Senators Secure $1 Million for Corning Museum of Glass STEAM Curriculum

Funding will help expand educational programs and access for underserved students

Feb. 5, 2026 at 10:07pm

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U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have secured $1 million in federal funding for the Corning Museum of Glass to develop STEAM curriculum for K-12 students in underserved school districts. The funding will support the museum's efforts to expand its educational initiatives, including school-based tours and a pilot program to provide transportation for students beyond the Southern Tier region.

Why it matters

The Corning Museum of Glass is a significant cultural and educational institution in Upstate New York, and this funding will help the museum expand its reach and impact, particularly for underserved students who may not have had access to its programs in the past. By using glass and glassmaking as a teaching tool, the museum aims to inspire students' interest in science, art, and the rich history of the region.

The details

The $1 million in funding, secured by Senators Schumer and Gillibrand through congressionally directed spending, will be used by the museum to develop new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) curriculum for K-12 students. This will include expanding the museum's current school tour options, which already feature curriculum-based activities related to art, history, and science. The funding will also support a pilot program to provide transportation for underserved students beyond the Southern Tier, including in the Capital Region and New York City.

  • The funding was secured as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill, which was just signed into law.
  • In 2023, the museum's Education Department served 5,479 students on school tours, 143 schools, and 135 school districts.

The players

Chuck Schumer

U.S. Senator from New York and former Majority Leader, who has a long history of supporting the Corning Museum of Glass.

Kirsten Gillibrand

U.S. Senator from New York and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, who helped secure the funding for the museum.

Corning Museum of Glass

A renowned cultural and educational institution in Upstate New York, known for its extensive collection of glass art and its educational programs.

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What they’re saying

“The Corning Museum of Glass is a crown jewel of the Southern Tier's arts and tourism economy. I was proud to visit this iconic museum and promised to help the museum expand its educational programs. I'm thrilled to announce that, following my personal push, I have just helped pass $1 million in federal funding into law to help the museum develop a new curriculum using glass and glass blowing as a teaching tool for understanding science through art.”

— Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senator

“The Corning Museum of Glass is an Upstate New York treasure, and these federal dollars will expand educational opportunities for students across the Southern Tier. I'm proud to have fought to secure these funds, and I'll keep working to bring more federal dollars home to the Southern Tier.”

— Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Senator

What’s next

The museum plans to use the funding to expand its school-based tours and pilot a transportation program to provide access for underserved students beyond the Southern Tier region.

The takeaway

This funding will help the Corning Museum of Glass, a renowned cultural institution in Upstate New York, to further develop its educational programs and reach more students, particularly those in underserved communities. By using glass and glassmaking as a teaching tool, the museum aims to inspire students' interest in science, art, and the rich history of the region.