Glasriket is the forest district in south-eastern Småland where Sweden’s crystal was made. Fewer works blow glass than old guides suggest, and several do it only on weekdays. Here is who is still at the furnace, when, and how to get there.
When you need this
You want to watch molten glass being shaped and need to know which glasbruk (glassworks) still do it. Maybe an older guidebook sends you to Orrefors or Boda, you are deciding between a weekday and a weekend, or you want to book a hyttsill supper or blow a glass yourself. It also helps if you are driving the southern Sweden road trip through Kalmar and Kosta.
What Glasriket is today
Glasriket (the Kingdom of Crystal) covers the municipalities of Emmaboda, Nybro, Uppvidinge and Lessebo, split across two counties, and glassmaking has been central there for more than 200 years. It started with Kosta, founded in 1742 with state backing. More works opened in the 1800s, especially after full freedom of trade in 1864, and many 1900s works were built by the railway.
The county museum’s verdict is blunt: many of Glasriket’s glassworks no longer operate. What remains is one large industrial works at Kosta, a handful of smaller hyttor (hot shops, the furnace halls), and a glass museum in Boda. For the wider region, see our Småland guide.
Who still blows glass
These are the places with glassblowing hours published by Glasriket’s destination organisation and the works themselves in autumn 2026.
| Place | Glassblowing you can watch | Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Kosta Glasbruk, Kosta | Daily 10:00–16:00 (breaks 11:00–11:45 and 13:50–14:00) | Shops and outlet on site |
| Orranäs Glasbruk, Orrefors | Tuesday–Sunday 10:00–16:00; Monday closed | Daily 10:00–16:00 |
| Bergdalahyttan, Bergdala | Weekdays 07:00–15:30 | Mon–Sat 10:00–16:00, Sun 11:00–16:00 |
| Skrufs Glasbruk, Skruv | Monday–Friday 07:00–15:30, lunch 11:30–12:00 | Daily |
| Målerås Glasbruk, Målerås | No set times published; restaurant and café look into the hot shop | Daily 10:00–16:00 |
| The Glass Factory, Boda Glasbruk | Hot shop open Mon–Fri 10:00–16:00; blowing at irregular times | Museum shop daily |
| Pukebergs Glasbruk, Nybro | No public blowing hours; a glass school uses the premises | Tue–Fri 10:30–16:00 |
| Nybro Glasbruk, Nybro | No blowing hours published | Mon–Sat |
A few details make each one different. Målerås makes mostly cut, painted and engraved art glass and is the only glassworks with its own iron foundry, combining glass and metal. Bergdalahyttan, rescued in 2015, calls itself the only wooden hot shop of its kind in Sweden and makes the blue-rimmed Blå Kant glass. Pukeberg in Nybro, making glass since 1871, is one of Sweden’s oldest and best-preserved glassworks; today it houses Riksglasskolan, a glass school.
Orrefors and Boda: what changed
Orrefors is no longer a working factory. Production there stopped in June 2013, and Orrefors glass is now made at Kosta and at glassworks abroad. Orrefors began as an ironworks in 1726, which is why it marks 300 years in 2026; the glassworks dates from 1898.
The old works area, Orrefors Park, is still worth the stop. It holds Orrefors Museum, with the historic collection of the Orrefors glassworks, a hammer smithy, and Orranäs Glasbruk, a smaller hot shop where you can watch and try glassblowing. The park is car-free, parking at the museum is free, and the museum shop sells andrasortering (seconds) from the glassworks’ heyday. Children under 12 must stay with a guardian in the museum, and prams are not allowed inside.
Boda glassworks closed in 2003. The site is now The Glass Factory, a glass museum with about 50,000 art-glass objects from several glassworks, by some 50 artists from the 1700s to today. Its hot shop is used for demos, glass shows and courses; children can paint or engrave a glass object to take home, from about age five.
