Chihuly Garden & Glass Museum

Ranked the #1 Thing to do in Seattle by Trip Advisor, The Chihuly Garden & Glass museum showcases the work of master glassblower, artist, and visionary Dale Chihuly, who was born in nearby Tacoma, WA. We were mesmerized by how intricate, and seemingly gravity defying these art installations that dotted the garden and museum were.

Chihuly Garden & Glass

Location: Seattle, Washington
Address: 1075 Lake Washington Boulevard East
Seattle, WA, 98112
Admission: $32 per Adult or included in CityPass
Hours: Open Daily 11am – 5pm
Parking: Street Parking or Parking Garage
(I recommend ride sharing and being dropped off)

I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this museum, and it was just an incredible experience to walk through it and try to wrap my head around how he bends glass to his artistic whims to create the incredible shapes we saw. The artist prides himself on pushing the limits of what can be achieved with glass, by making huge, wide shapes, massive, coiling tendrils from a single piece of glass, injecting multiple colors of glass into one single object, and so much more.

Chihuly’s incredible creations made us feel like we were walking through a glass forest, and then under the colorful umbrellas down Umbrella Street in San Juan, and finally as though we were underwater. It was just a surreal experience, and we lingered long enough to admire his glass creations, discuss how he achieved such unique and impressive monuments to his own talents, and snap a few photos.

I’ve written bout how convenient using CityPASS is, and how this single ticket to multiple attractions can save unto hundreds of dollars when site seeing. We’ve used CityPASS in Toronto & Chicago, and every time we’ve used it, including most recently in Seattle, has been an excellent experience. We don’t have to wait in line for tickets, because they are emailed directly to us, or we could print them out at our hotel if we’d prefer. We also don’t have to worry about the cost of tickets at top attractions in each city we visit, as they are prepared with a discounted “buy ahead” price. In Seattle, CityPASS offers a savings of 45% to see Chihuly Glass & Garden (or the Pacific Science Center), The Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, and the Museum of Pop Culture OR Woodland Park Zoo. Instead of paying $200, with CityPASS visitors to Seattle can see them all for only $108 per person!

After going through the museum, we took a stroll through the garden portion of the exhibit, where colorful glass tendrils and balls were scattered amongst the plants. The garden itself was relatively small, but it rests in the shadow of the Space Needle, making it a unique juxtaposition of modern glass art, botanicals, and the impressive, rotating restaurant and tower looming above.

If you’re in Seattle, the Chihuly Garden & Glass is absolutely worth a visit. Located next door to the Space Needle inside the Seattle Center, there is also an expansive gift shop, the diminutive garden I mentioned, a 40′ high glasshouse, and a café at Chihuly Garden & Glass.