Entry No. 31 — the St. Louis file — filed under: glassblowing
Third Degree Glass Factory
Established in 2002, this publicly accessible glass art studio and education center anchors the Delmar Maker District in a beautifully restored historic car dealership.
The story
In 2002, a former historic car dealership on Delmar Boulevard was gutted and re-engineered around a crucible burning at 2,150°F. What started as an ambitious industrial rehab eventually anchored what St. Louis now calls the Delmar Maker District—and it remains the region's only open-access glass art studio.
This isn't a muted museum where you tiptoe past velvet ropes. You step straight into the hot shop, where the wave of radiant heat hits your face before you even see the blast doors open. studio artists work across three distinct disciplines—hot-shop glassblowing, high-temperature torchwork (flameworking), and kiln-fusing—dipping heavy blowpipes into liquid silica to pull glowing orange gobs of raw material right out of the fire.
If you want the real spectacle without risking your own knuckles, time your arrival for the third Friday of the month. Between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, the factory opens its doors for a night event that blends live glass-pulling demonstrations with gallery access, letting you watch seasoned makers tame molten glass on the fly.
What it's like
Expect a sudden spike in ambient temperature the moment you approach the working floor—wear cotton or natural fibers if you're taking a workshop, as synthetic clothes will cook in the furnace heat. Beginners get paired directly with a studio pro to gather and turn their own glass paperweights, while walk-ins can browse the gallery or sit on the bleachers to watch glassmakers rotate heavy steel pipes in the glow.
The move: Sign up for a 'Third Friday' experience or a private glassblowing session where you work side-by-side with a pro to gather molten glass from a 2,150°F furnace and sculpt your own colorful paperweight.
- 📍 Central West End
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 5200 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Shelby Marie Luxury Fragrance Bar — Cleanse your senses with custom scent-blending just over a mile away after baking next to industrial glass furnaces.
- Inside the Vault (Saint Louis Science Center) — Pair authentic industrial glasswork with a walk through hidden medical quackery artifacts inside the Planetarium tunnel.
- None of the Above — Cool off after furnace exposure by stepping through an unmarked steel door into an underground speakeasy at City Foundry.
- Turtle Playground — Trade molten indoor sculpting for an outdoor climb over massive concrete reptile sculptures bordering Forest Park.
Good to know
What temperature do the furnaces reach?
The hot-shop furnaces burn continuously at 2,150°F to keep the raw batch glass in a liquid state.
What is 'Third Friday'?
It is an open-house community event hosted on the third Friday of every month from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, featuring live glassmaking demos, gallery viewing, and food or drinks.
Do I need prior experience to take a class?
No prior experience is necessary; beginner workshops and private sessions pair you directly with an instructor who handles furnace safety and guides every movement.
What types of glassmaking happen on-site?
The facility is outfitted for glassblowing (hot shop), flameworking (bench torches), and kilnworking (fusing, slumping, and casting).
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-21