Hands-on workshops & classes in Columbus
8 places in Columbus where you make something with your hands, including Christian Spiritualist Temple, The Witch's Parlor and Columbus Glass Art Center. Blow glass, throw pots, forge a blade or build a terrarium — an evening you leave holding the thing you made. They spread across Downtown Columbus, Hilliard, Franklinton, South Side and 2 more areas, so two or three can make a whole afternoon. Every entry is hand-vetted against real sources — not scraped off a top-ten list or averaged out of crowd ratings.
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Christian Spiritualist Temple
Built in 1857 as a Presbyterian church, this historic Romanesque Revival stone building became the Christian Spiritualist Temple in 1902 after a medium's financial advice allegedly secured a fortune for a wealthy donor. Today, it operates as an independent spiritualist sanctuary offering Sunday lectures, hands-on healing, and live, spirit-led mediumship messages.
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The Witch's Parlor
Tucked away in downtown Hilliard, this cozy metaphysical boutique specializes in hand-crafted spiritual supplies, divination teas, and ritual tools. The space regularly hosts intimate workshops ranging from spiritual floor-washing techniques to 'Gathering with the Gods' deity-connection sessions.
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Columbus Glass Art Center
Formerly known as Glass Axis, this massive 10,000-square-foot non-profit studio is Ohio's largest community glass art center, offering hands-on instruction in everything from hot glassblowing to neon art.
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Central Ohio School of Metalwork
Tucked away in Franklinton, this specialized metalwork school is run by 'Forged in Fire' contestant Adlai Stein, offering couples the chance to play with fire, anvils, and heavy hammers.
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The Smithery
Located in 'The Fort' on Columbus's south side, this independent, women-owned jewelry studio offers intimate, hands-on metalsmithing workshops.
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Good Dea Craft School
This whimsical Clintonville art studio specializes in beginner-friendly, project-based classes ranging from stained glass to leatherworking and custom scent blending.
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Art Canvas Studio
Formerly known as Freestyle Ceramics & Tufting, this Bethel Road studio is a vibrant, hands-on space for modern DIY crafts like rug tufting and ceramic painting.
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The Kiln Room
Situated in 'The Fort' industrial complex, this artist-run, community-centered ceramic studio offers a collaborative space for clay art and pottery.
Hands-on workshops & classes in Columbus — FAQ
What can you actually make at a workshop in Columbus?
Across the 8 listed: stained glass, ceramics, spiritualist church, mediumship and historical. Start with Christian Spiritualist Temple and The Witch's Parlor — every listing says what you leave holding and roughly what it costs.
Which hands-on workshops & classes in Columbus are the strangest?
Ranked by how strange they actually are: Christian Spiritualist Temple, The Witch's Parlor and Columbus Glass Art Center. Christian Spiritualist Temple — Built in 1857 as a Presbyterian church, this historic Romanesque Revival stone building became the Christian Spiritualist Temple in 1902 after a medium's financial advice allegedly secured a fortune for a wealthy donor.
Where in Columbus are they?
Across Downtown Columbus, Hilliard, Franklinton, South Side and Clintonville and 1 more. Each listing gives the neighborhood and address so you can cluster a couple into one outing.
Is this a good weird date in Columbus?
That's what the list is built for. Every entry has a specific move rather than a vague recommendation — at Christian Spiritualist Temple, for instance: Attend their Sunday morning service at 11:00 AM to sit in the historic 19th-century pews and experience live, spontaneous mediumship readings and spirit messages.
How were these hands-on workshops & classes chosen?
An agentic research system digs for the genuinely obscure — the spots even locals miss — and every one is verified against real sources before it makes the list. We deliberately skip the landmarks already on every Columbus guide.