As I mentioned yesterday, Jai and I took a fun little day trip to Tacoma this summer. The trip happened in the middle of a crazy hectic month: I had just spent two weeks in California to attend BlogHer and visit family and friends; I came home for just one day before hitting the road again, driving up to Seattle to meet up with Louise, then heading to Tacoma for two days. From Tacoma, Jai drove me straight to the Portland airport, where I flew to Arkansas for 3 days, back to Portland for just one day, and then flew back across the country again to North Carolina for another 3 days.
Suffice to say, it was a busy few weeks!
It was actually really nice having a little “Time out” with Jai in the midst of my chaotic summer schedule. We weren’t sure what to expect, but not only did we enjoy spending time together during out little getaway; we also were pleasantly surprised to discover what Tacoma had to offer – like The Museum of Glass. I’ve never thought of Tacoma as being a place where you’d find much in the way of art, but once again I was surprised: Did you know that Andy Warhol once designed a roof for the Tacoma Dome? This was a new-to-me fact that I picked up during my Tacoma culture tour. (A few days later, I saw another Warhol in person during my Arkansas trip, so it was a very Warholian few days!)
The Museum of Glass is one of the most prominent sights on the Tacoma skyline once you get into town, with its conical design and bridge of glass being one of the first things we noticed. We decided to start our Tacoma visit there, and it was a great way to begin.
First, we explored the outdoor installations: The Fluent Steps and Water Forest.
Next, we made our way over the Chihuly Bridge of Glass. This public installation created a much-needed pedestrian overpass, embedded with the most fabulous glass art creations. This thoughtful blending of form and function made me rethink my dismissal of Tacoma as being an “Ugly” looking place!
Once we had explored the outside, we actually went in to the museum and took in more exhibits.
One of the unique features of this museum is that it has a hot shop inside, where you can sit and watch glass works being made; this is also streamed online.
My personal favorite part of the museum were these pieces created by the hot shop team, based on drawing submitted by children:
Donut Ninja! Created by Colby, age 12
Lock-Ness Pig – created by Eva, age 10. “A lock-ness-pig is a mix between a lock-ness-monster and a pig. It comes from when a lock-ness-monster ate a pig and the pig’s head became the lock-ness-monster’s head.”
The Design of Colors – created by Addyson, age 4
Polka-Doted Strange Creature – created by Tessa, age 9
The Museum of Glass adds culture, beauty and art to Tacoma and is definitely worth your time!
The Museum of Glass Visitor Info:
Admission: $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, AAA members, retired military and veterans; $5 for children aged 6 through 12, with free admission for children under 5. For information on additional discounts, museum membership, and hours of operation, go to MuseumofGlass.org/Visit or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
