Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF)

For as long as I, and probably the majority of people in Seattle, can remember, Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) has been a much-loved annual tradition. It’s a festival that brings the world to screens across Seattle, and gathers cinema lovers of all kinds together for that unique shared experience of sitting in a darkened theater with hundreds of strangers to laugh, cry, gasp, and yes, eat popcorn, as we watch the magic of the movies unfold before us. How many movies? This year’s schedule offers 261 films from 84 countries and regions around the globe. Add in special screenings, parties, filmmaker talks and more, and we’ve got a full on festival. One of the largest in North America, in fact, traditionally attracting more than 150,000 attendees.

And these aren’t just any movies. SIFF’s team includes a whopping 29 programmers who collectively watched more than 6,000 (yes, six thousand—not a typo!) films to curate this year’s festival. Their knowledge and passion in various genres means you too will find something you’re sure to love, whether your tastes run to fantasy, documentaries, animation, or films from a specific part of the world. 63% of these films don’t currently have a U.S. distributor, meaning you aren’t going to find them elsewhere.

SIFF’s website is full of useful information to help you navigate all this goodness, including the basics of “How To Fest,” a helpful Film Finder, tool and inspiring picks from many of the programmers.

So come on out and join the #SIFFTY fun. It’s a great time to visit Seattle. And if you just can’t make it in May, I’m happy to tell you that SIFF has grown to be a year-round cultural force in Seattle, presenting films all year long on six screens at four SIFF locations, ranging from the state-of-the-art experience on the 97-foot curved screen of SIFF Cinema Downtown, to the intimacy of the 90-seat jewelbox of the SIFF Film Center.

Happy Anniversary SIFF, and see you at #SIFF2024! I’ll be in the chocolate popcorn line.

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You can go to as many museums as you like during your stay, and up to four people staying in the hotel room are eligible to use the discount, so it’s perfect for trips with friends or family. You’ll find the entire list of museums on seattlemuseummonth.com – but how to choose? Let’s dive in and I’ll try to make some suggestions according to your interests.

Today’s topic is: history & heritage! Here are some of my recommendations if you want to discover the stories behind the people and places of the Northwest.

In these museums you’ll find fascinating looks at aviation history, a deep dive into Seattle’s innovative roots, stories of the Alaskan Gold Rush, and more.

A great first stop is the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). Housed on the south shore of Lake Union in a restored historic Naval Reserve Armory, this Smithsonian affiliate boasts a collection of more than 4 million objects, documents, and photos that trace the history of the Puget Sound region. MOHAI’s award-winning exhibits are engaging, enlightening, and entertaining. And their focus on innovation explores the global influences that all began here: Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Costco, Nintendo, Boeing and more. My tip: don’t miss the musical telling of the 1889 Great Seattle Fire, complete with heart-tugging solo by the guilty glue pot that started it all, and two current special exhibitions. Roots of Wisdom: Native Knowledge. Shared Science. explores stories from four Indigenous communities in real-world examples of how traditional knowledge and cutting-edge science can be blended together to provide solutions to contemporary concerns. And Pulling Together: A Brief History of Rowing in Seattle is perfectly timed to the national release of the new film The Boys in the Boat, based on the bestselling book by Seattle author Daniel James Brown, and directed by George Clooney. In 1936, the University of Washington men’s rowing team did the unthinkable: despite injuries and illness, they defeated British, German, and Italian crews and brought home a gold medal at the Berlin Olympics. MOHAI is proud to display a selection of rare artifacts and photographs related to the 1936 champion crew which offer a look into the rich history of rowing in Seattle.

courtesy of MOHAI

While you’re in the neighborhood, see if you can spot any of the historic ships that are typically docked at the Historic Ship Wharf adjacent to MOHAI: the Virginia V, Arthur Foss, Swiftsure, and the Duwamish. You might also want to visit The Center for Wooden Boats next door, and the Wagner Education Center.

The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture is a favorite of all ages. Washington’s oldest museum (dating from 1899) is now one of our newest, in a dynamic purpose-built building (opened in 2019) that brings the collections and the research to the forefront, allowing visitors to see the conservation and discovery in action. From contemporary native culture to ancient dinosaur fossils, this museum will inspire and delight.

