Meow Wolf: House of Eternal Return

So maybe Southwestern art isn’t what you’re interested in. Maybe the fine arts are a little too technical and just simply not interactive enough. For those that aren’t interested in standing in front of paintings and deciphering metaphors, Santa Fe still has art to offer for those looking for a little more excitement.

Meow Wolf is one of Santa Fe’s newest and most eccentric artistic implements. It began with a group of artists with a vision to take visitors on an interactive, surreal adventure. The team initially started out as a DIY collective. They had amazing ideas for the types of art they wanted to display in their “House of Eternal Return,” and crafted plans that drew in a key investor who would make this dream possible: the mastermind behind Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin, who has been investing in projects to enrich Santa Fe in recent years. The attraction opened in March 2016, and has brought a fresh style to contrast Santa Fe’s predominantly southwestern and traditional fine arts. 

Inside the House of Eternal Return. Photo courtesy of hyperallergic.com.

So what exactly is the Meow Wolf experience like?

Outside the building – a large, renovated bowling alley – there is a massive sculpture of a tarantula affectionately named TaranTula. Inside the House of Eternal Return, visitors wander through “a wild new form of non-linear storytelling which unfolds through exploration, discovery and 21^st century interactivity,” according to Meow Wolf’s website.

            “It’s crazy. You start in an old Victorian house,” visitor Joseph Whited said. “Every room leads to a different part of Meow Wolf – like, the closet leads to the Ice Age. You just lose track of time.”

TaranTula. Photo courtesy of abqjournal.com

             There is a circulation of events at the complex as well, including workshops, concerts and exhibits apart from the interactive House of Eternal Return. There is even an array of food trucks present for part of the week.

             “I really liked that there’s a little something for everyone. You can just go look around, you can solve the mystery, or if you want you can just see local art,” Whited said.

            Each visitor is able to choose their own path through the meandering exhibit, and there are even various mysteries and plot lines to piece together along the way. In effect, Santa Fe has its very own rabbit hole for anyone to escape to.

Photo courtesy of hyperallergic.com