A visit to the
Tacoma Museum of Glass

 

At left, the signature hot shop, seemingly soaring through the roof of the museum.

Here visiting glass artisans experiment and create glass art, often with museum visitors looking on.

The day we were there we were fortunate to watch one of our favorites, Bertil Vallien and his team, casting one of his "Watchers" -- an awesome experience.


Another view of the hot shop behind one of Chihuly's blue glass towers.


Poster for the "Glass Eats Light - Innovations in Glass by Bertil Vallien" - closing June 22.
A major show organized by the Smålands Museum, Växjö, Sweden, with additions by the Heller Gallery, NYC, and Orrefors Kosta Boda.

CClose-up of one of Chihuly's Towers.


Poster for "Glass of the Avant Garde: From Vienna Secession to Bauhaus" - The Torsten Brohan Collection from the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, Madrid. This show will run through January 4, 2004.

Several of the fibre vessels adorn a portion of the exterior.


Some idea of the scale may be seen below.

Cameras are not allowed inside, but the glass in the "outside" is, in itself, spectacular.

Three views of Chihuly's blue glass Towers.


The Towers with Union Station in the Background.

 

The bridge takes pedestrians through a tunnel of brilliant light and color created by Chihuly's glass forms. A partnership between the Museum of Glass, legendary Studio Glass pioneer Dale Chihuly and the city of Tacoma has resulted in the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot-long pedestrian overpass links the Museum to downtown Tacoma and its developing cultural corridor. Austin-based Arthur Andersson, architect of the Washington State History Museum, designed the bridge in close collaboration with Chihuly, who directed the artistic concept. The project provides a means for the internationally renowned Chihuly to contribute in a very public way to his hometown.

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Chihuly, Chihuly, and still more Chihuly, in the overhead of the covered walkway spanning the highway below.

Below, one detail from the view above.

Two views of "leaning glass".
  • Red Glass House, Pool of Red Balls, and Pool of Rods
As well as Chihuly's Ice Blue Towers and his Ceiling of Forms, the walkway over the highway features a Wall of Forms -- some 79 of them if my count is correct -- each more fantastic than the other. Three views of this Wall are shown below.


Now visit Chihuly's site on this topic: http://www.chihuly.com/bridgeofglass/

If you enjoyed this trip, you might also enjoy these:

Chihuly at Tacoma's historic Union Station

Chihuly at the Tacoma Museum of Art

Glass Today

Sindelar & O'Brien Antiques & Design