Burke Museum. Photo: Dennis Wise.

Another don’t-miss: one of Seattle’s most popular museums, The Museum of Flight. Located in south Seattle, it’s the largest independent, non-profit air and space museum in the world! With over 175 aircraft and spacecraft and tens of thousands of artifacts, the museum brings the incredible history of flight to life. A handy visit planner on their website can help you focus your time depending on your age and interests.

In the historic heart of Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, a visit to the free Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park located in the restored 1889 Cadillac Hotel offers an absorbing look at a time when anyone with about $600 ($20,000 in today’s dollars) could dream of traveling to the Yukon Territory in northwestern Canada, to strike a claim, mine the gold, and try to change their fortunes. This branch of the National Park Service is a key link to understanding the impact on Seattle from the Klondike, and how modern day global and regional companies such as Nordstrom and Filson got their start in the explosive growth of the gold rush period.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Wayne Bressler

A beautiful ride on the Seattle-Bremerton ferry will bring you to Bremerton, home of the USS Turner Joy Naval Destroyer Museum Ship. You can walk on for the hour long ferry ride, saving money and time. The Turner Joy is located on the Bremerton boardwalk, an easy walk from the ferry terminal. To fully explore the ship, allow 1-2 hours and wear flat or rubber-soled shoes, dress in layers (the ship is cold in February!), and keep your hands free for safe ladder climbing. Or, take the scenic ferry ride to Bainbridge Island instead, walk a  short distance into town and visit the small but engrossing Bainbridge Island Historical Museum. Fun fact: pickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island in 1965, and you can learn about the roots of this popular national sport in the “Our Community” exhibit.

Learn more about Seattle Museum Month and find your perfect hotel at seattlemuseummonth.com.  See my other posts for suggestions for arts & culture lovers, families, and those seeking one-of-a-kind experiences. With more than 25 participating museums, we’ve got something for every interest. See you in February!

Banner image: The first big rowing event of the 1916 season was an April race against Stanford. University of Washington and Stanford fans crowded the shores of Lake Washington to cheer for their teams. The UW crew won by seven boat lengths, and afterwards started preparing for a May race against the University of California at Berkeley. This photo shows the 1916 men’s varsity crew, in uniform, at the University of Washington boathouse. Credit:  MOHAI, PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, 1983.10.10267.

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Today’s topic is: one-of-a-kind places. This post highlights unique experiences, to be found only here in the Seattle region.

Located in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District, The Wing Luke Museum is a National Park Service affiliate and the first Smithsonian affiliate in the Pacific Northwest. As the only pan-Asian Pacific American museum in the nation, it offers an authentic and unique perspective on the American story. Be Water, My Friend is a popular exhibition exploring the life, teachings and legacy of international icon Bruce Lee, who had deep roots in Seattle. Another exhibit on view in February, Sound Check!: The Music We Make allows you to discover the role music has played in Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander lives & communities.

Wing Luke Museum Sundberg Kennedy Ly-Au Young Architects

Nearby you’re in for another treat: Seattle has a pinball museum! The Seattle Pinball Museum offers about 50 playable games from the 1960s to the present. Your admission allows you unlimited play, although please note that kids must be 7 or older to play the games and must be supervised by an adult. One tip: this can be popular and crowded, so my advice is to choose a non–peak time for your visit if possible, so you can enjoy the games and maybe even talk with the owners, who are passionate pinball fans.

Courtesy Seattle Pinball Museum

If you haven’t filled up on snacks at the Pinball Museum, you’re in luck because you’re right in the Chinatown-International District, home to delicious dumplings and noodles to take a fuel break from your busy day of museum hopping.

