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Checked October 2026 · 15 studios

Team building in the Bay Area

Team building around the Bay usually means one of two trips: a studio in San Francisco or Oakland the team can reach on BART or Muni after work, or a larger shop in the South Bay close to the campuses. This guide covers the hands-on kind, where everyone makes something: glass, books, leather, pottery, cooking and more.

Plan it for usCompare the studios
15studios that take groups12print a price per person$75lowest per person4come to your office3send it home same day

The short answer

A hands-on team-building workshop in the Bay Area costs from about $75 a person to $250 or more at the studios that print a price, before tax and any tip. 12 of the 15 studios below print a price per person; the rest quote by email. 4 will bring the workshop to your office. Public Glass prints the largest in-person group, up to 200 people.

Every studio below was read on its own group or private-events page, not a booking marketplace, so the price per person, the headcount and the length are what the studio itself prints. Where it prints nothing, we say so.

Our studios first

KraftStories publishes this site, so it goes at the top and says so. Everything after it is sorted by printed price, with no paid placement.

KraftStories San Francisco
Ours · KraftStoriesFrom $79 a person10–100 peopleOnline option

KraftStories San Francisco

SoMa, San Francisco

Our own studio, a short walk from Caltrain at 4th and King; the lamp workshop is the one that scales to a whole department.

KraftStories publishes this site. It is listed first because it is ours, and held to the same fields as every other studio.

What the team does
Turkish mosaic lamp making or rug tufting
Price
Mosaic lamp from $79/person (up to 100 people); rug tufting from $89/person (up to 45)
Group size
10–100 people
How long
2 to 2½ hours
Taking it home
Finished piece goes home the same day
Address
360 Ritch St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Mosaic lampsTufting & textiles
Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
KraftStories San Jose
Ours · KraftStoriesFrom $79 a person10–60 peopleOnline option

KraftStories San Jose

Downtown San Jose

Our South Bay studio, closer to the Peninsula and Valley campuses than anything in the city.

KraftStories publishes this site. It is listed first because it is ours, and held to the same fields as every other studio.

What the team does
Turkish mosaic lamp making or rug tufting
Price
Mosaic lamp from $79/person; rug tufting from $89/person; up to 60 people
Group size
10–60 people
How long
2 to 2½ hours
Taking it home
Finished piece goes home the same day
Address
255 N Market St, San Jose, CA 95110
Mosaic lampsTufting & textiles
Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗

Team-building studios in the Bay Area, side by side

Price is the lowest per-person figure the studio prints, usually its shortest session on its quietest day. A dash means the page does not say.

StudioMakeFromGroupLengthComes to you
KraftStories San FranciscoOursSoMa, San FranciscoMosaic lamps, Tufting & textiles$7910–1002 to 2½ hours—
KraftStories San JoseOursDowntown San JoseMosaic lamps, Tufting & textiles$7910–602 to 2½ hours—
Public GlassBayview, San FranciscoGlass$756–2003 to 4 hours—
Hickory ClayMission District, San FranciscoPottery$80Up to 25About 2 hours—
Waveform CeramicsWest BerkeleyPottery, Woodworking, Painting$80Up to 102 hoursYes
Bay Area Glass InstituteSan JoseGlass$885–40—Yes
Clayroom San MateoBay Meadows, San MateoPottery$90—2 to 3 hours—
Wheelhouse ClayLower Pacific Heights, San FranciscoPottery$954–602 hours—
Higher Fire Clayspace & GalleryDowntown San JosePottery$994–602 or 3 hours—
18 ReasonsMission District, San FranciscoCooking$110Up to 253.5 hours—
San Francisco Center for the BookPotrero Hill, San FranciscoBookbinding, Printmaking$1505–202 to 3 hours—
The CrucibleWest OaklandLeather, Glass, Pottery, Other crafts$2506+3 hours to a full day—
Artillery CeramicsMission District, San FranciscoPotteryQuote—2 to 2.5 hours—
Mel Rice CeramicaOuter Richmond, San FranciscoPotteryQuote6–452 to 3 hoursYes
Workshop SFHaight-Ashbury, San FranciscoPrintmaking, Leather, Terrariums, Tufting & textiles, Candles & scent, Pottery, PaintingQuote10+—Yes

By the size of your team

Studios that print a maximum group appear in every size up to it. One that prints only a minimum appears at that minimum, and one that prints no size is left out rather than guessed; most will still answer an email about a bigger group.

Up to 10 people

11 to 25

26 to 50

51 to 100

Over 100

Team-building ideas in the Bay Area, by what you need

Something to take home the same day

Kiln work is fired after the session and comes back weeks later. These say the piece leaves with the person.

KraftStories San Francisco, KraftStories San Jose, San Francisco Center for the Book

Without leaving the office

The studio brings tools and materials to a conference room or event space.

Waveform Ceramics, Bay Area Glass Institute, Mel Rice Ceramica, Workshop SF

A team in more than one place

A hosted online session, usually with kits mailed to each person beforehand.

