Chihuly Garden and Glass

State: Washington. Type: glass-art exhibition and garden at Seattle Center, dedicated to the studio glass work of artist Dale Chihuly. Opened May 20, 2012, on the former site of the Fun Forest amusement park. Address: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109. Achieved LEED silver certification. Designed with architect Owen Richards.

Chihuly Garden and Glass showcases the large-scale studio glass work of Pacific Northwest artist Dale Chihuly on the Seattle Center campus, directly beside the Space Needle. Opened in May 2012 on the site of the former Fun Forest amusement park, the exhibition is built around three main components: an outdoor Garden filled with glass sculptures set among plantings, an all-glass Glasshouse containing one of Chihuly's largest suspended sculptures, a roughly 100-foot-long installation overhead, and a series of Interior Exhibits arranged in darkened galleries that highlight the glass forms with dramatic lighting. A theater and lecture space, a bar, retail area and lobby round out the visitor experience, and live glassblowing demonstrations are offered daily. Since 2019 the venue has hosted the free Refract festival celebrating regional glass art, and it has partnered with Seattle Public Schools to provide thousands of free admission tickets to local students. In March 2026, the site suffered a vandalism incident that destroyed artwork valued at roughly $240,000, described as catastrophic, underscoring how fragile and valuable much of the collection is.

The exhibition sits at 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109, within Seattle Center, immediately adjacent to the Space Needle and reachable via the Seattle Center Monorail. It shares the Seattle Center campus with MoPOP and the Pacific Science Center, putting several major attractions within a short walk of one another.

Seattle has a marine west coast climate with mild, wet winters and warmer, mostly dry summers. The outdoor Garden component means weather has more effect here than at a fully indoor museum; light rain is common much of the year, though many garden pathways and the large Glasshouse offer some cover, and the Interior Exhibits are entirely indoors regardless of conditions outside.

Because the exhibition combines indoor galleries with an outdoor garden, dry and mild weather makes for the most comfortable full experience; the Pacific Northwest's driest, sunniest stretch generally runs from roughly June through September. Visiting in the evening is also popular, since hours extend as late as 9:30 p.m. on most days, allowing for a different, more dramatically lit look at the glass installations after dark.

Chihuly Garden and Glass opened on May 20, 2012, on land previously occupied by the Fun Forest amusement park at Seattle Center, giving Seattle-born glass artist Dale Chihuly a dedicated, permanent home for large-scale installations in his native city. The building was developed with architect Owen Richards and achieved LEED silver certification for its environmental design. Since opening, the venue has expanded its community role, including hosting the free Refract festival celebrating Pacific Northwest glass art since 2019, and providing more than 17,300 free admission tickets to Seattle Public Schools students since 2013. In March 2026, the exhibition experienced a vandalism incident that destroyed roughly $240,000 worth of artwork, an event described as catastrophic for the affected pieces.

Visitors typically move through the Garden to see glass sculptures integrated with plantings, into the Glasshouse to view the roughly 100-foot suspended sculpture overhead, and then through a sequence of darkened Interior Exhibit galleries highlighting different bodies of Chihuly's work. Live glassblowing demonstrations are offered daily at 11 a.m., giving visitors a look at the techniques behind the art. Ten-minute Gallery Talks are included with admission for those wanting more context on specific pieces. The on-site theater hosts short films and lectures, and a bar with age-appropriate seating sections and a retail shop round out the visit.

The Glasshouse, with its roughly 100-foot suspended glass sculpture, is the exhibition's signature space. The outdoor Garden pairs glass sculptures with living plants for a changing, seasonal look. The Interior Exhibits present multiple themed galleries of Chihuly's work in dramatically lit indoor rooms, and the 50-seat theater screens short films about the artist's process.

The exhibition sits at 305 Harrison St within Seattle Center, reachable via the Seattle Center Monorail from downtown's Westlake Center, or by King County Metro bus routes serving the area. Visitors driving in can use the Fifth Ave N Garage, the closest option, the Mercer Garage at Third Ave N and Roy Street, or valet parking at the adjacent Space Needle.

As of research, hours were Friday through Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; and Tuesday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., per the venue's own visitor information. Confirm current hours on chihulygardenandglass.com before visiting, since they can change seasonally or for special events.

As of research, general admission ranged from $40-$45 for adults, with senior and youth (ages 5-12) tickets at $35-$40 and free admission for children under 4, per the venue's own site; combination tickets bundling admission with the Space Needle and an IMAX film were listed around $74, and Seattle CityPASS packages ranged $119-$139. Confirm current pricing on the official site before visiting, since prices vary by date and package.

The venue's own information estimates an average visit of 1-2 hours, enough time to move through the Garden, Glasshouse and Interior Exhibits at a comfortable pace, with the 11 a.m. glassblowing demonstration and gallery talks adding a bit more time if attended.

Because Chihuly Garden and Glass sits within Seattle Center, the same hotel options serving MoPOP and the Space Needle, concentrated in nearby Belltown and South Lake Union, are within easy walking or short rideshare distance. Downtown Seattle, a few blocks further south, offers a wider range of hotel brands for visitors wanting more choice.

The venue includes its own on-site bar with separate seating areas for different age groups. Seattle Center more broadly has food vendors serving its various attractions, while the nearby Belltown and South Lake Union neighborhoods offer a much wider range of restaurants within a short walk or rideshare.

The Space Needle stands immediately adjacent, and MoPOP is a short walk away on the same Seattle Center campus. The Pacific Science Center and Seattle Children's Museum are further nearby options, making it easy to combine several Seattle Center attractions in one visit.

The Seattle Center Monorail connects downtown's Westlake Center to a terminal near the venue, and multiple King County Metro bus routes also serve Seattle Center. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the nearest major airport, reachable via Link light rail to downtown followed by a short bus, monorail or walking connection.

Because much of the collection is delicate glass artwork, visitors should keep a careful distance from displays and supervise children closely, particularly in the Garden and Glasshouse where sculptures are at eye level or overhead. Wet pathways in the outdoor Garden can be slippery after rain, so cautious footing is worth keeping in mind.

A light rain jacket or umbrella for the outdoor Garden section, given Seattle's frequent drizzle, and a camera or phone for photographing the glass installations are worth bringing. Comfortable shoes help for the walk between the Garden, Glasshouse and Interior Exhibits.

Because evening hours extend as late as 9:30 p.m. most days, a late-afternoon or evening visit offers a different, more dramatically lit experience than a daytime visit. Arriving for the 11 a.m. glassblowing demonstration is worthwhile for visitors interested in process as well as finished art. Combining the visit with the adjacent Space Needle or MoPOP, both a short walk away, is a common way to build a fuller Seattle Center day.

For any emergency, dial 911. Specific visitor-line contact details were not confirmed directly from the official site during research; check chihulygardenandglass.com's contact page for current phone and email information.

Chihuly Garden and Glass (official site) - https://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.