The Museum of Glass: International Center for Contemporary Art has received a $1 million gift from the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation.
The gift supports the museum’s development of the “Chihuly Bridge of Glass” in partnership with Tacoma and Dale Chihuly.
The $10.5 million bridge will open concurrently with the museum in July.
The museum has raised $38.7 million of its $48 million capital campaign goal.
“The museum is thrilled to accept this very generous gift from Wendy McCaw,” said Josi Callan, director of the Museum of Glass.
“The art installations on the ‘Chihuly Bridge of Glass’ will be an extraordinary example of Dale Chihuly’s brilliance with this important and evolving medium and a major piece of public art accessible to all Pacific Northwest visitors.”
A collaboration between the Museum of Glass, glass pioneer Chihuly and Tacoma has created the 500-foot-long pedestrian overpass which will link the museum to downtown Tacoma and its developing cultural corridor.
This gift will fund the Seaform Pavilion, one of three installations on the bridge.
“Over the past few years I have watched the Museum of Glass grow. This bridge has special meaning – the connection of historic downtown Tacoma to the new waterfront corridor,” said Mrs. McCaw.
“The Seaform Pavilion will be a beautiful, colorful and timeless component of that integration.”
McCaw is involved in environmental conservation, wildlife protection and architectural preservation.
Among her business investments, she is the owner of Santa Barbara’s daily newspaper, the Santa Barbara News-Press.
This grant is her first significant gift to a Tacoma arts organization.
Opening in July, the Museum of Glass will be an international contemporary arts center with a sustained focus on the medium of glass.
With advanced, specialized facilities for the exhibition and interpretation of art, the museum will represent specialized museums in the 21st century.
In addition to a Hot Shop Ampitheater where visitors can watch artists work, facilities will include galleries, outdoor exhibition areas, a theater, education studio, grand hall, store and cafe.
For more information about the Museum of Glass, please visit their Web site at:
www.musuemofglass.org.