Man pleads not guilty to vandalizing nearly $250K in art at Chihuly Garden and Glass
Mar 24, 2026, 2:42 PM | Updated: 5:54 pm
The man charged with vandalizing Chihuly Garden and Glass at the Seattle Center last week was in court Tuesday morning.
Alexander Taylor, 40, pleaded not guilty to three felony charges for allegedly destroying nearly $250,000 in Chihuly glass and sculptures.
“He’s charged by King County prosecutors with burglary in the first degree, assault in the second degree, and first degree malicious mischief, which is the most serious type of felony charge for damaging those art pieces,” King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Casey McNerthney said.
Taylor is charged with assault for allegedly attacking a security guard with shards of glass.
The garden is a popular attraction for visitors and locals, and the loss can’t be calculated in dollars alone.
“What’s frustrating about that is not only the dollar amount, but also the sentimental value. You don’t ever get those art pieces back. They’re one of a kind,” McNerthney said.
Taylor is due back in court next month.
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Chihuly Garden and Glass resumes operations after break-in
Chihuly Garden and Glass said an art installation was vandalized and has been removed. The museum is currently open to the public and has resumed regular operating hours.
“We can confirm that a break-in occurred in the outside garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass last night,” a spokesperson for the museum told KIRO Newsradio via email. “An art installation was vandalized, and we’ve removed the damaged art. We expect to replace the damaged art in the coming weeks.”
A security guard allegedly found the man inside a secure area actively breaking glass plants. The man then allegedly threw broken glass shards at the security guard, picked up a broken shard, and tried to stab the security guard multiple times.
Officers arrived and found large pieces of colorful broken glass on the walking path and scattered around the area. Police talked to the security guard, who was unharmed. The guard identified the suspect, and police formed a team to take the man into custody.
SPD stated that the man “became combative and refused to follow commands.” However, he was eventually arrested.
The man was then transported and booked into the King County Jail.
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