Museum

If the sole purpose of the Museum of Glass was to sit on the banks of Tacoma's Thea Foss waterway and look good, it would be enough. The Arthur Erickson-designed museum, with its metal-plated, 90-foot-tall cone-shaped tower, is one of the most beautiful modern structures in Washington State.

But the museum enjoys an even greater distinction: It is the only museum in the United States to feature nothing but contemporary glass art, and one of only three such museums in the world. Works from artists the world over adorn its 13,000 square feet of exhibition space, and you can also watch new works being created in the "Hot Box" theater. Ever wonder what an annealer is? You'll find out.

Even if you don't enter the museum, visiting is a pleasure. Several permanent works — including Tacoma native Dale Chihuly's breathtaking "Bridge of Glass" — are installed on the grounds. They're eminently photogenic, and it's a good thing, too — cameras aren't allowed inside the museum itself.

By Geoff Carter
NWsource staff