Wikipedia

House of Eternal Return

people sitting in art exhibit in santa fe new mexico
Meow Wolf Santa Fe - House of Eternal Return

House of Eternal Return is a permanent immersive art installation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, created by the collective Meow Wolf. Opened in March 2016 inside a 33,000-square-foot former bowling alley purchased and refurbished with funding from author George R. R. Martin, it contains a roughly 20,000-square-foot walk-through exhibition built by dozens of artists and organized around a full-scale Victorian house that conceals portals into other environments.[1][2]

Development

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Meow Wolf was founded in 2008 as a collective of young artists in Santa Fe.[3] In its early years the group organized temporary multimedia art shows in various venues.[4] Seeking a permanent space, Meow Wolf approached George R.R. Martin in 2014 with a proposal for a long term exhibit.[4] Martin invested about $3.5 million to acquire and refurbish a defunct bowling alley (the Silva Lanes) as a home for the project.[3] The House of Eternal Return installation was then built inside this facility by a team of approximately 135 artists and collaborators over the next two years.[5] The exhibit officially opened in March 2016[5]

Design

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The exhibition centers on a full-scale Victorian style house constructed inside the exhibition space[6], whose rooms conceal passageways into other environments; entry points include a fireplace and a refrigerator.[7]The house contains numerous hidden passageways that lead visitors into a variety of surreal, immersive environments.

Trade coverage describes the installation as comprising more than 70 rooms created by contributing artists.[8]

In 2023, Meow Wolf announced that all of its exhibitions, including House of Eternal Return, are Certified Autism Centers through the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES).[9]

History

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The site closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened on March 19, 2021, initially at 25% capacity (about 625 visitors per day) and operating four days per week.[10][11]

Reception

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In its first year, the installation drew approximately 400,000 visitors; reporting places first-year revenue at roughly US$6–7 million.[12][13][14] The installation received a 2017 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Themed Entertainment Association.[15] The complex also functions as a small music venue; media sources list a capacity of about 400.[16]

References

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  1. ^ Zheng, Marina (2015-02-12). "George RR Martin Spends $2.7M to Turn a Santa Fe Bowling Alley Into an Art Center". Observer. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  2. ^ Wharton, David (2016-02-23). "Art collective builds a dream house in Santa Fe with millions of dollars — and junk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  3. ^ a b Article, Ben Davis ShareShare This (2016-07-14). "George R. R. Martin's Santa Fe Art Space Is an Odd Force". Artnet News. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  4. ^ a b "Enter the immersive art world of Meow Wolf - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2019-11-03. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  5. ^ a b Smith, Brendan L. (2017-07-25). "Interactive Art Center Meow Wolf Is Forging a New Business Model for Artists". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  6. ^ X (2016-02-23). "Great Read: Art collective builds a dream house in Santa Fe with millions of dollars — and junk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-07-25.
  7. ^ Wharton, David (2016-02-23). "Art collective builds a dream house in Santa Fe with millions of dollars — and junk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  8. ^ "Meow Wolf's House of Eternal Return". Sound & Communications. 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  9. ^ "All Meow Wolf Exhibitions Become Certified Autism Centers™". IBCCES. 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  10. ^ "Meow Wolf is reopening its doors on March 19". KOAT. 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  11. ^ "Meow Wolf House Of Eternal Return Re-opens March 19". Los Alamos Daily Post. 2021-03-08. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  12. ^ "Meow Wolf, Santa Fe's "Explorable Attraction" tops 400k visitors in first year". Blooloop. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  13. ^ Smith, Brendan L. (2017-07-25). "Interactive Art Center Meow Wolf Is Forging a New Business Model for Artists". Hyperallergic. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  14. ^ "I've Been to Every Meow Wolf—Here's What to Know". Fodor’s Travel. 2025-02-12. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  15. ^ "TEA Unveils This Year's THEA Award Winners". Blooloop. 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
  16. ^ "36 of America's Best Independent Music Venues on Surviving and What's Next". Pitchfork. 2021-04-05. Retrieved 2025-08-13.