Located at Seattle Center, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center offers the opportunity to explore interactive exhibitions, global health innovations, and powerful stories of community. You can also discover ways to take action on causes that you care about. Admission is always free.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center Courtesy of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A few miles north, Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood drew significant numbers of Scandinavian immigrants in the early 1900s, drawn by jobs in fishing and lumber mills, and this neighborhood still bears traces of their cultural traditions. So it’s the perfect place for the National Nordic Museum, an internationally recognized museum and cultural center that collects and preserves the values, traditions, art, and spirit of the Nordic peoples. It’s the largest museum in the United States to honor the legacy of immigrants from the five Nordic countries, and the stunning new building, which opened in 2018, was recognized by Architectural Digest as one of the 15 most noteworthy museums opening in the world that year. As an extra bonus, the museum is home to Frankie Feetsplinters, one of five oversized recycled material trolls in the NW Trolls Project. The trolls were built and installed in late summer of 2023 by internationally known artist Thomas Dambo, along with his pro crew and hundreds of community volunteers.  Tip: If you didn’t eat in the C-ID, this would be a good spot to have a lunch break at the museum’s Freya Café, or venture a couple blocks west for some classic fish and chips at the Lockspot.

Rachael Jones

For an entirely different sort of museum experience, head south about 24 miles to the Pacific Bonsai Museum. Set in a forest of towering conifers, the outdoor museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. This unique place stewards more than 150 bonsai and the most diverse public collection in North America with trees from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. Featuring 60 trees at a time, this cultural gem offers contemporary and traditional exhibitions, group tours, and education.

Courtesy Pacific Bonsai Museum

Learn more about Seattle Museum Month at seattlemuseummonth.com and see my other posts for suggestions for arts & culture lovers, history & heritage buffs, and families. With more than 25 participating museums, we’ve got something for every interest.  See you in February!

Banner Image: Courtesy of The Wing Luke Museum

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You can go to as many museums as you like during your stay, and up to four people staying in the hotel room are eligible to use the discount, so it’s perfect for trips with friends or family. You’ll find the entire list of museums at seattlemuseummonth.com – but how to choose? Let’s dive in and I’ll try to make some suggestions according to your interests.

Today’s topic is: arts & culture! Here are some of my suggestions if you enjoy art.

Seattle Art Museum, or SAM, has been the center for world-class visual arts in the Pacific Northwest since 1933. In the heart of downtown Seattle, light-filled galleries invite you to wander through permanent collections and special exhibitions. SAM’s diverse holdings include Asian, African, Islamic, European, Oceanic, modern and contemporary art, and decorative arts and design. Visitors especially enjoy the remarkable Native American galleries and the charming Porcelain Room. In February you can see Calder: In Motion, an exhibition of the iconic American artist who revolutionized sculpture, including more than 45 works shown publicly for the first time.

Fish, 1942, Alexander Calder. Photo: Nicholas Shirley

The renovated Seattle Asian Art Museum is not to be missed. Housed in a beautiful art deco building in Volunteer Park, the expanded Asian Art Museum breaks boundaries to offer a thematic, rather than geographic or chronological, exploration of art from the world’s largest continent. February highlights include a solo exhibition of international artist Anida Yoeu Ali.

Asian Art Museum Jacob Foltz

Olympic Sculpture Park is SAM’s free outdoor art experience. In summer, it’s packed with dog walkers and joggers and strollers (both kinds), but in winter you can enjoy the art with more solitude. The collection includes large works by Richard Serra, Roxy Paine, Jaume Plensa, Louise Bourgeois, and Alexander Calder. While it might be brisk weather in February, you also might get to enjoy some beautiful clear views of Elliott Bay and the snowcapped Olympic Mountains.

One of Seattle’s top visitor attractions is also one of its most artful. Located at Seattle Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass is bursting with color and light and offers a comprehensive look at the work made by Dale Chihuly, one of the world’s living glass art masters. It never fails to delight with its rooms upon rooms of glass, impressive suspended sculptures, and colorful garden. On view through February, Winter Brilliance is an original light and music installation, using innovative video projection technology.

Art enthusiasts will also want to plan a short trip south to Tacoma. In addition to interesting special exhibitions, a highlight of visiting the Museum of Glass is the chance to watch glass artists at work in the Hot Shop Amphitheatre, located inside the 90-foot tall steel cone.

