10 facts about Dale Chihuly's Fireworks of Glass

Rising through the center of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis stands a 43-foot-tall colorful, glass sculpture—Fireworks of Glass. The name makes sense when you think about it!

“Glass is the most magical of all materials. It transmits light in a special way...I'm pleased that my art appeals to so many people of all ages,” said renowned artist Dale Chihuly. “As a parent and an artist, I'm especially looking forward to leaving a legacy at The Children's Museum, a place where I hope my work brings joy to children who visit from all over the world.”

In January of 2006, Chihuly and his team of glassblowers made 4,800 individual glass pieces in Tacoma, Washington. The glass was then carefully shipped to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in 350 cardboard boxes and installation began. For 14 days, three artists from Chihuly's team and six museum collections staff slowly built the tower from the bottom to the top. Today, visitors are treated to the spectacular display of light and color as they wind their way up the spiral ramp at the center of the museum. They can even lay down underneath the huge installation and see it from the bottom!

Here are ten facts you may not know about Chihuly’s breathtaking sculpture:  

1. An upside down chandelier was the inspiration for Fireworks of Glass. 
2. It took Dale Chihuly and his team five years to plan and create Fireworks of Glass. 
3. 3,200 pieces of red, yellow, and cobalt blue blown glass make up the tower. 
4. The tower’s glass pieces are horn and gooseneck-shaped. 
5. The tower rests on a glass plate over a pergola ceiling filled with 1,600 pieces of multicolored glass. 
6. The ceiling’s glass pieces use some of Chihuly's favorite shapes—putti, seaforms, and persians.
7. Other shapes represented in the ceiling are Gooseneck, Mexican hat, twisted horn, split leaf, sea tube, frog foot, starfish, and horn bale. 
8. All of the 4,800 pieces of glass were individually blown.
9. Each month, the tower is cleaned by a group of professionals who rappel down from the ceiling to reach every piece of glass.
10. Fireworks of Glass is Dale Chihuly’s largest permanently installed glass sculpture.

When you visit Fireworks of Glass, you won’t be able to take your eyes off it! 

Artwork © Chihuly Studio. All Rights Reserved.