Tacoma Art Museum

• Hours: Open daily except closed Mondays September through May and closed July 4, Thanksgiving, December 25, January 1
• Reservations: Not required
• Cost: Admission fee, but free all day on the third Thursday of each month
• Location: Downtown Tacoma, driving directions below
• How Long: Allow one to two hours
• Best Time to Visit: Any time, but if you're visiting mostly to see the Hot Shop, it's closed from 1 to 2 pm every day and from 4 and 5 pm on days the museum is open late

Tacoma Art Museum Review

Rather than trying to collect a bit of this and bit of that, the Tacoma Art Museum focuses on Northwest artists, and they have assembled a fine collection of their work. On display at any time, you'll find:

• Rotating exhibits from the museum's collection

• Traveling exhibits, which in the past have included work by Andy Goldsworthy, Marsden Hartley and artists of the Hudson River School.

• Dale Chihuly Glass: The Tacoma Art Museum recognized the talents of glass artist Dale Chihuly long before he became famous, and they hold the consummate collection of his work on permanent display anywhere, some of it from as early as 1977. For fans of Chihuly's work, this collection alone makes the Tacoma Art Museum a must-see.

The Tacoma Art Museum is blessed with lots of friendly docents, who may notice that you like a particular piece and strike up a conversation with you about it. They also often suggest that you go to the end of the long hallway downstairs for the best view of the stone garden. To their advice, I add that on a clear day you should head all the way to the top level for a nice view of Mount Rainier.

The museum cafe, named Untitled (which the the most common name for pieces of artwork) serves Pacific Northwest cuisine.

Getting to Tacoma Art Museum

Tacoma Art Museum
1701 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, WA
253-272-4258
Tacoma Art Museum website
From I-5 North or South, exit at City Center (exit 133). Follow I-705/City Center signs and turn left on 21st Street,and immediately right on Pacific Avenue. The Tacoma Art Museum is on the right past the Washington State History Museum and Union Station. You'll find (paid) parking if you turn right on Hood Street just past the building and right again behind it.