From the downtown Seattle waterfront, a 30-minute ferry ride to Bainbridge Island (tip: walk on as a foot passenger for ease and savings) and a short stroll will bring you to BIMA, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. Admission is always free, but even without the promise of saving on your admission cost this small gem of a museum is a worthy excursion for an engaging look at the art and craft of the Puget Sound region, in an impressive LEED Gold building.  An onsite café is great for a lunch break, or walk a bit further into town for numerous tasty choices. The ferry ride is another iconic Northwest experience, offering fantastic views of the Seattle skyline and Elliott Bay.

courtesy of Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Also free, the Frye Art Museum is another gem, located just east of downtown Seattle. Established in 1952, the museum is now known for contemporary art exhibitions that explore the issues of our time, and thought-provoking programming.

Courtesy Frye Art Museum

A bit further to the east, in downtown Bellevue, the Bellevue Arts Museum is one of few museums in the nation with a focus on art, craft, and design. On view in February, Positive Fragmentation: From the Collections of the Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation features more than 200 works by contemporary women artists. Opening February 2, Washi Transformed presents a traditional medium of Japanese paper in the hands of present day innovative artists.

And not least, Washington State’s oldest art museum, the Henry Art Gallery, beckons you to the University of Washington campus. Don’t let its age fool you, the Henry specializes in presenting world-renowned contemporary artists and nurturing emerging talent. My tip: don’t miss Light Reign, the Skyspace by acclaimed artist James Turrell. This immersive installation is one of my favorite contemplative spots in the city.

Find your perfect hotel and learn more about Seattle Museum Month at seattlemuseummonth.com.  You’ll also find more suggestions for history & heritage buffs, families, and those seeking one-of-a-kind experiences on our blog. With so many participating museums, we’ve got something for every interest.  See you in February!

Banner Image: Courtesy of the Frye Art Museum

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You can go to as many museums as you like during your stay, and up to four people staying in the hotel room are eligible to use the discount, so it’s perfect for trips with friends or family. You’ll find the entire list of museums at seattlemuseummonth.com – but how to choose? Let’s dive in and I’ll try to make some suggestions according to your interests.

Today’s topic is: family fun! Here are some of my recommendations if you have kids in the mix.

First up, the Burke Museum. Re-opened in late 2019 in a newly constructed, purpose-built facility, the Burke offers a new kind of museum experience, making the research and scientific discovery accessible to visitors. With amazing fossils, dinosaur bones, minerals, cultural artifacts, and an engaging team of scientists and researchers to welcome you, the Burke is a must-see!

Courtesy Burke Museum

At Seattle Center, the colorful Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) is eye-popping inside and out, and will thrill older kids and their parents too. Music fans can dive deep into exhibits on Seattle icons Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, while fans of Harry Potter or The Wizard of Oz will delight in Fantasy: Worlds of Myth and Magic. Indie Game Revolution offers an immersion into contemporary video game culture. Maybe zombies, vampires and other things that go bump in the night are more your speed? Then Scared to Death: The Thrill of Horror Film is for you! (Note that this one is for the age 13+ crowd, due to high scare factor & graphic content.) Sound Lab invites you to get hands-on and explore the tools of rock ‘n’ roll through electric guitars, drums, samplers, mixing consoles, and more.

Indie Game Revolution exhibit at MoPOP Courtesy MoPOP

Also at Seattle Center, the Pacific Science Center has been a family favorite since 1962. From the Tropical Butterfly House, to the Planetarium, from Beyond Human Limits to Dinosaurs: A Journey Through Time, a variety of exhibitions and experiences are ready to delight and inspire.

Pacific Science Center Rachael Jones

Seattle Children’s Museum is also located at the Seattle Center, offering hands-on exhibits and daily programs for kids from birth to age 10, sparking imagination and discovery through exploratory play.

