Jamestown Glasshouse

The Jamestown Glasshouse is a reconstructed glass production facility in Historic Jamestowne where artisans still create glassware using historical methods and techniques. The site displays furnaces, tools, and the spatial layout necessary for colonial-era glassmaking.

The first glass production facility in North America was founded in 1608 when European craftsmen began systematic glassmaking at this location. This early industry demonstrated that colonists had the expertise and raw materials to operate complex manufacturing techniques.

The glasshouse demonstrates craftsmanship methods that were vital to early colonists and shows how settlers produced everyday items themselves. The artisans' work connects visitors to the skills and daily practices of that era.

Visitors can watch glassmaking demonstrations and purchase handmade items at the on-site shop. Weekday visits offer the best opportunity to see artisans working with the furnace actively heated and in operation.

Archaeological excavations in 1948 uncovered the foundations of the original furnace, and this discovery remains visible next to the modern reconstructed facility today. These remains show that visitors stand at a place where glass was genuinely made over 400 years ago.