Watch a Glass Blowing Demonstration at The Works in Newark, Ohio

After spending the morning at the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum we made the hour and a half drive to Newark, Ohio to visit The Works. We showed our Kentucky Science Center membership card at the Ticket Booth and received our FREE tickets for The Works. Admission to The Works for our family of 6 would’ve been $56, which brings our total savings for this trip to $380.70. We are definitely loving our ASTC Passport Reciprocal Membership Program.

This post is part of a series on our quest to visit 7 science centers in Ohio over a 4 day weekend. You can read the first post in this series here – How to Visit the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery for FREE.

The Works – Ohio Center for History, Art and Technology is the perfect museum for all ages. Not only are there hands-on areas for toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy, but there are also rich history exhibits and glass blowing demonstrations that will appeal to kids and adults as well.

The Works offers daily public demonstrations in their working hot shop and they also offer a variety of glassblowing classes and workshops. If you want a unique souvenir from your visit, there are several beautiful hand-blown glass pieces available for sale in the gift shop. We were there in November and there were lots of gorgeous seasonal and holiday-themed options.

In the glass blowing area, we caught the tail-end of a demonstration and then stayed to watch a full demonstration from start to finish.

The staff member leading the demonstration did a great job explaining step by step what he was doing. We could ask questions throughout too which was nice. There was a set of stadium-style bleachers that we could sit on to watch the demonstration, but since there was only one other couple there at the time, we all just stood and watched instead.

Throughout the demonstration we were able to learn the steps of how a vase is made. Some of the steps that we got to see were heating, re-heating, adding colored glass, blowing, shaping, smoothing, rolling, transferring, and putting it in an oven to let it cool down overnight.

One of the unique perks about The Works is that their 30-ft, 4K projection planetarium, called the SciDome, is included with admission. For all of the other museums that we have visited this weekend, you had to pay extra for a planetarium ticket. It was nice to get to watch the free show and enjoy something different that we don’t usually get to experience on our visits.

Micah’s favorite area was the Invent Lab where you get to take apart old electronics. What a neat idea to let the kids get to see what the electronics look like inside which also leads to discovering how they work. Micah enjoyed getting to take apart a keyboard. There was one screw that she had some difficulty with, so Rob helped. The kids were required to wear safety goggles in this area. This is not a make and take area, but Cullan wanted to take all of the pieces home so he could use them in art projects.

Hadassah’s favorite area was the Tyke’s Lab, which was for ages 6 and under. In the Tyke’s Lab you can play in the dress-up area, on the fire truck, or in the farmer’s market, doctor’s office, and ice cream shop, all while practicing sorting, matching, and role play.

Hadassah’s favorite part was dressing up like a butterfly and serving me many different varieties of ice cream snacks. She loved having an area that was just for her.

Also on the lower level are areas called the Go Lab, Me Lab, and Zap Lab. Lots of neat hands-on exhibits on this floor where you can learn about your muscles by using them, build with snap circuits, and generate your own electricity. Hadassah loved the extra large-sized magnetic face. It reminds me of the Wooly Willy toy that I had as a kid.

Silas really enjoyed the driving simulator. It was actually very realistic and one of the best ones we’ve seen in all the museums we’ve visited.

The second floor of the museum consists of some really interesting history exhibits that tie into the local area of Newark, Ohio. The Works is actually housed in the Scheidler Machine Works building which was built in 1882. The museum started out in the Scheidler Machine Works building but has added on over the years to where The Works now takes up an entire city block in downtown Newark.

One exhibit that we all found really interesting was Jerrie Mock: First Woman to Fly Solo Around the World. In 1964, at the age of 38, Jerrie Mock flew 22,858 miles around the world in a single-engine Cessna 180 called “Spirit of Columbus.” Her trip started and ended in Columbus, Ohio, and gave her a place in history as the first woman to fly solo around the world. The kids loved getting to sit in the Cessna and pretend to fly it.

There was also an exhibit called Land of Legend Village where you could walk through and see a General Store, a Quilting and Weaving Shop, and several other buildings. Some of them are roped off for viewing only, while others allow you to walk in and have a hands-on experience.

If you’re ever in the Newark, Ohio area, we would suggest making a stop at The Works. There are so many neat things to see there, and you and your kids will learn so much. It’s definitely a great place to spend the afternoon enjoying some family fun.

For another look at our visit to The Works you can watch our YouTube video below.

You can also read about the other museums we’ve visited in Ohio on this trip:
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
National Museum of the United States Air Force
Great Lakes Science Center
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
SPI – Where Science and Play Intersect
McKinley Presidential Library and Museum

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