Observation hives are pretty simple to make, with plans and tips available all over the internet. Beespace rules are critical, because they will build burr comb anywhere there is space. and muck up the glass obscuring the view. We had one on a corner table in the family room for a number of years. Just be sure you build in a way to feed them, and a way for them to remove debris and dead workers without them having to lift them the entire height of the hive. On the one we had, the entrance was a pvc pipe right through the wall, connecting to the base of the hive. Right next to that was a screened area, which would accept a feeder jar. Started it with a single frame of brood and attached bees, and 3 frames of foundation stacked straight up. THe colony started slowly and took a while to get the population up, but once it did, it became a swarm engine.