Museum of Glass in Tacom, Washington Celebrates the Magic of Glass Blowing

The Museum of Glass in Tacoma stands as a beacon of the thriving artistic movement of downtown Tacoma, WA. They are connected to the cultural epicenter of Tacoma by a 500-foot art-adorned outdoor walkway, and we anchor the picturesque Thea Foss Waterway with our 90-foot, metallic, glistening cone-shaped exterior which houses our "Hot Shop" amphitheater, which features amazing live exhibitions of creative glass blowing by masters in the field.

The Museum of Glass in Tacoma, is dedicated to providing a center that nurtures artists, celebrates the rise of the Studio Glass movement and encourages creativity. They convey a vision through their gallery exhibitions, art installations on the outdoor plazas, our hands-on art studio, and through educational programs.

Their main feature is known as the "Hot Shop" amphitheatre, where live glass blowing by local and international artists can be viewed whenever the museum is open. The power behind the artists trade is the museum's two massive furnaces - each of which holds approximately 1,000-pounds of glass and are both capable of reaching temperatures of 2,400 degrees fahrenheit. On a daily basis, you can see these talented craftsmen blow up glass like a baloon, spin it, contort, and create breathtaking sculptures with it.

Since the museum opened in 2002, over 50 internationally established artists, as well as emerging talent from the region and abroad have worked their magic in the "Hot Shop."

Our amphitheater is connected to the Tacoma Washington State History Museum and Pacific Avenue by the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, named after renowned Tacoman glass artist David Chihuly. It spans 500 feet and includes thousands of examples of Chihuly's visually striking glass sculptures.