Kosta in detail
Kosta is Sweden’s oldest glassworks still in operation, with furnaces running since 1742. You enter the hot shop through the Kosta Boda glass shop, and entry is ticketed. There are three formats:
| Format | When |
|---|---|
| Open visit, on your own | Monday–Friday 10:00–16:00 |
| Guided tour | Monday–Thursday at 10:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00; Friday at 10:00 and 12:00 |
| Demonstration with a speaker | Friday at 14:00 and 15:00; weekends and holidays every hour 10:00–15:00 |
Across the yard is Kosta Boda’s art gallery, designed by architect Bruno Mathsson, and a large outlet area is on the same site.
Kosta is shrinking. In late September 2026, Orrefors Kosta Boda gave notice of layoffs to 55 employees at Kosta, around 40 percent of the workforce, citing losses and high energy, fuel and freight costs. When we checked, nothing had been announced about visitor hours. Check Kosta’s own page in the week you travel.
Blow your own glass and hyttsill
Prova på (try it yourself) glassblowing runs all year at Kosta, Bergdalahyttan, Målerås, Orranäs and Skrufs Glasbruk, for children and adults. A glassblower helps you shape a bowl, glass or ball, and you take it home once it has cooled. Prices vary by works. Book ahead: at Kosta, you must cancel or rebook at least 24 hours before, or the full amount is kept.
Hyttsill (“hot-shop herring”) is the Glasriket supper served by the furnace: salt herring, crispy fried pork, potato sausage and baked potato, then cheesecake, with glassblowing and music. Kosta, Målerås and Bergdalahyttan serve it, only by advance booking; in summer some evenings are sold on set dates.
Getting there
Realistically, you need a car. The works are scattered through forest villages, and a day of three or four hot shops is a driving day. Kosta lies on road 28; its operator puts it 45 minutes by car from Växjö and 50 minutes from Kalmar.
Kosta without a car is possible. Take a direct train to Lessebo: about 2 hours 20 minutes from Malmö on Öresundståg, or about 3 hours from Gothenburg on SJ Regional. Bus 220 then covers the 15 km from Lessebo to Kosta; the timetable is in the regional transport company’s app. Reaching the other works by public transport is not practical for a visitor. Kalmar is the nearest coastal base.
When to go
Go on a weekday. Bergdala and Skruf blow glass only Monday to Friday, and Orranäs is closed on Mondays, so Tuesday to Friday sees the most furnaces at work.
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Tuesday–Friday, all year | Kosta, Orranäs, Bergdala and Skruf all blowing |
| Weekends | Kosta (demonstrations) and Orranäs; Bergdala and Skruf shops only |
| Glasriket Glöder, 16–18 October 2026 | Glass shows, guided tours, children’s activities, hyttsill, late opening; evening glass show at Kosta on Friday 16 October |
| Summer | Hyttsill on set dates at some works |
| Late autumn and midwinter | Small studios cut hours; one keeps fixed hours only to 20 October, another closes 1 December–15 January |
The Glass Factory closes 23 December–1 January, Good Friday to Easter Monday, and on Midsummer Eve and Day.
Mistakes to avoid
- Driving to Orrefors for a factory tour. You find a museum, a small hot shop and a park.
- A Saturday-only trip. Bergdala and Skruf blow on weekdays only.
- Reaching Kosta at 11:15. The glassblowers break 11:00–11:45.
- Turning up for hyttsill unbooked. It is sold by reservation only.
- Going to Orrefors on a Monday. Orranäs’ hot shop is closed.
- Expecting set shows at Pukeberg or Nybro Glasbruk. Neither publishes blowing hours.
For the history of Swedish glass, Sveriges glasmuseum in Växjö is the place, but its lower floor is closed for a new exhibition; our Swedish design guide has the detail.
