!

— Jack B | Nov 17, 2015

Kevin at Scanlan Glass is a glass artist with a lot of passion for his art and trade, and much patience to pass that on to others. Two hours was the perfect amount of time to learn as much as we could and experience the thrill of handling glass at high temperatures.

— Rachel S | Sep 28, 2015

Our glass-blowing instructor was friendly and knowledgeable. He began with a mini-tour of his studio, then gave us a brief history of glass. He demonstrated what we'd be doing, then had us practice the techniques several times without the molten glass. I felt safe (dealing with hot glass), and engaged the entire time, and it was so much fun to learn how some of the glass pieces I've seen are created, firsthand.

— Celeste F | Apr 13, 2015

In this day and age of automation, apps and gadgets, it was nice to experience real craftsmanship and knowledge for a lost industry. Our instructor, Kevin, was polite, patient and very knowledgeable. I have a new-found appreciation for glass and glass art. If I had time and money, this would be a nice hobby or trade.

— Shirlene L | Mar 02, 2015

Such a fun and unique experience. The class was challenging, thoughtful, and insanely interesting. My husband and I will certainly take another glass blowing class, and also use Cloud 9 Living again. All in all, a really easy process and we got to spend an afternoon with an authentic person and artist.

— Tiffany D | Feb 02, 2015

Our experience at the glass studio was amazing! I have already recommended it to many people! Kevin was such a great teacher --- very patient and friendly. We look forward to going back in the future.

— Danielle Z | Dec 18, 2014

I enjoyed the experience immensely. The instructor was extremely knowledgeable, and I felt like I received exactly what was advertised.

— Elizabeth M | Nov 24, 2014

Kevin was AMAZING! Very nice & made us feel very comfortable.

— Mia S | Nov 23, 2014

I hope that my marking extremely satisfied is not viewed as simply the easiest way to respond to the survey. I was truly extremely satisfied no only with the experience, but with Cloud 9 Living's scheduling processes. I was trying to schedule this with a cousin of mine who has a newborn and so the timing was a little difficult because she is restricted on when she can leave the baby. The first attempt at dates did not work out (know that we were trying to schedule at last minute and not very flexible on time, so it is not unreasonable that it did not work out). The Cloud 9 Living assistant was super friendly and understanding and really worked to provide us some options. We eventually got it scheduled. Kevin Scanlon, the instructor at the experience itself, was very knowledgeable and helpful. My cousin and I had a lot of fun, learned a lot, and got some good hands on experience.

— Anne P | Oct 13, 2014

What an awesome experience, I want to do it again. Kevin is a fantastic teacher -- incredibly talented and patient. I was surprised at how much I was able to learn in two hours, and how much fun I had in the process. I would highly recommend this experience to others.

— Nancy H | Jun 23, 2014

It was a wonderful experience. My husband and I had a great time. It was nice and private. The view from the studio was amazing. Our instructor Kevin was so warm and knowledgeable. I have already recommend the experience to friends and family. And we got keepsakes.

— Telina A | May 19, 2014

what a great experience. glass blowing with kevin was great! such a cool thing to do! amazing how he made everything look so easy loved it! will definitely recommend to friends

— Joeanna G | May 12, 2014

Absolutely perfect!

— Brian & | Feb 16, 2014

Nice enough guy, but for $300 and a trip to RedHook, you have certain expectations.

— Leighton Z | Feb 10, 2014

The class is informative and fun. Safety measures are always in place and practiced before diving in. Instructor is friendly, patient and knowledgeable. The location is also great, very scenic.

— Jessica W | Jan 13, 2014

I had such a great time at my private glass blowing Cloud 9 experience.! Our instructor, Kevin, was awesome - very knowledgeable and personable. He was very patient and made every effort to make the session very special for us. We even got to keep what we made! I rate this experience an A++. I would definitely recommend Cloud 9 Living as well as the glass company and even do it again myself!

— Christine G | Jun 10, 2012

I had a great time experiencing the art of glass blowing.The instructor Kevin Scanlan was friendly, knowledgeable, and a fine artist.

— Michael G | May 07, 2012

It was an amazing two hours. My husband and I really enjoyed the experience.

— Lou A | Apr 16, 2012

Patient, well informed trainer. A wonderful experience!

— Karen G | Jan 09, 2012

The glass company was great--very patient, very educational, very supportive. Responsive to our requests.

— Robert B | Nov 03, 2011

We thoroughly enjoyed the class. It was well presented, educational and lots of fun!

— Lynne M | Jun 03, 2019

Response from Virgin Experience Gifts

Hi Lynne, That's what we love to hear! I hope you made some wonderful new memories - maybe you've found your next hobby? Cheers, Inah

Private Glass Blowing