Silva Lanes was once a standard bowling alley, complete with the clatter of scattering pins and echoing acoustics. Then Meow Wolf, an arts production company, transformed this 20,000 square foot space in Santa Fe into the House of Eternal Return.
The artists and makers constructed a full-scale house inside the old bowling alley in New Mexico. And that's just the beginning.
Even from the outside, you can tell that Meow Wolf is going to be unlike any art experience you’ve ever had.
In the parking lot, you’re greeted by sculptures: a behemoth of a robot, a metal spider, and a wolf.
Perhaps the wolf isn’t surprising given the collective’s name and that "Game of Thrones" author George R. R. Martin owns this building. In fact, he collaborated with Meow Wolf on the property’s renovations.
According to Martin, "House of Eternal Return is going to be like nothing you’ve seen before."
A total of 135 painters, carpenters, computer programmers, welders, and other creators worked together for two years to construct this project. They spent six months just shaping the story for the "House of Eternal Return."
Inside the Victorian home built within the complex lives the fictional Selig family. But something has gone wrong, causing the relationship between space and time to be derailed. Alternate dimensions are bleeding into this one.
The house contains clues as to what happened.
And that’s when you tumble down the rabbit hole into 70 different spaces, which can be explored in any order.
Standard museum rules do not apply here. You’re supposed to touch the exhibits, even climb on them. This is a totally interactive experience.
Wander through a fluorescent alleyway known as "The Aquarium."
Hit the bones of a mastodon skeleton hanging from the ceiling. Its musical ribs act like a massive xylophone!
Crawl inside any of the four tree houses.
Or try your luck at the arcade, which is full of vintage games like "Ms. Pacman" and "Galaga."
The low lighting and zigzag patterns on the floor increase your feelings of both disorientation and wonder. Allow plenty of time to explore the many nooks and crannies. Definitely wear comfortable shoes and clothing that will allow you to do things such as crawling through a fireplace into a series of caves.
Future plans for the art complex include the additions of a taproom, live music performances, and classes for kids and adults held in the makerspace.
The House of Eternal Return certainly wins the award for Most Fun Art Museum.
To learn more about Meow Wolf, check out this interview with the collective's CEO and founder, Vince Kadlubek.
You can purchase tickets to Meow Wolf online on its website here. Have you been? What did you think?
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!