One Tank Trip: Museum of American Glass in West Virginia

WESTON, WV (WOAY) – This week’s One Tank Trip brings us to Weston, the home of the Museum of American Glass in West Virginia.

This glass museum is one of the most robust in the entire state. The museum shows off pieces from some of America’s most famous glass factories. At the museum, you can see works from across the country, and even some from overseas.

According to Jamie Billman, an Americor member with the Weston Historic Landmark Commission, you can see glass made at West Virginia’s own factories from across the decades.

“It’s so amazing that there is a location like this that can highlight history and give it to the public in a way that’s very digestible,” Billman said.

Glass making was a huge industry in West Virginia for many years, and Weston was filled with glass museums, before finally conglomerating them into one in 1993.

Large display cases line the walls of the museum, giving you a glimpse at the hand-crafted glass made throughout the state. 

“In the museum there is a display of all West Virginia glass, but there are several other displays. There are swing glass vases, and more artistic pieces.”

The museum also celebrated the recent opening of a Smithsonian Exhibit called Crossroads. It’s part of the Smithsonian’s initiative to highlight museums on main streets across America.

In the Crossroads exhibit, you can learn all about the buildup of the glassmaking industry and the focus it had on labor and the workforce in West Virginia. 

The Museum of American Glass in West Virginia is open 7 days a week. It can be a delightful stop during a visit to Weston, which many people make around this time of year to visit the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, which is right up the road from the museum.

And the best part is, you can get there in just one tank of gas. 

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