Now open sundays and bank holidays
What made St. Helens great? From its humble beginnings to its rise as a world leader in Glass making, you can find it all here at The World Of Glass.
Ever wondered what life was like in a Victorian town? Step into St Helens past and relive life in the town in the last century.
Find out about properties of glass, look through periscopes and microscopes, and play with lenses to change the colours in light.
Admire contemporary glass and the unique and beautiful designs from some of the Worlds greatest makers.
Ahead of the International Festival of Glass 2026, The World of Glass is launching Glass Muse at the Godfrey Pilkington Gallery. Local, national, and international artists have submitted works inspired by rarely seen objects from the Pilkington Glass Collection.
These collection pieces are on display in The World of Glass Museum and will be included in the exhibition alongside selected works. This is an eclectic showcase of artists works in a wide range of mediums.
This May Half Term, there’s plenty happening at The World of Glass to keep both kids — and grown-ups — entertained!
Join us for a free old-fashioned games day, explore the museum on the hunt for hidden glass treasures, or pick up our latest craft activity from reception for some mindful making.
We’re also getting ready for the International Festival of Glass, coming to St Helens this August Bank Holiday weekend (29–31 August)— and everyone is invited to be part of it.
We’re looking for brilliant mosaic designs to help create a special community artwork with artist Carrie Strope. Visit us to draw your own design, then come back during the festival to help build the final mosaic, which will go on permanent display at The World of Glass.
Come along, get creative, and help leave your mark on St Helens heritage!
Crosby Coffee is based within the city region and they have a number of partners including LFC, Everton FC, three of Liverpool’s Universities, and Liverpool Philharmonic. Its the cream of the crop!
We can’t wait to hear the whirring sound of the brand new coffee machine – Crosby Coffee will supply- and our staff will be fully barista trained!
In April, we were successfully awarded over £131K from the National Heritage Lottery Fund to help us uncover the potential of creating a St Helens heritage museum within The World of Glass.
Our vision is to revolutionise access, inclusion and participation in St Helens local heritage. We want to display and interpret more of the public local history collections we manage and maintain. This funding will also help us transform our sustainability by growing income, brand, stakeholder relationships and strategic opportunities.
The site and collections illuminate St Helens’ development, its world-leading glass industry, and its people, providing potential for us to become a hub for all St Helens heritage.
We are looking to connect with heritage groups and organisations in the run up to the International Festival of Glass in August, offering small grants to help them deliver activities during the festival. We also will partner with residents and environmental and heritage groups to develop and test ideas of what The World of Glass heritage offer should look like.
Finally, we will work to increase our volunteers, not only to help deliver the Festival, but to help in all areas of our work.
Every third weekend of the month we will have a new craft activity for the kids! Saturday 16th May Pay £2.50 at reception to access our crafting goodies.
We are thanking our local and wider community for your support during our Crowdfunder which has meant we have been able to keep our doors open and gain our museum accreditation.
We are celebrating receiving our museum Accreditation administered by Arts Council England on behalf of the UK Accreditation Partnership, Accreditation is the benchmark for well-run Museums and Galleries.
It means that The World of Glass is properly managed and governed to the nationally agreed industry standard and shows the museum takes proper care of its collections, sharing them with visitors and keeping them safe for future generations.
Accreditation opens up exciting funding opportunities, allows museums to host touring exhibitions and gives access to professional advice and support. It also gives confidence to donors and sponsors who may wish to support the museum in preserving heritage and inspiring future generations.
Hannah Billinge, Curator The World of Glass said: “We are so pleased to share our news of our renewed Museum Accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to preserving our collections for future generations. To achieve accreditation we met museum standards on how we are governed and managed, how we care for and manage the collections and the information and services we offer to museum services.”
We offer experiences for Individuals and couples alongside group sessions for corporate clients or those of you who want a team experience.
The 2026 International Festival of Glass is coming to St Helens, UK, from 28–31 August 2026, led by the Glass Art Society. Taking place over the August bank holiday, the festival will celebrate the art, history, and future of glass in a town famous for its glassmaking heritage and home to The World of Glass, which will serve as the main hub for events.
Visitors can explore major exhibitions including the British Glass Biennale — which will continue on display until 1st November — the International Bead and Jewellery Exhibition, and the International GAS Member Exhibition, showcasing outstanding glass art from the UK and around the world. Alongside exhibitions, there will be talks, family-friendly activities, special events, and opportunities to purchase unique glass artworks.
Artists can also take part through juried submissions (deadline 1 March 2026) and specialist masterclasses delivered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University.
With over 500 artists and glass enthusiasts involved, the festival promises an inspiring celebration of glass for all ages.
