Chihuly Garden and Glass
About
305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA · Seattle Center, adjacent to the Space Needle
Chihuly Garden and Glass is a permanent exhibition at Seattle Center dedicated to the studio glass work of artist Dale Chihuly, opened on May 21, 2012 on the former site of the Fun Forest amusement park. [2] The facility was designed with architect Owen Richards and holds LEED silver certification from the USGBC. [2]
What It Is
The exhibition is organized around three primary components: an outdoor Garden, a Glasshouse, and Interior Galleries. [2] The Galleries present Chihuly's work spanning more than 40 years of experimentation with color, form, and light, including named installations such as the Persian Ceiling, Mille Fiori, Macchia Forest, Sealife Room, and Ikebana and Float Boats. [1] The Glasshouse contains a 100-foot-long suspended sculpture — among Chihuly's largest — filled with red, yellow, and orange glass. [1][2] The outdoor Garden pairs living plants, trees, and flowers with glass sculptures in a deliberate compositional arrangement. [1]
What You Can Do
- Watch a 50-seat theater program of short films covering Chihuly's glassblowing process and global installations. [1][2]
- Attend Hot Shop demonstrations by local artists shaping molten glass, starting at 11 AM. [1]
- Take a self-guided audio tour of the exhibition. [1]
- Visit The Bar, which features over 25 items from Chihuly's personal collections alongside cocktails and food, with all-ages and 21+ seating areas. [1][2]
- Browse the on-site bookstore and edition artwork shop. [1]
Community & Events
The venue hosts seasonal programming in the Glasshouse — including yoga and dancing — as well as private events. [1] Since 2019, it has run Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience, a free annual glass art festival drawing artists and collectors from the Puget Sound region. [2] The museum has partnered with Seattle Public Schools since 2013, providing over 17,300 free tickets to elementary students as of 2024. [2]
Practical Access
Open year-round; Friday–Saturday 10:00 AM–7:30 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM–6:30 PM, Monday–Thursday 10:30 AM–5:30 PM, with occasional adjusted hours for private events. [1] General admission runs $40–$45; seniors $35–$40; youth (5–12) $35–$40; children under 4 free. Combination tickets with the Space Needle and IMAX are available from $74, and CityPASS from $119–$139. [1]
Sources
- Open year-round
- Typical duration: 2h
Access & fees
- children under 4
- citypass $119–$139
- combo ticket from $74
- general admission $40–$45
- senior admission
- youth (5–12) admission
Things to do
- attend seasonal exhibitions and special events
- audio tour
- bar dining and drinks
- chihuly nights evening event
- daily glassblowing demonstrations
- dining and cocktails
- enjoy refreshments at the collections café
- explore the exhibition galleries
- garden walk
- guided gallery talks
- hot shop glassblowing demos
- learn about dale chihuly's artistic process
- live glassblowing demonstrations
- photography
- shop at the museum store
- stroll through the outdoor garden
- theater film screenings
- visit the spectacular glasshouse
Amenities
- accessibility information
- accessibility services
- audio tour available
- bar with 21+ section
- bookstore and shop
- on-site bar and dining
- retail bookstore
Best time to visit
- chihuly nights evenings
- weekend evenings
Events & seasons
- chihuly nights
- refract: seattle glass experience
- seasonal glasshouse events
- seattle public schools visits
Features
- 100-ft suspended sculpture
- 40+ years of work
- 50-seat theater
- 8 interior gallery rooms
- glasshouse sculpture
- interior galleries
- leed silver certified
- opened may 21, 2012
- outdoor sculpture garden
Nearby
- museum of pop culture
- seattle center
- space needle
Good to know
- address: 305 harrison st
- adjusted hours possible
- glasshouse may close for private events
- open year-round
Photos
