Tacoma's Art-Filled Escape
A scenic journey through Tacoma, jam-packed with artistic landmarks.
Immerse yourself in Tacoma's thriving artistic scene! This vibrant city wears its art on its walls, traffic boxes, and police headquarters thanks to its Municipal Art Program. With the city embracing an impressive 1% of its public capital project construction cost for public art, you'll find art beckoning from nearly every corner.
Even on gloomy Northwest days, indoor art attractions offer a colorful escape. The downtown Museum District stands out as the heart of Tacoma's artistic hub. With ample street parking and a walkable district, you can easily explore several museums, galleries, and attractions on foot.
Tacoma Art Museum
Step into the striking Tacoma Art Museum and be greeted by almost 6,000 works. Their collection spans studio jewelry, glass, woodblock prints, focusing primarily on U.S. Northwest and Western art and artists. The museum's newest exhibit, "Echoes of the Floating World," pairs Japanese woodblock prints with contemporary Northwest art.
Other exhibits delve into the music of Nirvana, multicultural artistic depictions, and Tacoma's history—with, of course, a significant emphasis on glass art, as Chihuly's work makes up around a quarter of the museum's collection.
Chihuly's Tacoma Legacy
Visit Tacoma's most globally renowned artist, Dale Chihuly. Known for co-founding the innovative Pilchuck Glass School, you'll find his works all over Tacoma.
Start at Union Station, now a federal courthouse, which houses five massive, light-catching Chihuly installations. Just show your ID to the guard, and you'll likely have the building to yourself.
Next, stroll along the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a 500-foot pedestrian footbridge crossing busy Interstate 705. Admire the "Venetians" wall, containing 109 Chihuly sculptures tucked inside an 80-foot-long wall.
Museum of Glass
The Museum of Glass is home to the iconic works of Dale Chihuly and newer pieces by artists who shape glass into a rainbow of unique forms. One current exhibit, "Field Notes: Artists Observe Nature," showcases tiny, exquisite flowers, insects, and more.
Immerse yourself in the museum's hot shop, where artists work the live glassmaking process. Don't forget to grab a handmade gift or souvenir from the Museum of Glass store before leaving.
Tacoma's Art-Filled Road Trip
With so much art on offer, it's no surprise that Tacoma calls out to art enthusiasts. Use the city's interactive Tacoma Mural Project and Sculpture map to embark on a self-guided tour of the public murals and sculptures. You can even set out on a shopping spree, with numerous galleries and private studios in the area, offering everything from student work to professional pieces.
For a cozy pitstop, head to Ebony and Ivory, an artistic interpretation of the cafe concept with soaring ceilings, a spacious layout, and regional video reels playing before comfortable couches. Refresh with sandwiches, coffee, or even a cocktail before continuing your artistic journey.
- Weather permitting, indoor art attractions in Tacoma provide a vibrant escape, especially on gloomy Northwest days.
- Tacoma's Museum District, the heart of the city's artistic scene, offers a walkable layout with ample street parking for easy exploration.
- Seattle neighbors Tacoma, and the Puget Sound region offers various home-and-garden, lifestyle, and travel options for visitors who wish to stay longer.
- At the Tacoma Art Museum, you can find almost 6,000 works, including Chihuly's glass art, which makes up around a quarter of the museum's collection.
- Traffic boxes, police headquarters, and buildings like Union Station in Tacoma showcase art due to the city's Municipal Art Program, which invests 1% of public capital project construction costs into public art.
- On a self-guided road trip in Tacoma, visitors can follow the Tacoma Mural Project and Sculpture Map to discover public murals and sculptures, or visit numerous galleries and private studios offering unique art pieces.
