Tacoma Art Galleries, Museums, Supplies & More

Best art galleries Tacoma museums supplies classes

Thanks for checking out this post on all things art in Tacoma. Galleries, museums, supplies, schools, shows, events and more will all be covered thoroughly right here.

The goal is to get you the info you need as quickly as we can. The best Tacoma Art Galleries and Museums where you can see some of the finest exhibitions and collections the city has to offer will be how things begin.

Following that we will tell you about the best art stores in your area where you can find all the supplies and materials you need. The top shows and events throughout the year will need to get their own section as well.

You may want to take an art walking tour or check out some of the most creative statues and sculptures around town on a sunny day. Tacoma art classes and lessons deserve a shout out and there are plenty of classes for both kids and adults that are available.

Some of our more experienced readers may not need any lessons so renting art studios near you will be covered as well. Framing shops, dealers, and appraisers will also be discussed as the post progresses. If you are looking for info on the full Seattle metro area you can find it at that link.

Best Art Galleries & Museums In Tacoma

If you want to visit the best art galleries and museums in Tacoma you can go to:

At the Tacoma Art Museum there are over 5,000 works of art on display, much of with has a Pacific Northwest theme. The pieces in their collection range from the late 18th Century to modern times, and USA Today has even named them as one of the “Top 10 Great Places to See Art in Smaller Cities”.

They also provide educational programs for teachers and students plus after school programs. Some would tell you that the Museum of Glass is the most active museum glass studio on the West Coast and every year over a hundred thousand people visit.

Every day they blow glass live for the visitors, and every Friday they give out 100 free admission tickets to small family groups. Some of their annual events include the Northwest Glass Fest, the Fire and Ice Festival, and the Iittala Bird Lover’s Weekend.

The Throwing Mud Gallery is another gallery that focuses on local artists around the Pacific Northwest. They have a great collection of pottery and they have pottery classes for adults in the morning from 10am to 12:30pm and at night from 6pm to 8:30pm.

They also provide pottery painting programs for all ages. The B2 Gallery African Empire Collection is loaded with a rare collection of African works, most of which are from West Africa. They can also help with custom framing, restorations, and private sales.

Materials & Supplies Near You

When you need some new materials or supplies go to art stores like:

The TAM Store is part of the Tacoma Art Museum where you can find all kinds of art supplies, handmade jewelry, toys for kids and more. Tinkertopia takes reusable materials that we throw away and refurbishes them into unique arts and crafts supplies for kids, instructors, and creators.

They put on workshops and host field trips and private parties for children. There are over 10,000 available items at the Clay Art Center. If you want to buy or sell a used kiln they are the place to go, plus they repair broken kilns and also sell brand new ones too.

Shows & Events

There are some really cool annual art shows and events in your area:

We mentioned them earlier but the Museum of Glass is going to be a big part of this section as well. The Fire and Ice Festival takes place every year from the Third Thursday in November until the end of the year.

There will be a bunch of themed activities, demonstrations, and performances for all to enjoy. The Glass Fest Northwest is another event they host along with the Tacoma Art Museum each July.

There will be people blowing glass, all kinds of demonstrations, music, food, drinks, and hands-on activities. The last event they put on that we want to tell you about is the Iittala Bird Lovers’ Weekend each October.

Iittala is a Finnish glass blower who is known around the world and you can watch them create unique glass birds in the museum’s Hot Shop. The Dí­a de los Muertos Festival, AKA Day of the Dead Festival is put on by the Tacoma Art Museum every November.

There will be all kinds of unique Mexican art on display as well as traditional food, music, dancing and more. In the Spirit: Northwest Native Arts Market and Festival is one of the largest Native American art events in the region.

Each August the Washington State History Museum plays host to this event and the art market is loaded with cool stuff you can buy.

Art Dealers & Appraisers

When you want to buy something new or learn the real value of something in your collection you can go to art dealers and appraisers near you like:

Proctor Art Gallery provides works made by regional and local artists in a wide variety of mediums. They have a layaway program and you can pay via instalments if necessary. B2 Fine Art Gallery from our main list also sell art and offer art appraisal.

Walking Tours

If you are reading this on a sunny day why not go on an art walking tour:

Every Third Thursday from 4pm to 7pm you can check out the Tacoma Artwalk. There will be creative works from artists around the city on display as well as live music, food vendors, and an art market.

On that same Third Thursday you can walk from one place to another in the museum district where the local museums will offer free or discounted admission. Every Saturday you can meet at the Museum of Glass store as the staff there takes groups along the Thea Foss Waterway and fill you in on the art and architecture in your area.

Sculptures & Statues

Framing art supply stores Tacoma lessons near you studios

Another good way to enjoy nice weather would be to check out some of these statues and sculptures in your area:

  • Proper Role of Man & Fish Statue at 2306 N 30th St
  • Statue of Earthquake Hero Kid at N I St
  • The Family at West End at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
  • New Beginnings by Larry Anderson at the Federal Courthouse

You can find the Proper Role of Man and Fish Statue just outside of Slavonian Hill in Old Town. Larry Anderson created that one as well as the Statue of Earthquake Hero Kid which was dedicated back in the early 2000’s.

Clare Shaver created The Family which is located at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Larry Anderson was a busy man as he also created New Beginnings which you can find at the Federal Courthouse.

Tacoma Art Classes

Whether you are trying to find lessons for kids or adults some of the best Tacoma art schools and classes can be found at:

There are more than 30 art workshops at Dazed and Reused Artworks which include, painting, clay sculpting, jewelry making and more. They host paint and sip parties, private events, and have paint party club memberships for adults 18 or over.

Members get free studio time and discounts on classes. Jewelry making and metalsmithing are the focus of the Tacoma Metal Arts Center. They have classes for adults 18 or over and have a studio on site that you can use.

Glassblowing, flameworking, mosaics, and fusion are some of the skills the instructors at Hilltop Artists can teach you. They have after school classes for kids 12 and up as well as Summer Glass Art classes.

Open Arts Studio has classes for drawing and painting, pottery, beading, sewing, and plenty more. They have day or night classes for adults, summer camps for kids, and homeschool programs.

Museum of Glass from our main list also offer classes for all ages.

Studios For Rent Near You

When you are ready to start your next project you can rent art studio space at:

Tacoma Metal Arts Center from art school list also has studio for rent.

Framing

Some of the top shops for art framing in Tacoma are:

There are a variety of ready made frames and mats in all kinds of styles and sizes at Artco Crafts and Framing. They give free estimates on custom framing and can help with canvas stretching or conservation framing.

Some of the available services at Tacoma Frame Makers include custom framing, picture hanging and installation, fine art reproduction printing, and fine art restorations. Other places we have listed throughout this post that also do custom framing include B2 Fine Art Gallery, Hobby Lobby and Michaels.

Just so you know we have also written about:

Have Fun Enjoying The Tacoma Art Scene

Well, we tried to cover the full art scene near you to the best of our abilities. We listed the best galleries, museums, events, shows, supply stores, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures, classes, studios, and framers in your area.

If you made it this far you probably love art as much as we do. You can let us know about any of your own tips and tricks in the comments at the end of the post, or please also let us know if we got anything wrong or if anything we posted is no longer relevant.

Have fun going to the galleries, museums, buying supplies or doing anything that has to do with art in Tacoma!

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