Practical information
| Item | Detail (checked 2026-10-01) |
|---|---|
| Kosta hot shop | Daily 10:00–16:00; open visit (Mon–Fri) 30–70 kr; guided tour 70 kr (7–16) to 150 kr (adult); demonstration 30–100 kr |
| Orranäs Glasbruk, Orrefors | Hot shop Tue–Sun 10:00–16:00; shop daily 10:00–16:00 |
| Orrefors Museum | Adult 50 kr, under 18 free with an adult; free parking |
| The Glass Factory, Boda | Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat–Sun 11:00–17:00; adult 100 kr, senior 80 kr, under 15 free; annual card 250 kr; heritage card 50% off |
| Bergdalahyttan, Skrufs Glasbruk | Glassblowing weekdays 07:00–15:30 |
| Blow your own glass, hyttsill | Book with each works; prices vary and are not republished here |
| Glasriket Glöder | 16–18 October 2026 |
FAQ
Can you still watch glassblowing in Glasriket?
Yes. Kosta’s hot shop is open daily from 10:00 to 16:00, Orranäs in Orrefors from Tuesday to Sunday, and Bergdala and Skruf blow glass on weekdays from 07:00 to 15:30. Målerås has a restaurant looking into its hot shop. Many other works have closed, and Kosta announced 55 job cuts in September 2026, so check hours before driving.
Is the Orrefors glassworks still open?
Not as a factory. Production at Orrefors stopped in June 2013, and Orrefors glass is now made at Kosta and at glassworks abroad. The old works area, Orrefors Park, has Orrefors Museum with the historic collection and Orranäs Glasbruk, a smaller hot shop where you can watch glassblowing from Tuesday to Sunday and try it yourself.
What is hyttsill?
Hyttsill, “hot-shop herring”, is a Glasriket supper served by the glass furnace: salt herring, crispy fried pork, potato sausage and baked potato, ending with cheesecake, with glassblowing and music. It goes back to the days when workers and travelers gathered by the furnace in the evening. Kosta, Målerås and Bergdalahyttan serve it; you must book.
Can I blow my own glass in Glasriket?
Yes. Kosta, Bergdalahyttan, Målerås, Orranäs and Skrufs Glasbruk offer try-it-yourself glassblowing for children and adults all year, with a glassblower helping you shape a bowl, glass or ball that you take home once cooled. Book ahead; Kosta keeps the full fee for cancellations within 24 hours. Prices vary by works.
Can I visit Glasriket without a car?
Kosta, partly. Take a direct train to Lessebo, about 2 hours 20 minutes from Malmö or about 3 hours from Gothenburg, then bus 220 the 15 km to Kosta. Kosta’s operator puts Växjö 45 minutes away by car. The other works are scattered through forest villages, so visiting several in one day realistically needs a car.
What is The Glass Factory in Boda?
A glass museum in Boda Glasbruk, on the site of a glassworks that closed in 2003. It holds about 50,000 art-glass objects by some 50 artists from the 1700s to today, plus a hot shop used for shows and demos. It opens daily; adults pay 100 kronor and under-15s go free. Glassblowing is at irregular times.
When is the best time to visit Glasriket?
A weekday, when most hot shops are blowing. Bergdala and Skruf blow glass only Monday to Friday, and Orranäs is closed on Mondays, so Tuesday to Friday sees the most furnaces at work. The Glasriket Glöder weekend, 16 to 18 October 2026, adds glass shows, hyttsill and late opening. Small studios cut hours in winter.
Related guides
- Småland: the province around Glasriket, its counties and its transport.
- Southern Sweden road trip: a ten-day loop that crosses Glasriket between Kalmar and Malmö.
- Swedish design guide: Sveriges glasmuseum, design history and buying glass tax-free.
- Swedish souvenirs: what to bring home, glass included.
- Kalmar: the nearest coastal city and base.
Facts verified 2026-10-01. Sources: Kalmar läns museum, Destination Glasriket, Kosta Boda, Destination Kosta, Orrefors, Orrefors Museum, Orranäs Glasbruk, The Glass Factory, Bergdalahyttan, Skrufs Glasbruk, Kulturparken Småland, Nyheter Idag and Arbetet — full register in this topic’s source file. Opening hours and prices are autumn 2026 figures. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.