Throwing Mud Gallery

Throwing Mud Gallery is on the North 30th Street block that forms Old Town's small commercial strip, and it is the most hands-on stop on it. The operator describes the space as a contemporary crafts gallery showing work by more than a hundred local and regional artists across pottery, jewellery, wood and glass, run alongside a working pottery studio. Walk-in paint-your-own pottery is offered, which is what makes it useful on a rainy Tacoma afternoon or with children in tow — it is one of the few Old Town stops that is an activity rather than a purchase. The opening hours vary noticeably by day, including a late Wednesday and short Sunday, so it is worth checking the day you plan to go. Combined with the neighbouring shops and the waterfront two blocks downhill, it makes Old Town a genuine hour rather than a pass-through.

Verified details

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What to know

• Hours vary by day, from a noon opening on Monday to an 8pm close on Wednesday.
• This is a working studio as well as a retail gallery.

Editor's tips

• Wednesday runs latest in the week, which is the easiest evening to catch the gallery after work.
• Walk-in paint-your-own pottery is the rainy-afternoon option with children.