An exhibition of vibrant glass sculptures by world-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly, was displayed in Adelaide Botanic Garden from September 2024 - April 2025. The event featured 15 large-scale artworks in a free daytime exhibition in the garden, and a collection of smaller works in a ticketed event within the Bicentennial Conservatory. Visitors were also able to attend the ticketed event, Chihuly Nights, to the mesmerising display after dark.
As you meander under majestic trees and through the lush landscapes of Adelaide Botanic Garden, an event by the world's most celebrated contemporary glass artist, Dale Chihuly, awaits you.
This year, Chihuly's Garden Cycle exhibition is making its Australian debut, exclusive to Adelaide.
As the light changes throughout the day and seasons, experience these vibrant, large-scale sculptures in the beautiful botanical destination.
A unique program of activities will compliment this major event, offering you opportunities to explore the art again and again.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Dale Chihuly is a celebrated artist who, for more than half a century, has been creating world-class art in a range of mediums, using both new and old techniques.
His work in glass explore translucency, light and colour, creating unique organic forms that have been presented at museums, gardens and public spaces around the globe.
Find out more about Chihuly here.
Dale Chihuly and Team. The Hotshop, The Boathouse, Seattle, 1993 © 1993 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved.
Inspired by his mother’s love of gardens and his own connection to nature, Chihuly embarked on a creative journey to develop massive architectural glass installations for display in botanic gardens.
Since 2001, Chihuly has shown these magnificent forms in cities across the USA, as well as London’s Kew Gardens and Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay.
Uniting art and nature, Chihuly’s garden exhibitions are designed to complement the environment they are placed in, delivering distinct visitor experiences wherever they are featured.
Adelaide is the first city in Australia to host a major garden exhibition by Chihuly.
Open from 27 September 2024 - 29 April 2025
Monday - Tuesday: 10am - 5pm
Wednesday - Sunday: 10am - 9pm
30 April - 9 May 2025
Daily: 10am - 5pm
JamFactory, Australia’s leading craft and design organisation, presents the Chihuly in the Botanic Garden retail outlet.
Situated onsite inside Adelaide Botanic Garden’s Museum of Economic Botany, a range of Chihuly merchandise including books, postcards, hats, t-shirts and tote bags will be available to purchase to commemorate your Chihuly experience.
Available for the first time in Australia, JamFactory also presents a selection of Chihuly’s limited edition glass artworks and prints for the contemporary glass collector.
This Exhibition is organised by the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium in cooperation with Dale Chihuly and Chihuly Studio.
The work displayed is protected by copyright and copying is expressly prohibited.
Chihuly Nights
As the sun sets on an enchanting garden, discover soaring sculptures by the world’s most celebrated contemporary glass artist.
From the setting sun to the artwork's dramatic nighttime lighting, witness how the changing light lends new dimensions to the 15 playful, vibrant artworks on a journey through Adelaide Botanic Garden.
During your Chihuly Nights visit, explore the rainforest conservatory exhibition, In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly, where an additional collection of works can be found nestled in the lush botanical setting. Entry is only during the evening of your valid Chihuly Nights ticket from 6:45pm.
Head to the pavilion in the heart of the garden to enjoy live music and something delicious to eat and drink from award-winning caterers.
You can check out the Evergreen Deli's Chihuly Nights menu here.
It’s a feast for the senses!
Dale Chihuly, GLACIER ICE AND LAPIS CHANDELIER, 2024 © 2024 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved. Photograph by Nathaniel Willson.
Adult general admission: $25
Concession: $20
Children 12 years and younger: Free entry (bookings essential)
The following live music performers will be playing during April.
April 16 - 20 Casa Flamenco
April 23 - 27 Zooma Zooma and friends!
Important information for Chihuly Nights
Photo credit: Dale Chihuly, Sapphire Star (detail), 2010. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, London, installed 2019. © 2020 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved.
In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly
Deep dive into the world of Dale Chihuly in this accompanying exhibition that explores the celebrated artist’s life, career, inspirations, epic installations, and his remarkable influence on contemporary glass art.
