Opened in May 2012, Chihuly Garden and Glass is already a top tourist attraction, quickly eclipsing its more established neighbors like the iconic Space Needle as one of the most highly recommended things to do in Seattle.
I’m no art critic–I simply know what I like–so believe me when I tell you this blown glass art exhibition blew me away (pun intended).
Knowing virtually nothing about the work of Dale Chihuly, the Washington-born blown glass artist whose work comprises the entire exhibit, didn’t detract from the experience. I simply approached it with an open mind and the knowledge that working in blown glass requires heat, speed, and precision.
Dramatic, dynamic, and detailed, each piece is fluid yet fragile. Perusing the collection, I felt a little like Alice down the rabbit hole and stumbling through Wonderland.
As I always try to do when engaging with art, I savored the exhibition slowly, wandering through the spacious exhibition hall, overwhelmed by Chihuly’s artistry and launching into gasps of delight interspersed with bursts of disbelief.
Observing each piece at a distance elicited superficial appreciation while simultaneously inviting me to study the work up close. One of the most impressive works the exhibit–a towering seascape sculpture in shades of blue and gold—impressed me by its sheer size and filled me with incredible respect for the imagination, talent, and patience required to conceptualize, create, and compose each piece.
My favorite work was a smallish room with a clear glass ceiling filled with numerous glass sculptures of varying sizes, hues, and forms. Illuminated from above, color drenched the walls, floors, and visitors in a perpetual shower of vivid, radiant light. I recall lingering there longest because it felt like I was admiring the work from within as part of it instead of observing it from the outside.
The dark rooms of the exhibition hall eventually spilled into the outdoors, beginning in the large sunlit Glasshouse and winding its way out into the gardens where sculptures seemed to erupt from the earth as organically as the plants growing around them. I felt as though I’d broken contact with reality and emerged in an alternate universe where Chihuly’s art becomes the work of nature.
I’m no art critic. I only know what I like and I liked–no, LOVED–this.
As an experience designed for quiet observation, Chihuly Garden and Glass gave me the greatest gift: a few hours of whimsy and wonder ideal for the solitary reverie I crave as a solo traveler.
Visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass
Make a day of it
Take the Seattle Monorail from downtown to Seattle Center where Chihuly Garden and Glass is located literally in the shadow of the Space Needle and within shouting distance of the Museum of Pop Culture. Although it isn’t an included attraction in the Seattle CityPASS ticket booklet, you can purchase a combination ticket for both the exhibit and the adjacent Space Needle for less than buying the two tickets separately. There is also a ticket option for visiting the exhibition twice in the same day–once during the day and once at night–to get the complete Chihuly Garden and Glass experience.
Dine at the Collections Café
I wasn’t expecting lunch to be one of the highlights of my visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass but its Collections Café is an exhibit all its own with grin-inducing groupings of vintage items including cameras, radios, fishing lures, cologne bottles, and the like. The best part? Many of the collections are displayed in the tabletops where diners are seated, personalizing the experience (my table was dressed with a colorful collection of strung beads). The second best part? Many of the items come from Chihuly’s own stash.
Plan ahead
The Glasshouse portion of the enchanting exhibition is occasionally closed to the public for private events so consult the website in advance when scheduling your visit to ensure you don’t miss out on one of Seattle’s best experiences.
Very cool. I love Chihuly’s sculptures and I’m sad this wasn’t there yet when I visited Seattle a few years ago. Next time 😛
Hope your next visit to Seattle is soon, Ekua!
Amazing! Here in Denver CO there is a bank across the street from the building I work in that has some of his stuff on their walls. I walk by real slow and just gaze at them. They really do take you to another world.
That’s exactly how I felt too, Alecia!
Those glass sculptures are stunning. To think that one artist did all the work making those displays just goes to show the beauty that one person can produce when they put their heart and soul into their work.
Tell me about it, Matt. It’s mindblowing, really.
Wow! That is gorgeous! I’ve always loved the Chihuly sculpture on the ceiling of the Bellagio in Las Vegas, but I’d have to say this work is even more spectacular. Great photos, Marsha!
Honestly, Chihuly did all the work. My photography had little to do with it, lol. Interested to hear you were familiar with his work. I was in complete ignorance until I visited the exhibition.