North Carolina Glass Center - Asheville, NC

Amazing class experience. I had been curious about glass blowing for quite some time, and this place had great introductory classes. Max was my teacher and we made a cup - it was fascinating, and a great combination of having me do as much as possible while still making a good product. He was a fantastic teacher and really talked me through every step of the process. Great educator and great attention to safety. They obviously have their protocols and procedures down pat. Was definitely a highlight of our trip!

Thank you for packaging up our purchase and sending it to Sarasota. The package arrived today and every item was perfect. We look forward to attending a class next time we are in Asheville. You guys are great! Thank you again for the awesome glass pieces. We are excited to share our experience and beautiful pieces with friends and family. Young Rucks-Mcnorton & Glen Mcnorton

My husband and took a glass glowing session here for our anniversary over the summer. My husband made an ornament and I made this little vase for the yard flowers my kids pick for me. We had a wonderful time. The staff were knowledgeable and kind. They taught us as much of the process we could safely do, but stepped in when they could sense our anxiety about certain steps, while ensuring we ended up with a product we loved. I highly recommend visiting and taking a class when visiting Asheville!

So much fun!! I had zero experience and yet my instructor, Colin, made sure I had a wonderful experience. After a short safety briefing, he guided me carefully through the whole process and watched over my every step. We actually made the piece together, I wasn't on my own, which was perfect because you need help around anything that hot. It was truly amazing to see the glass transform as, together, Colin and I made a beautiful piece. I would recommend this experience to everyone. Just know the instructors are there with you at every step and they'll ensure your safety.

My fiancé and I booked a couple 30 min sessions to make ornaments while we were visiting Asheville. It made a great date and we now have keepsakes to use each holiday. Our instructor was fantastic and guided us through the whole process, knowing we knew nothing about glass work prior to this. We even threw him a curveball and asked if he could add a ribbed texture to our ornaments at the last minute; he was very accommodating and it made our pieces feel more unique. We had our items shipped to us and they arrived very well packed and completely intact, and look great. In speaking with our instructor prior to beginning he told us some of the pieces in the lobby area were created using glass from the clean up of Helene. The whole company and staff was very welcoming, kind, and it was great to hear about how they worked in the community to help with Helene. Would highly recommend taking a class here if you are in the area, I will be back again in the future!

The best experience in Asheville — My 17-year-old loved making a stemless wine glass and there is a fascinating class for making adorable glass creatures. What’s your first name? Max is such a patient and knowledgeable teacher!! Highly recommend!!

Colin was my instructor and he’s wonderful! I’ve never done any glass blowing before and he was very patient and kind as he walked me through the process and helped me make an ornament at a class recently. Highly recommend their classes, it’s a really great hands-on activity and loved my piece!

We had a wonderful experience today at this location. The talent of the glass artists was amazing to see, both in the form of live classes and items to purchase. All staff was very friendly and made us feel welcome. We will cherish our ornament for years to come each holiday season.

I signed up for a three hour class at the Black Mountain location. I had absolutely no experience with glass, so l had no idea what to expect. I certainly didn't expect to come out with four pieces! My instructor, John, was very clear in his instructions and was an excellent teacher. He struck a perfect balance between helping and letting me have a real, hands-on experience. I had a blast. I would suggest signing up for a morning class if possible, and if during the summer. It's a very hot experience, but we went in and out of the air conditioning between projects to cool off. Honestly though, I was having so much fun, I hardly noticed. I HIGHLY recommend The Glass Center in Black Mountain for classes. They also have gorgeous work for sale in their shop. Before I took the class, I thought the things in there were very pricey, but now that l've had an experience with glass blowing, I see just how much work goes into everything.

The instructor was knowledgeable and accommodating. I thought we'd get the chance to actually blow into the glass, but the end products we made look professional. My family scheduled in advance and were able to sit in watching each person's process. Cut the over all time down by about an hour for four people. Yes the class is expensive but the experience/family bonding and final products make it well worth the money and time.