Groupings of Chihuly’s glass sculptures erupt from the lush rainforest inside our magnificent Bicentennial Conservatory where they appear to sprout like ‘hybrid plants’ from the vegetation within.
The exhibition offers tantalising glimpses behind the doors of the Chihuly hot shop and insights into how the towering sculptures placed through the Botanic Garden were conceived, transported and built on site.
In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly is proudly supported by Channel Nine.
Dale Chihuly, Macchia Forest (detail), 2024, © 2024 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved. Photograph by Nathaniel Willson.
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Inside this exhibition, young visitors have a unique opportunity to submit a drawing that could be translated into glass!
Tom Moore is a leading South Australian glass artist. He creates fantastical, futuristic creatures that reflect his concerns about the environment. These creatures, often ‘hybrids’ or combinations of species, come from an imagined world where nature has engulfed our cities. Glass Potatoes wink at us with human eyes, Bug Birds swoop and Pufferfish Kangaroos leap.
Young people are invited to use their imaginations and draw a creature that has adapted to live in Chihuly’s colourful world – his thickets of Red Bamboo Reeds, Macchia Forests and Mottled Trumpet Flowers.
Each month, Tom will select a winner and create that critter in glass at the JamFactory hotshop. At the end of the exhibition, winners can take home their own Tom Moore original!
There is no fee for children to enter this competition, but please note that parents/carers will require a ticket to enter the conservatory.
Please note that children must be accompanied by their parent/caregiver.
Tom Moore inside his workshop with his glass critters.
Your ticket allows entry to the exhibition any time between 10am and 4pm.
We recommend setting aside 2 hours to fully enjoy the experience, including the free outside exhibition.
Adult general admission: $14
Concession: $12
Children 12 years and younger: Free entry
In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly will close at 2pm on days when the weather is forecast to reach 36 degrees centigrade, for the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers. When the forecast temperature is 40 degrees or higher In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly will not open all day. For ticket enquiries affected by these closures, please email botanic.exhibitions@sa.gov.au
Feature image at top of page: Dale Chihuly, Red Bulbous Reeds, 2022 © 2022 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved.
Enter the lush rainforest setting of the Bicentennial Conservatory and you will discover an additional collection of Dale Chihuly's colourful artworks in the exhibition, In Full Colour: Dale Chihuly.
It's a place where glass sculptures appear to sprout like ‘hybrid plants’ from the green vegetation within, where you can learn how the artwork is made, and more about the life of the famous artist.
In this tranquil setting, creative young visitors are invited to use their imaginations draw a creature that has adapted to live in Dale Chihuly’s colourful world – his thickets of Red Bamboo Reeds, Macchia Forests and Mottled Trumpet Flowers.
Each month, leading South Australian glass artist, Tom Moore will select a winner and create that critter in glass at the JamFactory hotshop.
At the end of the exhibition, winners can take home their own Tom Moore glass original!
Here's our first winner, Joshua, with his critter the Spiky Cactus Monster, and Tom.
Tom creates fantastical, futuristic creatures that reflect his concerns about the environment. These creatures, often ‘hybrids’ or combinations of species, come from an imagined world where nature has engulfed our cities. Glass Potatoes wink at us with human eyes, Bug Birds swoop and Pufferfish Kangaroos leap!
Tom Moore inside his workshop with his glass critters.
Where: Bicentennial Conservatory, C5 on the map.
Open daily, 10am - 4pm. Your ticket allows access to the exhibition any time between 10am and 4pm (last entry 3.30pm).
Please note that for the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers, on days forecast to be 38 degrees or higher, the conservatory will close at 2pm. On days forecast to be 40 degrees, the conservatory will be closed all day.
There is no fee for children to enter this competition, but please note that parents/carers and children 13 years and older will require a ticket to enter the Bicentennial Conservatory.
Children must be accompanied by their parent/caregiver at all times in Adelaide Botanic Garden.
Adult general admission: $14
Concession: $12
Children 12 years and younger: Free entry
Tickets are available online, or can be purchased on the door.
Please note this is a cashless venue.
We asked curator, Chelsea Novice from Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, what type of critter they would create as part of Moore Critters. Find out below!
