The Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma, Washington is a not to be missed experience to view and appreciate the beautiful and exceptional work of world renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. The Chihuly Bridge of Glass was a gift to the city from Chihuly, to welcome visitors to the Tacoma area.
“I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in some way that they’ve never experienced” — Chihuly
Location of Chihuly Bridge of Glass
The Bridge of Glass is located next to the Thea Foss Waterway and spans across Interstate 705 and railroad tracks in Tacoma, WA. The bridge is connected to the Museum of Glass and is near other sites like the Tacoma Art Museum and Washington State History Museum.
What is the Chihuly Bridge of Glass?
The handicap friendly pedestrian bridge spans 500 feet and showcases three separate installations of Chihuly glass art. The Chihuly Bridge of Glass is free to the public and open 24 hours a day. During the night time it is beautifully illuminated.
Three Unique Installations
The installation closest to Pacific Avenue is the Seaform Pavillion. It contains over 2,300 pieces of marine life inspired blown and sculpted glass. As you walk through, you look up and are in awe as you see and are taken away with gorgeous forms flowing from one to the next in a sea of brilliant colors above your head.
Next you encounter the two 40 foot, blue crystal towers made of polyvitro, a type of plastic material. They remind me of ice bergs and are a beautiful blue.
After the crystal towers, you encounter the Venetian Wall. The 80 foot Venetian Wall is named this because it contains 109 exceptionally large vases from his “Venetian” vase series. Chihuly said “I started the series with the simple idea of replicating these strange Art Deco vases.”
How to Access the Chihuly Bridge of Glass
There are two ways to access the bridge for your stroll across. From Pacific Avenue, walk through the area between Union Station and the Washington State History Museum. From the Foss Waterway side, walk up the stairs from outside the Museum of Glass (park in the museum garage).
Enjoy Chihuly at Home
Enjoy a bit of Chihuly when you send greetings to your friends and family. This note card set is great! I bought it at my local garden after my visit of the Chihuly installations there. Also, this book of Chihuly’s works is fantastic. The photos in the book and note cards showcase his sculptures in some of the world’s most beautiful botanical gardens, including my local garden, Missouri Botanical Garden.
Further Information
Open 24 hours, everyday.
Address: Bridge of Glass, Tacoma, WA 98402
You many be interested in this post about the North Carolina Arboretum.
Have you seen any Chihuly works of art? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.