I did a paperweight and it was so much fun! Staff are amazing. I may go back and do a glass. Highly recommend this experience. ​

Took the 30 minute workshop and made a beautiful ornament. They walked me through the process step by step. Very knowledgeable and talented staff. Great experience!

What a fun time it was for my wife and I. She made a pumpkin, me a paper weight. Collin was very friendly and knowledgeable. He walked us through the entire process before we started. Making us feel very safe and confident in the task. The finished products looked great and are now displayed prominently in our house. Thanks for the experience Collin!

Great experience. We had so much fun & love our creations. Max was awesome/so patient & fun.

We had an absolute blast doing this today 2/28/2025. Our instructor was amazing and informative. We definitely cannot wait to do this again! Thank you for the best experience!

My friends and I took a class with Max. He was absolutely awesome!! He was patient and very knowledgable. I made a paperweight and my friends made pumpkins. We truly enjoyed the class and would highly recommend it. It was fun!!

What a wonderful gallery full of stunning Local art glass that will blow you away! I took a class last week and came back on Saturday for an exciting demo by one of the best artists going....Just breathtaking works. On Sunday my husband and I came for a class and made some fabulous glasses with Colin; a great teacher who held our hands every step. Such a unique opportunity and a place to come again and again. wether you live near or are visiting, check it out- it is a true gem and great memory.

Just did the 30 minute make your own glass object! I made a stemless wine glass in 2 colors. Intense, a lot to learn and do, and hot, but highly recommended it!

I paid for my boyfriend to do the 30 minute Hot Shop session as a birthday gift. He loved it! Instructor was thorough and very helpful, and the piece ended up being gorgeous! What a fun experience, both to do and to watch.

Making a paperweight was a fun experience. Caleb showed the process step by step and was patient and considerate.

We took a beginner class with Joe. What a great teacher and enjoyable to be around. He gave us all the help we needed as beginners to create two blown glasses.

Took the classes. Absolutely amazing. Way more hands on than I thought. I would do it again and probably book the whole day of classes

This place is pretty amazing and a must stop when I'm Asheville. You can watch actual glass artists blowing pieces which is very cool and they also have a bunch of glass pieces from various local artists from jewelry to various drink glasses to vases to statement pieces. I went after Christmas and they also had beautiful glass ornaments. For blown glass pieces from local artists, I though the prices were very reasonable. They are also a non-profit, so consider tipping on your purchase. Only thing to consider is if you're buying then flying. I feel like they wrap items thinking you're just taking them by car so if you're flying, you might want to consider re-wrapping your item with more protection.

AWESOME day out for the family... we decided to sign up for some classes to do some glass blowing of our own... (I mean, the guys who taught us did the actual blowing, but they were tremendous about letting us get hands on)! Joe was kind and patient and the other gentleman was also very accommodating for the family of 3 going together. It takes time and if you want to create some beautiful piece, just know that you can't take it home for at least 24 hours, otherwise, you're going to have to plan to have it shipped. You want to plan accordingly if you're not willing to risk shipping or if you don't want to wait for your masterpiece. We were thrilled with the experience and will absolutely return at some point in the future. Thanks for offering such a unique and creative experience for those visiting Asheville. (Plenty of coffee spots nearby too, so you can get your fill when you're finished) :)

Really incredible experience and lovely teachers that assist you during class. Learning what it takes to make each piece of artwork made me appreciate their skill and technique. I proudly drink from my homemade glass everyday! It's such a fun reminder of my vacation.

This was a blast. I am from out of town and my sister and her hubby brought me here. The instructions we very personable and friendly. They walked you through every step before and while you're making the glass. They give you several color choices for primary and secondary colors. They also have a couple of multi color options. We had so much fun. I would highly recommend.

