Thinking of visiting one of Tacoma’s awesome museums in the near future? Be prepared – the Washington State History Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass all change their opening hours around Labor Day. Admission prices stay the same, though (and look out for Museum Day on September 26, when they’re all free.)

Here are the new hours:

WSHM (as of Sept. 8): 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. third Thursdays (free from 2 p.m. onwards). 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. 253-272-3500, www.washingtonhistory.org

TAM (as of Sept. 2):

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Catherine Swanson, “Thunder.” Photo courtesy of the artist.

Local painters define space at the Washington Convention Center

"Definitions of space" features local painters David N. Goldberg, C.J. Swanson, Patrice Tullai, and Alec Clayton on the middle floor of the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday through September 24. Artist talk at noon Sept. 20. Free. South Galleria, level 2, 800 Convention Place, Seattle. 253-752-1673, www.definitionsofspace.com

Abby Williams on Vashon

The Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association hosts artwork by 19th-century Northwest landscape painter Abby Williams, who spent

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Zoe Williams, “Genesis Deconstruction”. Photo courtesy Two Vaults.

Rabbits are running wild all over Two Vaults gallery. The annual group show “Rabbitual” is on almost every single wall, featuring 77 works by 45 different artists, and there’s a huge variety: some what you’d expect, some disappointing, but some really intriguing.

It’s impossible to cover such a huge show completely. “Rabbitual” is this year’s version of Two Vaults’ annual big group show, and the variety of media is great to see: paint, ceramics, concrete, textiles, mixed and digital media.

One of the

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OK…there’s a catch. In order to get $25 tickets to the musical “Wicked” opening at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle on Sept. 2 you’ll have to enter a lottery.

Click on “more” to read details from the press release…

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Writer Michael J. Vaughn has lived in a lot of places in his time: Maine, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and California, where he now lives. But he spent a few years around Tacoma, and one of his seven novels is, in fact, called “Painting Tacoma.” His most recent novel “Outro” (iUniverse.com) is also set locally, and Vaughn is returning to the South Sound this weekend to read and sign it.

Set in a karaoke bar in Gig Harbor, “Outro” includes scenes in the Stadium District, the Museum of Glass, Sumner, the

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Judy Gilbert, “Electron Dance.” Photo Jerry Gilbert.

Mad Hat gets waxed

Local artist Judy Gilbert recently turned from watercolor to encaustic ("painting" with pigment and wax.) The results – hypnotic swirls, textured lions’ manes – are on view at Mad Hat Tea Company. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day through September. Free. 1130 Commerce St., Tacoma. 253-441-2111, www.madhattea.com

"Port Gamble Anthology": a play about a town

All Port Gamble’s a stage this Saturday thanks to the Northwest Playwrights’ Alliance and the Academy of International Education. Japanese students and NPA playwrights

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Michael Kaiser, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, will be the guest speaker at a free arts leadership symposium at the Pantages this Friday from 9-11 a.m. The symposium, one of two in Washington state, is part of a national tour for Kennedy Center initiative “Arts in Crisis,” and will address issues of sustainability and relevance for arts organizations.

Congressman Dicks, who represents Washington’s sixth congressional district and is the chairman for the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, will give opening remarks before a 90-minute conversation with Michael Kaiser, moderated by Andrea

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From now until the end of August, children under 18 years will get free admission to Tacoma Art Museum, in an offer made possible by museum donors.



"We want young people in our community to be exposed to the arts,"
said Paula McArdle, director of education and audience development.
 "We’d love to see teenagers and families take advantage of this
affordable, educational activity as the summer winds down."



So what can kids see and do now at TAM? Current exhibitions include the vast array of art jewelry in the Helen Williams Drutt collection, some really funky jewelry from Seattle artist

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