I don’t know why I’m this way, but I typically don’t go to any of my local cities attractions unless accompanied by an out-of-towner. Sometimes this is because of my aversion to tourists and other times I think it’s just pure laziness. The Chihuly Garden and Glass was definitely one such place. When I found myself at the Seattle Center, I’d think “Huh, I should check that place out sometime. Maybe when Erik & Nerissa visit next… ” (Side note to Erik & Nerissa, you should totally come visit!) So, on Tuesday, when T mentioned he had to go on a site visit and it was after work, I invited myself along. (Sure I had to pose as an employee of his company, but what’s a little subterfuge when you can go see artistic stuff for free?)
There are two parts of the museum. First, you walk through a series of indoor galleries:
(As you can see, there are a lot of different styles on display, showing his various influences and stages of work. )
Then you walk into this beautiful glass building:
And you get a beautiful view of the Space Needle through the ceiling:
Then you get to wander through the garden, that’s filled with all of these interesting glass pieces:
They did a great job of integrating landscape with the sculpture and especially on a sunny summer day, the colors were unbelievable. (It would also be very striking on a gray day, but maybe not so pleasant to be outdoors.) Should you find yourself in Seattle and are looking for a low-key, fun activity that involves walking around and looking at pretty things, I highly recommend it. And then afterwards, you can hit up the Center House for a delicious snack (in our case, mini pies… ) It was an unexpectedly awesome post-work adventure.
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