Museum of Glass facts for kids
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Bridge of Glass and Hot Shop (glass blowing (cone) building)
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| Established | 2002 |
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| Location | Tacoma, Washington, U.S. |
| Type | Art museum |
| Collections | Contemporary glass art |
| Architect | Arthur Erickson |
| Public transit access | Union Station/South 19th Street station, T Line (Sound Transit) |
The Museum of Glass (MOG) is a special art museum in Tacoma, Washington. It is about 75,000 square feet in size. This museum is all about modern art made from glass. Since it opened in 2002, the Museum of Glass has worked to celebrate glass art. It helps artists, offers education, and encourages creativity.
Contents
History of the Museum of Glass
The idea for the Museum of Glass started in 1992. Dr. Philip M. Phibbs, a university president, talked with famous glass artist Dale Chihuly. Dr. Phibbs thought the Pacific Northwest region needed a museum for glass art. He believed the area had contributed a lot to the "studio glass movement." This movement is when artists started making glass art in their own studios.
His idea came at a good time. People were planning to fix up the Thea Foss Waterway, an old industrial area. George Russel, a local leader, thought the Museum of Glass would be a perfect main attraction for the new waterway.
The museum's location next to the waterway was chosen in 1995. The Museum of Glass became a non-profit group in 1996. A Canadian architect named Arthur Erickson was chosen to design the building in 1997. Building work started in June 2000. The steel frame for the famous cone-shaped hot shop was finished in 2001. Soon after, work began on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass. This bridge connects the museum to downtown Tacoma. The museum officially opened on July 6, 2002. Thousands of people visited, and it received praise from all over the world.
Since it opened, the Museum of Glass has grown its art collection. It also created a mobile hot shop, which is like a traveling glass-making studio.
Amazing Architecture of the Museum
The Museum of Glass was designed by Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. It was his first big art museum project in the United States. The museum is 75,000 square feet in total. It has 13,000 square feet of gallery space for showing art. It also has a 7,000 square foot hot shop.
The Famous Hot Shop Cone
The hot shop is shaped like an angled cone. This cone is the museum's most eye-catching feature. It was inspired by old "beehive burners" from sawmills that used to be along the waterway. These burners were large, cone-shaped structures used to burn wood waste. The museum's cone is made of 2,800 diamond-shaped stainless steel panels. It is 100 feet wide at its base.
Other Cool Features
The museum's design also includes a large concrete stairway. This stairway spirals around the outside of the building. There are also three reflecting pools on the museum's terraces. These pools have no visible edges, making the water look like it goes on forever.
The Bridge of Glass
The Chihuly Bridge of Glass is connected to the museum. Arthur Erickson designed it with artist Dale Chihuly. This bridge helps people walk from the museum to downtown Tacoma.
Exciting Exhibitions and Collections
The Museum of Glass has many different art collections and shows.
Permanent Collections
These are artworks the museum owns and often has on display:
- 20th and 21st Century Glass Collection: Glass art from the 1900s and 2000s.
- Kids Design Glass Collection: Art inspired by designs made by kids.
- Visiting Artist Residency Program Collection: Pieces created by artists who visit the museum.
- Cappy Thompson: Gathering the Light: Works by artist Cappy Thompson.
Current Exhibitions
These are the shows you can see right now:
- Kids Design Glass | 2009 – Ongoing
- Illuminate: Glass Art For Early Learners | April 29, 2023 – March 2024
- Out Of The Vault: Family Meal | July 1, 2023 – 2024
- She Bends: Redefining Neon Legacy | February 11, 2023 – October 29, 2023
- Boundless Curiosity: A Journey With Robert Minkoff | April 2, 2022 – September 24, 2023
Past Exhibitions
The museum has hosted many amazing shows in the past. Here are a few examples:
- Out of the Vault: Soundtracks | June 18, 2022 – June 18, 2023
- René Lalique: Art Deco Gems from the Steven and Roslyn Shulman Collection | November 27, 2020 – June 19, 2022
- Spotlight on Dale Chihuly | October 14, 2017 – June 5, 2022
- Preston Singletary: Raven and the Box of Daylight | October 3, 2018 – September 2, 2019
- Complementary Contrasts: The Glass and Steel Sculptures of Albert Paley | September 9, 2017 – August 19, 2018
- Chihuly's Venetians: The George R. Stroemple Collection | July 25, 2015 – January 4, 2016
- Links: Australian Glass and the Pacific Northwest | May 17, 2013 – January 26, 2014
- Beauty Beyond Nature: The Glass Art of Paul Stankard | November 12, 2011 – July 1, 2012
- Lino Tagliapietra in Retrospect: A Modern Renaissance in Italian Glass | February 23 – August 24, 2008
The Amazing Hot Shop
The Museum of Glass has a 7,000 square foot hot shop amphitheater. It has seats for 145 guests. Here, you can watch live glass blowing demonstrations. Glass blowing is when artists use heat to shape melted glass. The hot shop has a studio for blowing and casting glass. It also has a "cold working" studio. Cold working is when artists shape glass after it has cooled down.
You can even watch the hot shop activity live online! The museum's website streams the action. They also save past videos. The Museum of Glass hot shop also offers "residencies" for artists. This means artists can come and work at the museum for a period of time.
Visiting Artist Program
The Museum of Glass invites famous and new artists to its Visiting Artist Residency Program. Artists stay for different lengths of time, from one day to several weeks. A special piece from each artist's visit is chosen for the museum's collection. Most of these visits are streamed live online. They often end with a talk where the artist shares their experiences.
Since it opened, the Museum of Glass has worked with Pilchuck Glass School. This school is famous for teaching glass art. Together, they host the Visiting Artist Summer Series. Artists from Pilchuck are invited to work at the Museum of Glass. The very first visiting artist at the museum's opening in 2002 was Dale Chihuly.
Images for kids
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Museum of Glass logo
