Last week, an interior designer friend from Florida was visiting Seattle, so we seized the opportunity to catch up over lunch. I racked my brain trying to come up with a lunch spot I thought would be inspiring to her design senses and then it hit me– the cafe at the Chihuly Garden & Glass museum! I’d been meaning to visit the museum since arriving in Seattle, but it just hadn’t happened yet, so here was the perfect excuse.

The museum centers around the work of renown Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly.  Chihuly is a bit of a polarizing figure in Seattle– his work, having saturated the Seattle glass market for quite sometime, he’s like the Starbucks of art in Seattle.  He’s everywhere, as are copy cats and artists who’ve worked for him so it can be understandably tiresome to see yet more Chihuly.  But with that said, the museum is a feast for the eyes and definitely worth a visit!

From an art lover’s standpoint, the mere spectacle of color and texture is unforgettable.  The museum is relatively small, only about 1/2 dozen “rooms”, Chihuly’s work really shines in the atriums and outdoor garden spaces.  The design of each space is done thoughtfully and with much regard to the characteristics of the works themselves, how the light behaves in and around them, color, etc.

Though the price of admission seemed a bit steep at $19 for an adult ticket, the museum staff was friendly & helpful, which goes a long way in my book!  Overall, the Chihuly Garden & Glass is the perfect cultural diversion amongst the touristy offerings at Seattle Center.  Oh and lunch at the Collections Cafe was delicious!  For more information on visiting the Chihuly Garden & Glass, please visit their website.

If you’d like to see more photos from my visit, check out the Artsy Instagram feed!