This review is about the glass cups available at the gallery. I LOVE the aesthetic and the artwork but unfortunately one of my four cups that I purchased less than a year ago broke randomly on the shelf and seems to be a defect in the structural integrity. I hadn't used it in a while and I hadn't exposed it to dramatically hot/cold liquids or put it down hard. I've cared for these like the art they are. I shared my concern with them and they weren't willing to offer a replacement or a discount on a new glass. I think you should still support this all business, but just be aware that if you purchase an expensive glass here you may get a defective one that they are unwilling to replace.

The parking is real bad. Surrounding roads are closed. Arrived 15 early and got to class 40 minutes late. Spent must of class time trying find a to park. If you don't make your class, to bad for you. No refunds.

We love the show Blown Away so for my daughter's Birthday, we surprised her with a lesson. Max was an excellent teacher and she had a BLAST! I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested.

This place is so much fun! We have made an ornament and glass here now during a make your own experience. If you can't afford a piece just stop into browse if you are in the River Arts District.

OMG! This is a must if you're in Asheville! My wife and I booked a glass blowing class on the last full day of our vacation and we got to make Christmas ornaments! The staff was sooooo nice and helpful. Everyone was very interested in making sure we learned the process, made cool stuff and making sure we stayed safe the whole time. For anyone visiting Asheville, PUT THIS ON YOUR TO-DO LIST! Btw...our ornaments turned out great!

Love to support local artists. Beautiful pieces in a variety of styles and colors. A great stop in the river arts district!.

This place is glassy! Seriously- this is a cool shop in the Asheville Arts District. I came in after touring the beer scene in Asheville, and was a bit nervous about being like the bull in a china shop. I was already a lil' glassy eyed. However, I was relieved to see that they didn't have all their stuff perilously balanced on rickety shelves. Everything seems firmly displayed. Whew. They have a long list of different artists doing differently themed works with differing levels of intricacy and skill. Prices were all over the place, and quite affordable. They had lots of cool stuff that they'd blown. They have this huge blast furnace with a glowing red hole in it, that I saw various dudes with beards and bibs on dip long rods in, and pull out hot glass. It seems apparent that they'll let the public in to blow glass with lessons or demos. It was just fun hanging around watching them blow bubbles in their glass. You might need to skip the brewery tour if you're gonna be handling hot glass. All that booze on your breath could make the flames explode too.

We had read about this place and seen it on TV. While it was cool to stop in safely during the pandemic, I guess I was a little surprised how small it was. We've been to other glass-blowing places that were larger and had more to display. From the other reviews, it looks like they offer classes as well, so perhaps that experience is more fulfilling. Worth stopping in if you're in the River Arts District.

Awesome experience with Dan today July 17 2022. Bill, Beth,Glen and me had such great fun and made some beautiful pieces. A must go in Ashville..Ask for Dan...Totally worth it...Will go again!!! great folks to help you in their arts center...Go people..

My son and I did 30 minute classes today and had a wonderful time. I will definitely go back. The instructors gave us a great experience with some science and history thrown in. Spoiler: if it looks challenging on TV, it's more challenging than that. But totally worth it.

If you're a fan of blown glass, the Asheville Glass Center is truly as good as it gets. Just take a peek into the store and you'll be amazed by the fabulous pieces, it will be near impossible to keep yourself from entering. Vases, plates and glasses, decorative pieces, paperweights and of course, my personal favorite, the jewelry! I am OBSESSED with blown glass jewelry. The way it changes colors in the sunlight, how lightweight it is, so fragile yet so complex. Asheville Glass Center has a large collection of various artists work AND they offer classes where you can great your own unique piece of blown glass [**cough Steve A., I want to do this! cough**] You can MAKE it yourself, fire included!! They have expanded within the past year, and also have a workshop next door that can be rented by artists and artists-want-to-be's alike. I always stop by the shop when I'm in town, even if just to ooh and ahh over the fabulous artwork. I AM the proud owner of a stunning pair of earrings [Thanks Linda A.!] although I highly encourage you to make sure your earrings are stable BEFORE purchase. Mine were broken before I took them out of the box, yikes! Luckily, Asheville Glass Center exchanged them for me and guaranteed to repair them if they were to break in the future. I'll certainly be back to add another piece to my collection.

