Visit PGC
Pittsburgh Glass Center is located in Pittsburgh’s East End neighborhood of Friendship/Garfield, approximately four miles east of the Strip District in downtown Pittsburgh. PGC is a public access facility and admission is free; however, there is a $10 suggested donation.
Everyone is welcome to visit during our open hours and take a self-guided tour to see our contemporary glass exhibition, explore our studios, browse in our gift shop, and meet our artists. We also have many opportunities for you to get into glass.
Visiting Us
Pittsburgh Glass Center is free and open to the public. There is a $10 suggested donation. Stop by during our open hours to explore and learn more. Classes, events, and studio rental are all available outside of our regular hours. Check out our FAQs to learn more.
Lobby, Gallery, & Retail Shop
Spring Hours
Open Tuesday–Sunday 10am–7pm
Closed Mondays
Closing 5pm on Saturday, May 2
Closed Saturday, May 9
Studio Shutdown: May 5–17
Gallery & Shop Hours 10am–6pm daily
May 5–17 is maintenance time at PGC. We turn off the gas and cool off the equipment. We crawl in the furnace (when it is cold) to get a good look up close and repair any cracks and clean the chamber along with all of the other equipment in all of our studios. We are still open to visitors for shopping and viewing our gallery, but the studios are closed because they are in disarray as we rearrange and repair everything.
Summer Hours Starting May 18
10am–7pm Every Day
Road Construction Near PGC
Allow yourself extra time to get to PGC since work is underway on Phase II of the Penn Avenue Reconstruction project.
This project will consist of full-depth reconstruction of all street infrastructure in the project area, including the street, curb sidewalk, ADA ramps, and traffic signals, as well as other mobility and safety improvements and is expected to take approximately two years.
- Westbound/Inbound traffic (heading toward Children’s Hospital) will be maintained and open on Penn Ave.
- Eastbound/Outbound traffic (heading towards Whole Foods) will be detoured onto Main St > Liberty Ave > Baum Blvd > Negley Ave > Back onto Penn Ave.
- Eastbound/Outbound traffic originating north of Penn Ave. should take Broad St.
Get more details from the City of Pittsburgh website.
Walk In + Make-It-Now
Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 1:00-5:00pm through May 2
(Subject to availability; slots are limited to 6 per hour)
Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday you can walk-in and try glassmaking without a reservation. In 20 minutes or less you’ll make a paperweight or a blown glass ornament with help from our artists for $55. No experience is required. Adults and kids ages 5+ with adult supervision are welcome to participate.
This is a quick opportunity to get a taste of the glassmaking experience with lots of assistance.
Get More Details
Our parking lot is small and recommended for compact cars. There is only one entrance and exit on Penn Avenue which can make turning around a bit tricky especially for large vehicles.
If the lot is full, parking on Penn Avenue in front of and near our building is free (be careful not to block the bus stop). There is also free additional parking on the streets in our neighborhood.
One van accessible parking space is available in our lot with a clear access aisle.
Enter the building on Penn Avenue. Proceed through the vestibule to our lobby and retail shop. The steps lead to our main floor. A lift to the main floor is also available to the left of the front desk.
While PGC is public access and admission is free, there is a $10 suggested donation. We rely on individual contributions to augment the revenue generated by our classes and workshops in order to keep our doors open, our fires hot, and to continue our mission of education and community outreach. There are two donation boxes located on the first floor of our Penn Avenue building. We genuinely appreciate support in whatever amount you are able to give!
You can explore our studios using our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural platform created by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Bloomberg Connects app, available on the web and for download from Google Play or the App Store, makes Pittsburgh Glass Center accessible through photo, audio, and video features offering insights into the science, art, and history of glass in Pittsburgh. Find our guide online, or once you install and open the app, search for or scroll to Pittsburgh Glass Center to start planning your visit! You can learn more here.
Pittsburgh Glass Center is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive, welcoming, and accessible to everyone. If a special accommodation can help you or anyone in your group fully participate in our programs, please email us or call 412-365-2145. Learn more about accessibility at Pittsburgh Glass Center.
As a public access studio, everyone is welcome to visit during our open hours. Visitors can use our self-guided tour brochure, supplemented by our exciting new mobile guide in the free Bloomberg Connects app, to explore the building, peek into our four studios, and see contemporary glass art in The Hodge Gallery.
If you are seeking something more, check out our classes and events or schedule a private activity.
Program Cost: Suggested $10 donation
Pittsburgh Glass Center (PGC) is internationally recognized as one of the United States’ premier glass facilities. Learn the specifics about our four studios, the equipment and space available in each, and procedures for rental and open studio participation.