Seattle Children’s Museum Megan Ching

Seattle Aquarium delights visitors young and old on the Seattle waterfront. A leader in hands-on marine experiences and conservation education, the Aquarium makes learning about Puget Sound and our world’s one big ocean fun and engaging. Daily diver shows in the Windows On Washington Waters exhibit introduce the fish that you can find in our Washington waters. Wearing specialized masks, the divers are able to talk back and forth with Aquarium interpreters on the outside of the exhibit, and answer your questions.

courtesy of Seattle Aquarium

From the waterfront, you can walk on a Washington State Ferry for a 30 minute crossing to Bainbridge Island, where a short stroll up from the dock leads you to Kids Discovery Museum, which is geared for little ones from 6 months to 8 years.

courtesy of Kids Discovery Museum

A few minutes north of Seattle Center is Woodland Park Zoo, another perennial favorite for all ages. Established in 1899, the Zoo has been an urban oasis and is now a leader in animal conservation efforts. Its 92 acres are divided into bioclimatic zones, featuring natural habitats ranging from humid tropical rainforests and coastal deserts to temperate rainforests like those of the Pacific Northwest, housing a wide range of interesting animals.

bear, bear cub, brown bear, juniper, living northwest trail
Woodland Park Zoo

Find your perfect hotel and learn more about Seattle Museum Month at seattlemuseummonth.com. See our other blog posts for more suggestions for arts & culture lovers, history & heritage buffs, and those seeking one-of-a-kind experiences. With more than 25 participating museums, we’ve got something for every interest.  See you in February!

Banner image: Courtesy of Seattle Aquarium

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Cloudbreak started in 2022 and was such a success that we’ve brought it back for year two! The festival features artists in diverse genres at stages all across the city: in Beacon Hill, the Central District, Columbia City, Downtown, Belltown, Fremont, Capitol Hill, Ballard, and more.

Sir Mix-A-Lot opened the 2022 Cloudbreak Festival at El Corazon. Photo: Niffer Calderwood Photography.

Stay in one of our partner hotels to receive access to the shows for free, so you can experience the vibrancy of Seattle’s music scene. Get the scoop and discover participating hotels at cloudbreakmusicfest.org.

Cloudbreak started as a partnership of King County Creative and Visit Seattle, and this year we’re delighted to welcome in our new partner, the City of Seattle. We can’t wait to welcome you to our amazing city of music!

2023 artists include Mudhoney, Rocky Votolato, Barrett Martin, Mala Suerte, Sera Cahoone with Mat Brooke and Molly Sides, The A-Frames, The Fall of Troy, Alex Guy’s Led to Sea, Shaina Shepherd & Tomo Nakayama, Biblioteka, Kuinka, Smokey Brights, The Dusty 45s & Christy McWilson, Enumclaw, Grace Love, Andy Coe Band, Country Dave and the New Fallen Angels Tribute to Gram Parsons,  Jenn Champion, King Youngblood and soooo many more.

Smokey Brights at the Tractor Tavern, Cloudbreak 2022. Photo: Mike R. Mitchell

NEW this year: your music pass (available at your hotel) has the access link for our new advanced registration system. If there’s a show you ABSOLUTELY have to see, get your name on the list. (Details and restrictions will be listed at the link site.)

Coinciding with Cloudbreak is the 11th anniversary of Freakout Festival, running November 2-5 at seven stages primarily in the Ballard neighborhood. This festival is an amazing success story, growing from humble beginnings to now featuring more than 100 bands and artists from Seattle, the Northwest, the US, and the world. Some of the shows highlighting Seattle artists are included in Cloudbreak access, so check that schedule!

The Black Tones at Freakout Festival 2021. Photo by Jake Hanson.

So, we’ll see you out and about for music, right? Follow along and share your experience with us on social by using the hashtag #CloudbreakMusicFest and tagging @visitseattle.

The post The Return of Cloudbreak Brings Free Music Shows to Seattle this November appeared first on Visit Seattle.

For accommodations, we stayed downtown at W Seattle in a Faces room under their Nordstrom Shopping Package. While we specifically stayed in The Stella Room, all guest rooms on the fourteenth floor house an original hand-painted mural by the talented artist, Morgan Zion. Each room and mural tell a fictional story, and ours fit us perfectly, Stella being from Portland and loving Capitol Hill. (You can read more about the rooms before booking your stay, which is also a wonderful way to learn about the different neighborhoods and activities available in Seattle, further helping you plan your ideal itinerary.) If shopping is of any interest to you, the Nordstrom Shopping Package was a unique treat, complete with a gift card, drink tickets, and a special shopping experience (available until November 2024).

