Museum of Glass

Interactive museum in Tacoma, Washington, United States

Museum of Glass
Lethargilistic · CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

About

What It Is

The Museum of Glass is a 75,000-square-foot contemporary art museum in Tacoma, Washington, situated adjacent to the Thea Foss Waterway [2]. Founded in 2002, it operates as a nonprofit institution dedicated to the studio glass movement, with a mission centered on artist support, education, and creative engagement [2]. The museum was designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson — his first major art museum in the United States — and its most recognizable feature is a cone-shaped hot shop clad in 2,800 diamond-shaped stainless steel panels, 100 feet in diameter at its base, inspired by the beehive burners of historic waterway sawmills [2].

Activities & Experiences

Visitors can watch live glassblowing demonstrations throughout the day inside the hot shop, which operates as a working studio [1]. The Visiting Artist Residency Program brings artists from around the world to work in the hot shop, and on the Sunday of each residency at 1pm, participating artists discuss their creative process and take questions from the public [1]. Hands-on workshops in the Education Studio cover techniques including glass fusing, sketching, and painting, with offerings tied to current exhibitions and seasonal events [1]. The museum also hosts recurring programs such as Movies in the Cone, an outdoor film screening series held inside the hot shop cone [1].

The permanent collection includes 20th and 21st century glass works, a Kids Design Glass collection, and pieces acquired through the Visiting Artist Residency Program [2]. In 2024, the museum added its first functional glass pipe to the permanent collection — a piece titled Triceratops by Ryan (Buck) Harris — marking a notable expansion of the collection's scope [2]. The Chihuly Bridge of Glass, designed by Arthur Erickson in collaboration with Dale Chihuly, connects the museum to downtown Tacoma and is accessible to visitors [2].

Practical Access

The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am to 5pm, with live glassblowing demonstrations running all day during open hours [1]. As of 2026, the museum has begun its first capital renovation project; all traditional gallery spaces are closed during construction, which is expected to continue throughout 2026 [1]. Directions, parking information, and group tour arrangements are available through the museum directly [1].

Workshops require advance registration, and Movies in the Cone screenings require a free RSVP [1]. The Pumpkin Patch Festival, held on the Grand Plaza, is free to attend, though standard museum admission is required to enter the museum itself [1].

Restrictions

All traditional gallery spaces are closed during the 2026 capital renovation project [1]. The Pumpkin Patch Festival is weather-dependent and may be cancelled in the event of rain, with notifications posted to the museum's Instagram account [1].

What Makes It Distinctive

The Museum of Glass is one of the few art museums in the United States built around a fully operational glassblowing facility open to the public during all visiting hours, making the creative process itself a central part of the visitor experience rather than a background feature [1][2]. Its origins are directly tied to the Pacific Northwest studio glass movement and to Tacoma native Dale Chihuly, giving it a specific regional and artistic identity that extends to its architecture and permanent collection [2]. The 2024 acquisition of a functional glass pipe as a permanent collection piece reflects an institutional willingness to engage with contested and evolving definitions of glass as fine art [2].

Sources

  1. Museum of Glass
  2. Museum of Glass

Things to do

Amenities

Events & seasons

Features

Nearby

Good to know

Catalog identifier: AVIA-56QV-P7RM2

Photos

Museum of Glass
Deathgleaner · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Museum of Glass
Leslie Seaton from Seattle, WA, USA · CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons