Looking for something fun, out-of-the ordinary, and a little crafty to do with the whole family in Tacoma? Check out the Tacoma Museum of Glass.
Here’s my kid-friendly itinerary for a quick day trip to Tacoma, Washington.
Our Visit to the Tacoma Museum of Glass
Parking – There is a parking garage directly under the Museum, and I think we only paid $5 for the time we parked there.
The Hot Shop
Watch live demonstrations every day. The “Hot Shop Team” and a visiting artist give live demos, whole a staff member is on hand to answer questions.
Seating is stadium style, with a large screen for you to get a closer look at the artist’s work.
Just for Kids
Making glass blowing a hands-on activity for little artists seems like an impossible task. In the Studio, kids are able to draw pictures of what they would want a piece of glass art to look like. Leave your drawing with an official entry form, and your child’s drawing may be selected to have the Hot Shop team made your design out of glass.
Some previous kid-designed pieces were on display at the Museum. You can see the original drawing side-by-side with the glass art piece.
Exhibits
When we visited, the current exhibition was “Translations: An Exploration of Glass by Northwest Native Carvers and Weavers“. Indigenous artists took inspiration gained from ancestors to explore what it meant to create in today’s world. I was surprised by how interested even a couple of 6-year-olds were in woven baskets made from glass.
I think that really was my favorite part of visiting this museum. There was such a conscious effort made to make the exhibit relatable for all ages. The kids designed their own basket pattern with magnetic tiles. Then they watched a video on glass blowing while I was able to browse the nearby artwork.
Family-Friendly Dining near the Museum of Glass
Here are three lunch options when you are visiting the Museum of Glass:
1 – If the weather is nice, I would definitely recommend packing a picnic. There are plenty of benches along the The Foss Waterway, and the kids will love being able to run around and look at all of the boats.
2 – The Museum Cafe has sandwiches, wraps, soups, and salads available.
3 – Walk-able Restaurants – there are a couple of restaurants within walking distance along the waterway. We chose to walk down to The Fish Peddler.
The twins ordered from the kids menu, and the waitress happily subbed steamed veggies for fries (It’s almost impossible for my mildly-picky eaters to eat healthy on vacation… sigh!). I indulged in a bowl of chowder and a green salad. Both were absolutely delicious.
Ice cream treat on our way out of town
On our way out of town, we stopped off for a quick sweet treat at Ice Cream Social. They serve up all natural, homemade, and local ice cream flavors – plus dairy-free options, which I try do do an much as possible with my kiddos.
There’s just something about trying out local brews and ice cream when you travel!
So that’s it. Our little day trip to Tacoma. The kids had a blast, and I enjoyed getting in a little bit of art and culture while on vacation.
Be sure to pin this Tacoma day trip for later:
If you’re traveling out in the Pacific Northwest, be sure to check out my Seattle Fun Day as well.