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Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition at the Seattle Center was established in 2012. Featuring the works of Washington State artist Dale Chihuly, the LEED-certified installation consists of a garden, central Glasshouse, and eight galleries next door to the Space Needle. The Chihuly Garden offers art education and events through partnerships with the Pratt Fine Arts Center, Pilchuck Glass School, ArtsFund, and Seattle Public Schools. Events include live music, yoga, tours, lectures, dinners, and theatrical performances [1].

Chihuly Glasshouse during a lecture (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

Chihuly Glasshouse during a lecture (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

One of the galleries (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

One of the galleries (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

One of the installments (image from Dazzling Places - Explore Seattle)

One of the installments (image from Dazzling Places - Explore Seattle)

Another installment (image from Seattle Monorail)

Another installment (image from Seattle Monorail)

The Glasshouse during the day (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

The Glasshouse during the day (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

Part of the Garden (image from Trip Advisor)

Part of the Garden (image from Trip Advisor)

Glasshouse and gardens (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

Glasshouse and gardens (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

The Garden (image from Walking On Travels)

The Garden (image from Walking On Travels)

Garden with glasshouse overview (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)

Garden with glasshouse overview (image from Chihuly Garden and Glass)
Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition at the Seattle Center was established in 2012. Featuring the works of Washington State artist Dale Chihuly, the LEED-certified installation consists of a garden, central Glasshouse, and eight galleries next door to the Space Needle. The Chihuly Garden offers art education and events through partnerships with the Pratt Fine Arts Center, Pilchuck Glass School, ArtsFund, and Seattle Public Schools. Events include live music, yoga, tours, lectures, dinners, and theatrical performances [1].

About Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly, born in Tacoma, Washington in 1941, studied at the Universities of Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the Rhode Island School of Design, where he subsequently established and taught the glass program. He studied glassblowing in Venice on a Fulbright Fellowship and, in 1971, co-founded Washington State's international glass center, Pilchuck Glass School. Featured in over 200 museums across the globe, Chihuly has exhibits in the Louvre in Paris, on the canals and piazzas of Venice, in Jerusalem's Tower of David Museum, in the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and in many American museums and architectural installations. Since 2001, he has focused on exhibits in botanical settings [1].

The Seattle Center and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibition

Built for the World's Fair in 1962, the Seattle Center's Space Needle was constructed by Howard S. Wright II. His family owns and manages the Center, and decided to reinvigorate it as a cultural community gathering space. The Wright family asked Dale Chihuly to design an exhibition hall, garden installation, and glasshouse on a 1.5 acre plot, using the existing building as the exhibition hall. Construction began in 2011, and LEED Silver certification and installation of the art began the following year [1].

Eight galleries and three "Drawing Walls" are included in the Exhibition Hall. The 40-foot tall Glasshouse, designed to resemble a conservatory, is the centerpiece of the Exhibition and features a 100-foot long suspended sculpture. The Garden combines natural elements such as trees and flowers with four large glass sculptures, Reeds on Logs, the Sun, and the Crystal and Icicle Towers. The Exhibition also features a Theater which shows videos on Chihuly's artistic process and how his sculptures are created. The Theater also holds lectures and events [1].

1. Center Art LLC. "Chihuly Garden and Glass." Official website. 2015. Accessed August 1, 2016. http://chihulygardenandglass.com/