Walked past the Glass Center while wandering around River Arts District (aka spotted this after having a beer at Wedge across the street) and got very intrigued by a glass blowing lesson going on right inside of the open garage doors on the sidewalk. One side of the Center is a gallery with all sorts of beautiful blown glass ornaments, drinking glasses, paperweights, vases, etc that you can walk around to browse and even purchase some of the pieces. The other side is the glass blowing workshop itself which is visibly open to the gallery and practically separated by just a rope and piece of tape on the floor. There were two guys leading a lesson with about 3-4 adult students and guiding them one by one through the process of making a glass paperweight. From where we stood observing them we could see the bookshelf with jars of glass beads where each person got to select their colors to work with. We stood and listened to the instructors explaining several different processes and honestly would have enjoyed having stood there from start to finish but we moved on! The next time I am in Asheville I intend to sign up for one of their classes and get to experience it hands on for myself!

Hot stuff, did you know making glass artwork was hard work? I observed a couple getting a lesson on creating a piece of glass art. Most of the work demands you to soften the glass over extreme heat to make it pliable. Then, you pull it, shape it, and use tools to design it. I was sweating bullets and I was just watching. These tools were no joke! But, for me, the extreme heat made it uncomfortable. Yes, the glasses came out beautifully. But, you have to be able to take the heat from the open oven to create it. I will stick to buying the artists beautiful creations.

My wife and I had back to back classes. Casey was the instructor. The experience was awesome and Casey was GREAT! He was very skilled, easy to understand, definitely had a focus on safety but also made the entire process fun and memorable. We would highly recommend this activity. We had a pleasant experience with all staff and were really happy with the entire process!

I highly, highly recommend this place! I took a class this past weekend and made a lovely ornament! My instructor, Alison, was kind, patient, super knowledgable, and made the process a lot of fun for me. I also purchased a gorgeous pair of earrings while I was there--they have lots of beautiful stuff from different glass artists! I also love that it's a nonprofit where artists can practice their craft. Awesome place. I will be back next time my husband and I visit Asheville and I look forward to taking another class in the future!

So my husband and I went here yesterday for the 30 minute hot shop make your own class. Since we booked the class, we were looking forward to it like kids looking forward to Christmas. We were not disappointed!! Beautiful gallery, friendly staff, awesome instructor, perfectly located in the River Art district and lots of fun!! Katherine was our instructor who was fun, informative and just overall a super cool gal. My husband made a tumbler and I made an ornament. Hands down probably one of the neatest things we've done in Asheville! Not to mention you have a unique piece of art made by you!! I'm so pleased with our experience. Highly recommend!!!

Just had a class with Casey... I made a pumpkin and my mom made a paper weight. So cool! Definitely recommend! (Casey is super cute, and funny, and patient which made it even more fun!) They also have lots of awesome glass art for sale.

Phenomenal people, fantastic instruction, and my paperweight tells me to take many more great classes. Highly suggest booking a class. All ages were there learning how to blow glass. Never once did I feel like a burden. It was always supportive and very appreciated. All three of us had a spectacular time and it was the highlight of our trip.

My friend and I both took the lesson to make our own paperweight/ornament recently, and we absolutely loved the experience. Joe was a great teacher and really did the hard work but still involved us enough with the process that we feel like we did contribute. He was very informative and also just a nice, friendly guy. I was amazed by how well my paperweight turned out. It was absolutely worth the cost of the lesson. We both had to have our items shipped to us, and they arrived very quickly and well packaged. The glass center gallery is also lovely and fun to browse.

This was a birthday gift to me from my wife and grown children. My wife was first, making a ball for her Christmas tree. She did a great job and was very thrilled to have done this. My daughter was next, making a paper weight. She also did a great job and was excited to be able to do this. I was last and made a beer glass, Clemson Orange with white spatter at the bottom. Something I have wanted to do forever. It was a blast and will do it again. Cant wait to go back and do a half day or even a weekender. Our items are to be shipped to us. We cant wait to get the finished pieces and show them off.