After checking into our hotel and enjoying a sweet anniversary treat, we decided to spend the day at the Seattle Center, home to the famous Space Needle and other local attractions. One exhibit I have longed to see is Chihuly Garden and Glass, so we went there first. Though I had seen pictures online, I was not prepared for how large the glass displays were in person. While each delicate piece of art created by Dale Chihuly is spectacular, my personal favorite was in the Sealife Room: the Sealife Tower. It was inspired by the Puget Sound, which is where my favorite animal lives—an animal we saw on day three of our trip. We also enjoyed a mocktail at The Bar at Chihuly Garden and Glass—a delicious mix of apple cider vinegar, cardamom, and spruce—before going to the food court at Seattle Center, otherwise known as the Armory.

We could not explore the Seattle Center without going to the top of the Space Needle, so we hopped in line for that once we were done eating. While it was a bit of a wait being there on a weekend afternoon, there were informative posters along the walls illustrating and detailing the history of the Space Needle, which we found entertaining. Once to the top, the views were beautiful. We took a moment to walk around the whole observation deck and then we found an empty bench to sit on, enjoying a memorable anniversary moment together, like it was just the two of us, floating above the city.

The following day, we were a little tired from our previous day’s adventures, so we decided to have a restful morning. We ordered breakfast and coffee to be delivered to the hotel, read for a bit, and watched the seagulls fly by our windows. Once we were ready for some fresh air, we walked down to Pike Place Market, grabbed a glass of lavender apple cider, and strolled through the vendors, admiring their art, flowers, and yummy treats before walking over to the Nordstrom flagship store for some shopping. (We love picking out new fragrances when we travel, so the memory of its smell always correlates with that trip.) Continuing our easy day, we opted to have dinner and mocktails at the hotel that night instead of going out, excited for the early morning ahead of us.

We saved the best for last, truly. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with orcas. I have dreamed of seeing them in the wild, but it was not until recent years that I realized I could see them in Seattle. Having been on whale tours before, I highly recommend Puget Sound Express—we will absolutely be booking another tour with them in the future! For starters, the boat was extremely nice. You could sit inside and sip coffee while looking out the windows, avoiding the strong winds, waiting for a whale to be spotted in the distance. When one was spotted, we saw not only one orca, but a family of six! The T65As, to be exact. Which brings me to the second reason I recommend Puget Sound Express—they maintain the required distance between the boat and the transient orcas, ensuring they stay safe while taking the time to teach you about the specific orcas you are seeing. There was even a professional photographer on board taking pictures, and afterwards, we were able to purchase all the pictures he took that day. But we also got great pictures (and videos) with our phones! Seeing an orca in person is like nothing I have ever experienced before! Magical, memorable, and honestly, addictive. Watching their dorsal fins break through the water with the Pacific Northwest landscape stretching behind them, it was like looking at a painting. You must see it for yourself!

Our anniversary celebration was exactly what we were looking for, and we are already looking forward to visiting again. See you soon, Seattle!

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The Pacific Northwest has long been known as one of the top centers in the world for glass art. More than 700 glass artists, from emerging artists to master glassmakers, live in Washington state, and more than 100 glass art studios have made their home in the greater Seattle region. Refract allows you to explore this fascinating art, meet artists, tour studios, see special demonstrations, mingle at art parties, and more. Bonus: many of the events are free.

10 reasons why you don’t want to miss this event:

1. Opening night party at Chihuly Garden and Glass

Chihuly Garden and Glass, the exhibition of one of the world’s best known living glass artists, is one of Seattle’s top visitor attractions. On Thursday night (October 12), you can immerse yourself in the museum’s stunning displays while attending the opening party for Refract, Gather. This event allows you to meet and mingle with the region’s artists, tour the installations, enjoy great food and drinks, and talk with helpful staff to plan your Refract festival activities. Author’s note: Get your tickets soon; this event is popular!

Photo: Chihuly Garden and Glass

2. Closing Party at Pratt

Pratt Fine Arts Center is a beloved Seattle institution where numerous glass artists got their start. They offer classes for all levels in varied forms of glassmaking and other art forms. They are hosting the Refract closing party on Sunday (October 15), with open studios, artist demonstrations, food trucks, and more.

