Entry No. 31 — the Helena file — filed under: hands-on
Goose Bay Handblown Glass
Jim and Terry Gundersen have been blowing glass in this Townsend shop since 2002, working at the furnace nearly every day from 10am to 4:30pm. They take visitors one-on-one by appointment for hands-on lessons, walking you through gathering molten glass and shaping your own piece while the gallery of finished work glows around you. It is a tiny, owner-run hot shop right on the main highway (the only stoplight for 30 miles), about 40 minutes south of Helena at the southern end of Canyon Ferry Lake.
The story
Townsend is the kind of town most drivers blow past on Highway 287 between Helena and Bozeman, marked mainly by a single traffic light—the only one for 30 miles in either direction. But pull off at 101 South Front Street and you'll find an unassuming little hot shop where Jim and Terry Gundersen have been firing up the furnace nearly every day since 2002. Before turning to molten glass, Jim worked as a blacksmith and Terry worked as a registered nurse. That combination of heavy metalwork and disciplined, quiet precision makes total sense the moment you watch them work together at the heat.
This isn't a slick corporate studio or a gift shop selling imported trinkets. It’s a compact, owner-run hot shop sitting at the southern tip of Canyon Ferry Lake, about 40 minutes south of Helena. The gallery room surrounds the central work area with handblown bowls, vases, and ornaments that catch the Montana light, while the furnace runs almost daily from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
What sets Goose Bay apart from typical artisan studios isn't just watching two veteran makers work red-hot glass—it's that they will put the blowpipe in your hands. Instead of keeping visitors behind safety glass, Jim and Terry run private, one-on-one sessions by appointment, guiding you step-by-step through gathering liquid glass from the furnace and shaping your own piece before it hardens.
What it's like
When you pull up along Front Street, the studio feels like a modest roadside stop until you step through the door and feel the wall of heat coming off the furnace. The vibe is quiet, focused, and completely unpretentious. If you book a private hands-on session, Jim stands right at your elbow, walking you through every turn of the pipe as you balance a glowing mass of liquid glass and shape it with hand tools. Keep in mind that interactive lessons are by appointment only, though you can drop by during working hours to browse the gallery and watch them work.
The move: Book a private by-appointment session and take turns gathering and shaping a hot-glass piece together while Jim coaches your every move.
- 📍 Townsend
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 101 S. Front St., Townsend, MT 59644
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Elkhorn State Park (Ghost Town) — Combine your studio lesson in Townsend with a dirt-road detour into the Elkhorn Mountains to inspect two surviving 1890s wooden structures in a semi-abandoned silver mining town.
- Bleu Horses — Continue south on Highway 287 toward Three Forks to spot 39 bright blue steel horse sculptures installed across a windswept ridge.
- Beyond the Big Sky at Montana Learning Center Observatory — Head north along the eastern shore of Canyon Ferry Lake after your furnace session for evening stargazing at the lake's observatory complex.
Good to know
Do I need an appointment to blow glass at Goose Bay?
Yes. While you can stop in during regular furnace hours to browse or watch, hands-on one-on-one glassblowing lessons are strictly by appointment.
Where is the shop located relative to Helena?
It is located at 101 S. Front St. in Townsend, Montana, right on Highway 287 near the town's single stoplight, about a 40-minute drive south of Helena.
Who operates Goose Bay Handblown Glass?
The studio was opened in 2002 by husband and wife Jim Gundersen (a former blacksmith) and Terry Gundersen (a former registered nurse).
What are the regular working hours for the furnace?
Jim and Terry typically work at the furnace nearly every day from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · bigskyjournal.com · visitmt.com · townsendmtchamber.com
last checked: 2026-06-24