Came here with my husband for our wedding anniversary. We did the fusing class and really enjoyed it. It was just the two of us. The instructor was very knowledgeable. The only change I would make is that it was slightly longer. It was a little rushed.

We absolutely loved NCGC! The glassworks were beautiful. We signed up for one of the "make your own" classes and made an ornament. Our instructor (I think his name was Cody?) was awesome! He made the course fun, but still informative. Our ornament turned out beautiful and we can't wait to display it in our own!

If you have time when you're in Asheville, go check this place out. Katie spent 30 minutes walking me through the steps to make a beautiful tumbler in colors I chose, and at the end I had a beautiful glass. It was super informative, and Katie was an awesome teacher. If you're questioning whether it's worth it to pay $65 for the lesson plus $15 for the tumbler you're going to keep, consider this: your instructor is not only sharing tons of info about glass-working, they are taking on the responsibility of also helping you make a beautiful product while managing tools and machines that are up to like 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It's no small task, and it's such an awesome adventure! They were patient and helpful, and their instructions kept me feeling safe the entire time. They even welcomed my incessant questions. I hope this company continues to thrive. What a special experience!

A true gem and must visit when in Asheville! We did the 30-min class and came away with 2 beautiful pint glasses. It was amazing how much knowledge the instructors have and how much you learn from them in just thirty minutes. The instructors were very patient and helpful. Absolutely worth the price of the course, and I wish we had longer to do more!

Went there on the arts stroll on a Sunday. Great having the artists explain how and what they were doing. A lot of great items for sale as well. Wonderful learning experience, would like to come back for a class.

This place is absolutely gorgeous and you can tell the artist loves what he does! Please support local artists, we can't have places like this disappear. So much time and live in everything that was in the showroom!

HIGHLY recommend this experience! Initially may seem expensive, but worth every penny! Extremely knowledgeable team, super engaging context, and completely hands on even though it's a very sensitive art. We learned so much and took home a BEAUTIFUL piece of glass work! Could not be happier with this experience and will definitely be back and send friends!

My husband and I took a spontaneous 3 day trip to Asheville and came upon the flyer for NC Glass center at the restaurant we had dinner at. I immediately did research online and signed up for a class the following day. Mike was the amazing instructor who provided the excellent hands on experience. Be prepared to experience heat, and if you have long hair like myself, bring a hair tie. This is the fastest 30 minutes of your life and such an adrenaline rush. Mike is an amazing instructor and very knowledgeable of the whole process. I made the paper weight and you can see some of the steps and the final result. From picking the colors to doing a part in every step, it's an experience of a lifetime you'll never forget.

Just went to spend some money at the NC glass center. Was told can't enter without mask - I asked if they had one and no was the answer. My wife said here take mine I don't need one because of my asthma. Another worker comes out and says it doesn't matter that you have a medical condition you will wear a mask. We have some for you. My wife replied we were just told you didn't. Too bad for them I guess. They missed out. Very rude!

Great little organization. I took a class on basics of glass torch fusion of small pieces. Really enjoyed it. I'm now scheduled for their class for glass blowing.

My niece took my husband and I here over Easter weekend, to introduce us to her love of glass blowing. We did have a good time learning about blowing glass; it was a fun adventure. Our glasses turned out lovely and my ornament turned out very cool, but my husband's ornament turned out too dark to enjoy any of the bright colors. He used black and orange. Being complete amateurs, one would expect the teacher to let us know if certain colors just wouldn't work together. This teacher was good in the aspect of teaching us how to go through the process of making the glass, she just failed to say anything about certain colors not working together and so one of the end products simply didn't turn out and was basically too black without the orange showing through in a nice way. The environment wasn't necessarily "professional"; I understand the whole hippie vibe and wanting to be organic and relaxing, but it's also important the customers are comfortable and aren't subjected to the personal choices of others. Making sure the customer is comfortable should be priority.