Don’t miss your chance to see Chihuly’s art at the Biltmore Estate

Asheville’s Biltmore Estate exhibits glass artist Dale Chihuly’s work through early 2025.

Artist Dale Chihuly, known for colorful large-scale glass chandeliers, started integrating glass into his work in the 1960s as a University of Washington student studying interior design. Over the past six decades, Chihuly has built a reputation for innovative installations all over the world.

“People talk about him being a glass artist,” says Kaley Ellis, project manager for exhibitions at Chihuly Studio in Seattle, “but really, he’s very much a multimedia contemporary artist. He’s working with charcoal, acrylic, pencils, neon, and glass.”

About Chihuly at Biltmore

Chihuly at Biltmore, a showcase of Chihuly’s newest works, as well as past creations, is on display indoors at Biltmore Estate’s exhibition center, Amherst at Deerpark, through January 5, 2025.

A dozen Biltmore staff transformed the space into a gallery – including building a room to hold Persian Ceiling: 1,000 glass sculptures lit from above. A team of eight from Chihuly Studio took two weeks to unload four 53-foot containers and install the exhibit. 

“None of the exhibitions travel from location to location,” Ellis explains. “ They are all meant to be site-specific.”

“Playing with Fire,” a 12-minute film offering insight into Chihuly’s process, is a great place to start the experience, especially if his work is new to you (like it was for me). 

The self-guided tour leads visitors through several rooms, each characterized by Chihuly’s various techniques. Acrylic paintings, works on paper, glass towers, and baskets highlight Chihuly’s vision. 

“Some of the things Dale constantly talks about with his artists … are form, color, and light, “You will see that throughout this space.”

About 10 glass artists work with Chihuly at The Boathouse in Seattle, the same building mentioned in the book and movie, “Boys in the Boat.” All the glass works are handblown and start with a ball of glass and a breath, says Ellis. 

 

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Tickets

A visit to Biltmore Estate is an investment in time and money – so plan your visit to make it a memorable experience. Depending on the time of the year and what you want to do while there, tickets range from $60 to enjoy the grounds to the most exclusive at $415 for a visit that includes a small group guided tour of Biltmore House and access to Chihuly at Biltmore. 

Various packages for overnight stays at The Inn, Village Hotel, and Cottages on Biltmore Estate include breakfast, tickets for Chihuly at Biltmore, a guided tour of Biltmore House, and other amenities.

Specialty Tours

While enjoying the self-guided tour, you may notice a walkway following the upper-level bookcases in the Biltmore House library.

How do you get up there? The one-hour Backstairs Tour takes 12 guests at a time to this hidden area. The view from above is spectacular plus you can read the book titles collected by the Vanderbilts – who doesn’t love to see what others are reading?

Climbing on balconies and rooftops may give fans of architecture, construction, and design a thrill. The small group Rooftop Tour is one hour long and provides views of the estate and mountains.

Know Before You Go

• Check out Biltmore Annual Pass prices if you plan to visit a few times a year. Discounts and year-round access make it a deal for frequent visitors.
• Cheer the Vanderbilts with a glass of wine. Most of the tickets include a complimentary wine tasting at Biltmore Winery.
• Dress to impress for dinner at the The Inn on Biltmore Estate’s Dining Room.
• Make it a two-day stay. With so much to see and do, spread your visit over multiple days. All tickets that include the Chihuly exhibition allow guests to return to the estate’s gardens and grounds for free on the next consecutive day of your visit.
• Smile for the camera. Record your visit by taking photographs with your camera or mobile phone, just don’t use video or flash.
• Wear comfortable shoes for walking through the exhibits and along the paths. Multiple layers work best for various indoor and outdoor climates – the air conditioning is limited in Biltmore House. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.