By Maureen Drucker

Tacoma’s renaissance is clearly visible riding the light rail past the restored Union Station along the expanding urban campus of the University of Washington. The Museum of Glass sparkles against the redevelopment of the Thea Foss Waterway. Across the Bridge of Glass with so many Chihuly pieces that takes ones breath away, stands the Washington State History Museum. Its arches reflect the architectural dignity of Union Station, which protects its Chihuly treasurers under its dome. Another hop, skip and jump along Pacific Avenue to discover the bold new Tacoma Art Museum, home to one of the largest collections of Chihuly.

These three unique museums within a three-block radius offer visitors an up close and personal museum experience to produce the delight and wonder sought by museum goers from around the world. As if that is not enough abundance for our museum community, architectural plans for the Harold E. LeMay Automotive Museum are well underway. A Museum of Motorcycles is developing proposals within an area near the Thea Foss Waterway.

The museum community in Tacoma and Pierce County consists of over twenty museums, historical societies with pioneer mansions, homes and cabins as well as Working Waterfront Museum, the Point Defiance Park Logging Museum, and Fort Nisqually Living History. There is an African American Museum, an Antiques and Aviation Museum, an Asian Pacific Cultural Center, a Children’s Museum, a Fort Lewis Military Museum, a McCord Air Force Base Museum, the Karpeles Library Manuscript Museum, the Shanaman Sports Museum, the Telephone Pioneers Museum, and a Tribal Center and Museum. One should be keeping ones eyes open for other museums in the community because this list may not be comprehensive.

Many individuals have fond memories of museum experience they carry in their hearts. Every visitor entering any museum is an opportunity for that visit to become memorable to them. Each of us are museum ambassadors in what we say and do with every visitor and in regard to our museum community in general. All of us can help build support and strength for the museums closest to our hearts as well as for the Tacoma museum community itself.