Museum of Glass

On Friday Eric and Elise played hookey, and they took me and Erica with them down to Tacoma. Now Tacoma itself is not exactly a bright spot in the Washington landscape, however, it does have an amazing place to visit -- the Museum of Glass.

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Tacoma is the birth place of the great glass artist Dale Chihuly and he founded a museum to house some of his works and also showcase other glass artists. I have always wanted to go see it.

Not only does the museum show its own artwork, it has a functioning glass studio in it as well. We got to watch the Hot Shop Team work on a piece. I was a little disappointed in the piece they were doing -- it was a replica of a set of headphones. I really wanted to see them doing a big hand blown vase or bowl, but beggars can't be chosers!

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The museum has a fun exhibit going now called Kids' Designs. It is a collection of pieces done based on drawings by kids of varying ages. There are 52 fantastical pieces, with crazy creatures invented by kids. I loved it! Some of our favorites were "Pizza Cat," "Shark Attack," "Coyote in Socks," "A Very Extinct Rainblow Collector," "Bacon Boy," and "Gop Thing." Cameras were not allowed in the exhibits, so we got a set of playing cards that has pictures of each of the pieces.

Outside the museum was just as amazing as inside. There was this cool tilted structure.....

and a wall of Chihuly's own work.....

not to mention these giant suncatchers.....

and a bridge with an amazing ceiling!

What would I give to have this to look up to everyday?