KraftStories San Francisco, KraftStories San Jose, 18 Reasons, Workshop SF

A small team or a leadership offsite

Studios whose printed cap is 20 or fewer, which keeps one instructor with the whole group.

Waveform Ceramics, San Francisco Center for the Book

Every studio, in detail

Sorted by printed price, lowest first, then the studios that quote by email. 12 of them also run public classes on our calendar, listed on the card, if you want to try one before booking the team.

Public Glass
From $75 a person6–200 people

Public Glass

Bayview, San Francisco

Formats range from a hands-on session for a small team to a watch-and-mingle demo for a large company party.

What the team does
Glassblowing, fused glass, stained glass, or a live glassblowing demonstration
Price
Demo party from $75/person (100+ guests); hands-on fused glass $135 ($95 for 25+); glassblowing from $175
Group size
6–200 people
How long
3 to 4 hours
Taking it home
Fused pieces go through a 24-hour kiln cycle before pickup
Address
1750 Armstrong Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
Glass
Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Hickory ClayHickory Clay
From $80 a personUp to 25 peoplePrivate studio hire

Hickory Clay

Mission District, San Francisco

Weekday afternoon slots make it easy to swap a late meeting for a relaxed hand-building session.

What the team does
Hand-building mugs, vases or boards
Price
$80 to $90/person depending on headcount
Group size
Up to 25 people
How long
About 2 hours
Taking it home
Glazed and fired, ready for pickup in about 4 weeks
Address
2710 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Pottery

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Waveform CeramicsWaveform Ceramics
From $80 a personUp to 10 peopleComes to your office

Waveform Ceramics

West Berkeley

Small East Bay teams can choose between clay, wood-burning or painting, at the studio or at another site.

What the team does
Pottery, hand-building, wood-burned charcuterie boards or painting
Price
$80 to $175/person depending on activity and location
Group size
Up to 10 people
How long
2 hours
Address
2017 2nd Street, Berkeley, CA
PotteryWoodworkingPainting

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Bay Area Glass InstituteBay Area Glass Institute
From $88 a person5–40 peopleComes to your office

Bay Area Glass Institute

San Jose

Teams can work hot glass with instructors at the studio or have a fusing session brought to the office.

What the team does
Glassblowing, glass fusing, or a combined package
Price
Fusing package from $88/person; on-site fusing at your location $129/person
Group size
5–40 people
Taking it home
Pieces ready for pickup within a week
Address
635 Phelan Avenue, San José, CA 95112
Glass

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Clayroom San MateoClayroom San Mateo
From $90 a person

Clayroom San Mateo

Bay Meadows, San Mateo

A Peninsula option for teams based between San Francisco and the South Bay.

What the team does
Wheel throwing, hand-building, or both
Price
$90/person for 2-hour wheel or hand-building; $115 for the 3-hour combo
How long
2 to 3 hours
Address
3050 S Delaware St, Suite 100, San Mateo, CA 94403
Pottery

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Wheelhouse ClayWheelhouse Clay
From $95 a person4–60 people

Wheelhouse Clay

Lower Pacific Heights, San Francisco

Works for a team of four as well as a department of sixty, with clear per-person pricing.

What the team does
Wheel throwing, hand-building, or a split session
Price
$95/person for wheel or hand-building; $115 for the split session
Group size
4–60 people
How long
2 hours
Taking it home
1 to 3 pieces each, glazed and fired, ready in about 4 to 6 weeks
Address
2201 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Pottery

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Higher Fire Clayspace & GalleryHigher Fire Clayspace & Gallery
From $99 a person4–60 people

Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery

Downtown San Jose

Tiered packages from small groups up to 60 make it a practical South Bay pick for company offsites.

What the team does
Wheel throwing, hand-building, or mug and bowl packages
Price
Wheel package from $99/person (9 to 40 people); other packages $110 to $139; billed for at least 90% of planned headcount
Group size
4–60 people
How long
2 or 3 hours
Taking it home
Fired and glazed, ready in about 4 to 5 weeks
Address
499 S Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
Pottery

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
18 Reasons18 Reasons
From $110 a personUp to 25 peopleOnline optionPrivate studio hire

18 Reasons

Mission District, San Francisco

Cooking a meal together and then sitting down to eat it gives a team built-in time to talk.

What the team does
Hands-on private cooking class
Price
$2,500 base plus $110/person; 18% service charge added
Group size
Up to 25 people
How long
3.5 hours
Address
3674 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Cooking

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
San Francisco Center for the BookSan Francisco Center for the Book
From $150 a person5–20 people

San Francisco Center for the Book

Potrero Hill, San Francisco

Small-group book arts sessions where everyone walks out with something they printed or bound themselves.

What the team does
Bind a soft- or hard-cover book, or print letterpress posters
Price
Soft-cover book $150/person; hard-cover book or letterpress posters $200/person
Group size
5–20 people
How long
2 to 3 hours
Taking it home
Each person leaves with a finished piece the same day
Address
375 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
BookbindingPrintmaking

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
The CrucibleThe Crucible
From $250 a person6+ people

The Crucible

West Oakland

Suits larger teams that want a full offsite day, with meeting space on site for before or after the workshop.

