There's A Bottle Museum In New York And It's Full Of Fascinating Oddities, Artifacts, And More
By Christy Articola|Published May 19, 2022
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Christy Articola
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Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
There’s a bottle museum hidden away on Milton Avenue/Route 50 in Ballston Spa. You may have seen the sign for it while driving up to Saratoga Performing Arts Center or to Saratoga Spa State Park one summer day, but have you ever bothered to actually stop in for a visit? You should. Not only is this a bottle museum, but it’s THE National Bottle Museum, and no where else will you find such an enchanting and varied selection of bottles for all purposes and from all periods of history.
You might not think that a bottle museum sounds interesting, but that’s where you’re wrong. You’ll love this unique little museum and you’ll leave with more knowledge and joy than you might imagine before stepping through its door. Read on to learn more about the National Bottle Museum and plan your visit today!
Glass manufacturing was our nation's first major industry. Saratoga - just a few miles from Ballston Spa - was famous for its spring water in the mid-1800s and as a result, millions of bottles were made in this area to bottle it. The National Bottle Museum exists to celebrate the place of glass bottles in our nation's history.
The shelves on the first floor of this historic three-story building hold more than 3,000 different bottles. All bottles were hand-blown until machinery to make bottles was invented by Michael Owens in 1903. The National Bottle Museum showcases bottles made both before and after this development. As you can see, bottles come in many different colors.
You can also learn about the methods people used to make bottles in the past, and how historians figure out how old a bottle is. Older glass bottles were made by glassblowers.
You'll be amazed at the variety of unique and interesting bottles that you'll find at this museum. This collection of bottles all held poisons at one time.
On your way out, you might consider paying $5 to Adopt a Bottle. You'll be given a wrapped bottle to unwrap. Museum staff will take a guess at its age and what it may have been used for - then you can take it home to live with you.
The National Bottle Museum is fantastic! This is a very unique museum that you should visit if you’re ever in or near Ballston Spa. The staff can’t wait to meet you and show you this giant bottle collection and you’ll learn more about glass bottles than you thought you’d ever know.