Bellevue Arts Museum "Two Hands, Twenty Years, and a Billion Beads" is a survey of renowned Northwest artist David Chatt's intricately beaded sculpture and assorted jewelry, by turns goofy and satirical. Also: The Northwest Designer Craftsmen retrospective show "Looking Forward, Glancing Back: Northwest Designer Craftsmen at 50" displays over 100 contemporary and historic works by NWDC artist members. 510 Bellevue Way N.E. (Bellevue), 425-519-0770, www.bellevueart.org. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Thurs.); 11 a.m-5:30 p.m. Sun. Chatt ends Feb. 19; "Looking Forward" ends Feb. 26.
Henry Art Gallery "150 Works of Art," a compelling exhibit designed by architects Annie Han and Daniel Mihalyo, allows viewers to establish their own connections between a variety of photographs, paintings, and video pieces from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Also: Argentinean-born artist Santiago Cucullu fills the East Gallery with an expansive and somewhat befuddling new contact-paper mural and minimalist sculpture installation, "The Fates Await: (Serious Delirium, or You Will Die Tomorrow)," inspired by the German Expressionist film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 41st Street, 206-543-2280, www.henryart.org. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs. "150 Works" ends Feb. 26; Cucullu ends March 12.
Museum of Glass "Czech Glass, 1945-1980: Design in an Age of Adversity" presents glasswork from a difficult era in Czech postwar history. Museum of Glass, 1801 E. Dock St. (Tacoma), 253-284-4750, www.museumofglass.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. (until 8 p.m. every third Thurs. of the month); noon-5 p.m. Sun. Ends June 18.
Museum of Flight WWI airplanes fill the skies of the "Heritage of the Air Collection," 43 realistic paintings from 1959 to 1970, primarily by representational artist Merv Corning. This exhibit unites, for the first time, collections from aerospace defense company the Esterline Corporation, the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Air Force, and private collectors. 9404 E. Marginal Way S., 206-764-5700, www.museumofflight.org. Free with museum admission ($14; $13 seniors, $7.50 youth 5 to 17). 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Ends April 9.
Seattle Art Museum (Closed for expansion until spring of 2007; see Web site for details.) 100 University St., 206-654-3100, www.seattleartmuseum.org.
Seattle Asian Art Museum SAAM reopens with four new shows. "Discovering Buddhist Art—Seeking the Sublime" delves into the museum's permanent collection of Asian Buddhist art; nearly 100 works represent the influence of Buddhism on the art and culture of China, Korea, India, Japan, Thailand, and Tibet. Also: Tooba, a powerfully haunting allegorical video by Iranian-born artist Shirin Neshat about a woman who merges with a tree (it makes sense when you see it); "The Orchid Pavilion Gathering: Chinese Painting from the University of Michigan Museum of Art"; and "Fragrance of the Past: Chinese Calligraphy and Painting by Ch'ung-ho Chang Frankel and Friends." The wonderful array of antique snuff bottles is a highlight. Volunteer Park, 1400 E. Prospect St., 206-654-3100, www.seattleartmuseum.org. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs. "Orchid" and "Fragrance" end April 2; "Tooba" ends Oct. 15; "Buddha" is ongoing.
Tacoma Art Museum "The Great American Thing: Modern Art and National Identity, 1915-1935" promises 120 seminal works of American and European art from the titular era, including Marcel Duchamp, Georgia O'Keeffe, May Ray, Alfred Stieglitz, Paul Strand, and Max Weber. Also: In "Contemporary Photography and the Garden—Deceits and Fantasies," 15 American and European photographers interpret the symbolism and structure of gardens. 1701 Pacific Ave. (Tacoma), 253-272-4258, www.tacomaartmuseum.org. Every third Thurs. free and open until 8 p.m. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun. "Garden" ends April 30; "Great American" ends May 21.
Wing Luke Asian Museum "Home Grown: Asian Pacific American New Years" focuses on New Year's celebration traditions that have been brought to the Pacific Northwest by Asian-American immigrants. It features photography, multimedia presentations, and entertaining material for kids. Also: "Sikh Community: Over 100 Years in the Pacific Northwest" aims to illuminate the history and heritage of this long-standing yet misunderstood local community through various media. 407 Seventh Ave. S., 206-623-5124, www.wingluke.org. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. "Home Grown" ends April 2; "Sikh Community" ends April 16.
