The factory was founded in 1817 and was nearly closed in the 1970s before being saved by a public campaign.
The 'Phenomenal Glass' exhibition was designed to mimic the properties of light and glass refraction.
The facility uses a specialized glass labyrinth that requires visitors to navigate through glass walls using tactile feedback.
Hergiswil is known as the 'Glass Village' due to the centuries-old integration of the factory into the local economy.
The furnace area reaches temperatures exceeding 1,200 degrees Celsius to melt the raw glass batch.
Glasi Hergiswil is the last remaining glassworks in Switzerland that still produces glassware by hand. The facility houses a museum called 'Phenomenal Glass' that explores the history of the industry and the craft of glassblowing. Visitors can observe craftsmen shaping molten glass from a spectator gallery overlooking the furnaces. The site includes a glass labyrinth, a mirror maze, and a water-themed glass exhibition. It is situated on the shores of Lake Lucerne and features a glass-themed park. The manufacturing process relies on recycled glass, emphasizing sustainable production practices. The museum exhibits document the decline of the Swiss glass industry throughout the 20th century. Visitors are encouraged to participate in glass-blowing workshops on-site.
The spectator gallery overlooking the molten glass furnaces provides the most dramatic industrial lighting.
Participate in the hands-on glass blowing activity to create your own small glass object.
Explore the outdoor glass park, which features sculptures and play areas, especially if traveling with children.
Visit the factory shop to see the full range of current production pieces before leaving.
Do not attempt to touch the glass furnaces or cooling glass objects, as they remain extremely hot for extended periods.
Open daily, but manufacturing furnaces are generally not in operation on Sundays.