Photo: Pratt Fine Arts Center

3. Artist Open Studios

Saturday (October 14) and Sunday (October 15), put on your comfortable walking shoes and hit the neighborhoods because 16 Seattle artists are opening up their studios to welcome you. These are all extraordinary artists—and this is your chance to meet them in person, see their studios, and learn more about how they create their vision in glass. Find the full Refract Open Studios list here.

Visiting without a car? New this year, a free shuttle service will take you on a loop of all the studios. Learn how to reserve your spot here.

Misoda Glass Open Studio. Photo by Megan Swann.

4. Pilchuck Auction

If you’re already a glass aficionado, there’s a good chance you know about Pilchuck. The legendary school in the woods north of Seattle is one of the leading global centers for education in all forms of studio glass: glassblowing, kiln glass, fused glass, flameworking, neon, and more. Their annual gala and auction (October 14) is a hot ticket for supporters of the school and glass art collectors, and this is your chance to attend one of the premier auction events of the year.

Photo: Pilchuck Glass School

5. See it Live & Up Close

Watching live glassmaking is mesmerizing, and you’ll have many chances to see the magic in progress at hot shop venues like Seattle Glassblowing Studio, Museum of Glass, Blowing Sands, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Glasshouse-Studio, Avalon Glass Works, Schack Art Center, City of Shoreline and glassybaby. Author’s note: Find these by selecting the “Demos, Talks & Lectures” category on the Refract Programs page.

Photo: Museum of Glass

6. Outstanding Museum & Gallery Exhibitions

We’re fortunate to have major museums and galleries with a dedicated focus on glass art. Explore the work of globally-known glass artist Jay Macdonell during his residency at the Museum of Glass. Nearby at Tacoma Art Museum (TAM), the Benaroya Wing showcases TAM’s expansive glass collection, one of the top five public collections of studio glass nationwide. Leading glass art gallery Traver Gallery presents an exhibition of Ginny Ruffner‘s work, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts Gallery presents Kait Rhoads, and Gallery Mack explores the work of Chuck Lopez. Group exhibits include Luminosity at Stonington Gallery, focusing on Indigenous artists in glass, and a special glass show at Northwest Designer Craftartists. Author’s note: Find more by selecting the “Exhibitions” category on the Refract Programs page.

Photo: Traver Gallery

7. Special Tours & Access

If you’ve flown through SEA Airport, you may have noted that it has an extensive art collection, including impressive works in glass. Or maybe you were running to the gate and missed it. Here’s your chance to tour the works with a curator, without toting your carry-on around! Or maybe you’ve always dreamed of seeing the extraordinary Chihuly Boathouse (not open to the public), or of taking a guided walking tour on glass architecture, or raising a glass at the maestro Lino Tagliapietra’s showroom. Yes, these all happen as part of Refract! Author’s note: Find more and reserve your space by selecting the “Tours” category on the Refract Programs page.

Lino Tagliapietra showroom. Photo: Ian Lewis.

8. Get Hands-On

Are you happiest when learning something yourself? Refract offers something for you, too! Check out the classes and workshops to blow your own glass or make a fused glass piece. Author’s note: Find more by selecting the “Hands-On” category on the Refract Programs  page.

Photo: Seattle Glassblowing Studio

9. Find Unique Glass Art to Take Home – From Affordable to Splurgeworthy

The options are almost endless, from dozens of artisans at Pike Place Market to the numerous galleries, shops, and studios. Our Glass Art Guide is a helpful resource.

Avalon Glass Gallery. Photo: Ian Lewis.

10. It’s Seattle!

We couldn’t be more proud that all this activity is taking place in and around Seattle, with regional events stretching from Tacoma to Everett to Bainbridge Island and Issaquah. We love our city and can’t wait to show it off to you. You’ll find hotel packages and travel information on the Refract website, and lots more inspiration at visitseattle.org.

Photo: Sun Chan

If you need more inspiration, take a peek at last year’s Refract, and the State of Glass series on VISITSEATTLE.tv.

See you at Refract!

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