
Having first visited the Chihuly glass sculpture installations at Adelaide Botanic Gardens on a very overcast damp afternoon at the beginning of December, I was keen to make a return visit. I was also keen to take advantage of the night option to experience the artwork illuminated.
Who is Chihuly?
Dale Chihuly is an American born artist who has been creating unique works of art in various media for more that 50 years. From studying interior design, his interest and skills in working with glass led him to introduce a glass program at Rhode Island School of Design. On the back of a scholarship in 1968, he travelled to work in Venice where he was introduced to the team approach to glass blowing – a productive process that he has since successfully adopted.
With exhibits in more than 200 museums worldwide and many awards, he created a number of collections, the latest of which is the “Garden and Glass’ series that was first exhibited in Seattle in 2012.
Exclusively in Australia, this exhibition opened in Adelaide’s Botanic Gardens for public viewing from 27 September 2024, closing on 29 April 2025.
Our First Visit
As mentioned, our first visit was on a very damp overcast Monday afternoon in December. Arriving mid-afternoon, our time was a bit limited. We arrived at the Bicentennial Conservatory with only 15 minutes until closing time – totally inadequate to fully appreciate the exhibits inside (especially as this was the only area that demanded payment).

It was clear walking around that the sculptures were no less than spectacular, but the poor light quality did not display them in the best possible light.




This left us with two options: make a return visit on a day of bright sunshine (which is not difficult in Adelaide), or subscribe to one of the night sessions when the exhibits are illuminate with artificial lights. We opted for the latter, to also include an overnight outing in a local hotel.
Chihuly Nights
In order to make the most of our trip to Adelaide, on the way, we completed a rather hot 4 km section of the coastal walk from Hallett Cove to Marino Rocks. After a short rest at the hotel, we spent some time shopping in the CBD, followed by dinner at a restaurant close to the Botanic Gardens. This timed our arrival at the gate well before sunset.
Entry to the Bicentennial Conservatory was included in the price of the ticket, so we headed there while it was still light.
On the way we passed the bar area where the live band had clearly stopped for a break, although we subsequently heard snippets of the relaxing music as we walked around later.
The conservatory displayed numerous small exhibits of Chihuly’s work, set amongst the low undergrowth and the tall palm trees that extended to the height of the roof. Along the route, screens presented engaging videos of the glass blowing processes.

By the time we left the sun had set and twilight had descended giving us that beautiful light between sunset and full darkness. In the sky above us, we were delighted to see the spectacle of the silent flapping of clouds of bats departing the gardens for who knows where.
As the Museum of Economic Botany was open when we passed, we had a quick look inside before being shown the door at their 21:00 closing time. Inside, the exhibits ranged from dried plants, flowers and seeds from numerous plants collected by the University of Adelaide to samples of every imaginable type of wood and small models of mushrooms and fruit. There was also a shop where one can buy the usual commemorative goods and, of course, a few glass Chihuly bowls at a cool AUD3000.


As it progressively became dark, the illumination made the colourful displays more vibrant with the background disappearing into black – time to get out the tripod. (Note the differences between each of the day (see above) and night selected images.


Closing time was looming as we reached the Palm House, but we still had time to enjoy the remaining few exhibits, including those set on the water. By the time we reached the path towards the exit, we were joined by a multitude of others departing for home or perhaps a quick night cap at a local bar.
Having walked a total of 16km for the day, it was time for us to drive back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
If I find myself back in Adelaide with some spare time on a bright sunny day, I would be very tempted to go back again. For anyone visiting the city, this is one venue that is well worth adding to your itinerary, irrespective of the prevailing lighting conditions.