What the team does
Industrial arts such as leatherwork, enameling, ceramics or etched glass
Price
3-hour workshop from $250/person; half day from $325; full day from $600
Group size
6+ people
How long
3 hours to a full day
Taking it home
Individual or group project to bring back to the office
Address
1260 7th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
LeatherGlassPotteryOther crafts

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Artillery CeramicsArtillery Ceramics
Price by quote

Artillery Ceramics

Mission District, San Francisco

A slower, hands-in-the-clay session for teams that want a calm break rather than a competition.

What the team does
Hand-building, with clay foraging and sculpting options
How long
2 to 2.5 hours
Taking it home
Ready in about 3 to 6 weeks depending on firing
Address
2751 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
Pottery

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Mel Rice CeramicaMel Rice Ceramica
Price by quote6–45 peopleComes to your office

Mel Rice Ceramica

Outer Richmond, San Francisco

Drinks and snack platters can be added, so the session can double as a team social.

What the team does
Hand-building and basic wheel throwing
Price
Quote by email
Group size
6–45 people
How long
2 to 3 hours
Address
6138 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
Pottery

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗
Workshop SFWorkshop SF
Price by quote10+ peopleComes to your officeOnline option

Workshop SF

Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco

A wide craft menu lets a team pick a project that suits mixed tastes, at the Haight studio, at the office or over Zoom with mailed kits.

What the team does
Choice of crafts such as block printing, leather goods, terrariums, indigo dyeing, candles or hand-built ceramics
Price
Pricing by quote from the events team
Group size
10+ people
Address
1310 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
PrintmakingLeatherTerrariumsTufting & textilesCandles & scentPotteryPainting

Try it first: public classes on our calendar

Ask us about this oneTheir group page ↗

Planning team building in the Bay Area

Pick the side of the Bay firstA team split between San Francisco and the Peninsula loses an hour to the drive if you pick wrong. SoMa, the Mission and West Oakland studios are near BART or Caltrain; San Jose and San Mateo studios mostly mean driving, so ask about parking.
Hot shops cap the headcountGlassblowing and metalwork run a few people per station. A team of 30 at a hot shop usually means shifts or a demo for some of the group, so ask how the time is split.
December fills firstHoliday-party season is when studios turn teams away. For a December date, send the request in October.

One request, and a person answers it

Tell us about the team

Date, headcount and budget are enough to start. We run it at a KraftStories studio where one fits, and otherwise pass it to the studio on this page that does, and tell you which.

Budget
Where
What the team might like to make (pick any)
Free to ask; nothing is booked until you confirm.

Questions people ask

How much does team building cost in the Bay Area?＋
Among the 15 studios we checked, the lowest printed price is $75 a person and the highest starting price is $250. 3 studios print no price and quote by email. Add sales tax, and ask whether a service charge or a minimum spend applies, because few studios print either next to the headline price.
What team-building activities in the Bay Area work for large groups?＋
Studios that print a capacity of 40 or more: KraftStories San Francisco (up to 100), KraftStories San Jose (up to 60), Public Glass (up to 200), Bay Area Glass Institute (up to 40), Wheelhouse Clay (up to 60), Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery (up to 60), Mel Rice Ceramica (up to 45). Larger teams usually split into rotations or two rooms; ask how the time is shared before you book.
Can a workshop come to our office?＋
Yes. Waveform Ceramics, Bay Area Glass Institute, Mel Rice Ceramica, Workshop SF say they bring workshops to an office or event space. Travel fees and table space vary, so ask what they need from the room.
Is there a virtual or hybrid option?＋
KraftStories San Francisco, KraftStories San Jose, 18 Reasons, Workshop SF offer an online format, usually with kits mailed ahead of a hosted call.
How far ahead should we book?＋
Two to three weeks is comfortable for most groups under 30. For 50 or more, or any date in December, ask four to six weeks ahead: holiday parties fill studio evenings first.
How does the request form work?＋
It comes to us at KraftStories, and a person reads it. Where one of our studios fits the date, headcount and budget, we run it ourselves; where another studio on this page fits better, we pass your request to them and tell you who it went to. Asking is free and nothing is booked until you confirm.

How this page is put together

Every studio here was read on its own private-events or group page in October 2026, not on a booking marketplace. A price, group size or length appears only when the studio prints it, and every description is in our words. Studios whose pages say nothing about private groups were left off, even good ones; if yours is missing, tell us at info@kraftstories.com.

This site is published by KraftStories, which runs team-building workshops. KraftStories is listed first and labelled as ours; the other studios are sorted by price, and none of them pays to appear.

Mosaic lamps classes in the Bay AreaTufting & textiles classes in the Bay AreaGlass classes in the Bay AreaPottery classes in the Bay AreaWoodworking classes in the Bay AreaPainting classes in the Bay AreaBookbinding classes in the Bay AreaPrintmaking classes in the Bay AreaTerrariums classes in the Bay AreaCandles & scent classes in the Bay Area