Visit Meow Wolf Santa Fe

What is Meow Wolf?

Meow Wolf in Santa Fe is a unique, immersive art experience with a fascinating backstory. The project began in 2008 as a collective of artists in Santa Fe who were interested in creating large-scale, interactive art installations. The group started with small do it yourself art shows and exhibits, often held in unconventional spaces. Their work was characterized by a blend of different artistic disciplines, including sculpture, painting, digital art, and narrative storytelling. The group took the name "Meow Wolf".

In 2015, Meow Wolf took a major leap forward when they secured an abandoned bowling alley in Santa Fe as a permanent home for their work. With the financial backing of author George R.R. Martin, a Santa Fe resident, the group transformed the space into "The House of Eternal Return," their first permanent installation. This installation is a massive, multi-sensory experience that invites visitors to explore a mysterious Victorian house filled with portals to other dimensions. Each room and space in the house is designed by different artists, creating a diverse and immersive world that blurs the line between art and reality.

The success of "The House of Eternal Return" put Meow Wolf on the map as a major player in the world of immersive art. The exhibit has become a popular tourist attraction in Santa Fe, drawing visitors from around the world. Meow Wolf has since expanded beyond Santa Fe, opening additional locations in Denver, Las Vegas, and other cities, each with its own unique themes and installations.

The idea for the "House of Eternal Return" was born out of Meow Wolf's desire to create a permanent, immersive art installation that would be unlike anything else in the world. The project was ambitious, aiming to combine art, narrative, and interactive experiences in a way that would fully engage visitors. The concept revolved around the idea of creating a mysterious Victorian house that serves as a portal to other dimensions, with each room offering a unique and surreal experience.

The "House of Eternal Return" tells the story of the fictional Selig family who lived in the house before they mysteriously disappeared after a strange event disrupted time and space. Visitors enter the house and are encouraged to explore and piece together the narrative through clues found throughout the various rooms and spaces. The story is nonlinear, and the experience is highly interactive, with visitors able to touch, open, and interact with almost everything in the space.

The house itself is designed as a traditional Victorian home, but as visitors explore, they discover hidden passageways, secret doors, and portals that lead to fantastical environments. These range from neon forests and underwater scenes to alien landscapes and abstract, dreamlike spaces. Each area is a collaboration between different artists, resulting in a diverse yet cohesive experience that blends art, storytelling, and exploration.

After days of exploring the rich history and culture of New Mexico—visiting science museums, art galleries, ancient petroglyphs, and Indian ruins—we found ourselves craving something different, something unexpected. Enter Meow Wolf: a world where imagination knows no bounds, and the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary.

From the moment we stepped inside the House of Eternal Return, we were transported into a realm that tickled our love for science fiction and fantasy. Despite being a bit older, we couldn’t help but feel like kids again, brimming with curiosity and excitement.

Our tour, which lasted about an hour and a half, was filled with surprises at every turn. Each room was more astonishing than the last—fantastical trees with hidden staircases, multiple levels and nooks that beckons you to explore, secret doors and panels waiting to be discovered. We wandered through rooms where every detail seemed to hide a mystery, encouraging us to look closer, to touch, to question.

And just when we thought we had seen it all, we stumbled upon a refrigerator that, instead of holding food, opened up into an entirely new world—a room unlike anything we’d seen before. It was this blend of the familiar and the fantastical that made our visit so unforgettable.

Meow Wolf wasn’t just a diversion from our usual sightseeing; it was a doorway into a world where art, imagination, and wonder collide, reminding us that no matter our age, there’s always room for a little magic in our lives.

The experience can be a little overwhelming at first. So much to see, so much to touch, so many details vying for your attention. But that's part of the magic. Meow Wolf is a feast for the senses, a playground for the mind, and a journey into a world where anything is possible. It's an experience that will stay with you long after you step back out into reality.

 Location, Hours, Tickets and Pricing for Meow Wolf

• Hours can vary so you need to visit their website and check their calendar on the tickets page to see when they are open and when tickets are available.
• Do not arrive before your ticket time. They check tickets before letting you in. You could however go in and get a drink before you tour the attraction.

 Is there Parking at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe?

• Being a former bowling alley there is plenty of parking in the parking lot out front.

 Is there anywhere to eat or drink at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe?

• There is a cafe and bar inside. They have a full liquor bar and local beers on tap, coffees, teas, etc.

 What else is there to do at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe?

• There are special events that occur at the Meow Wolf site in Santa Fe. You should check their website for more details.
• They also allow private events for those interested.

In the trip menu list below, a "dark filled circle" represents a destination where we stayed, and the "dark filled arrow" items below that circle location, represent the destinations we visited while in that city or location. A circle icon that is not filled represents a city that we visited or stayed in, but did not necessarily explore.

Click any link below to go directly to that page;

 Trip Overview Page

 Albuquerque, NM

• Sandia Peak Tramway
• Petroglyph National Monument
• Old-Town Albuquerque
• National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

 Alamogordo, NM

• McGinn's PistachioLand Farm
• White Sands National Park

 Carlsbad, NM

• Tunnel Vista Observation Site
• Trestle Depot Recreation Area
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park

 Roswell, NM

• International UFO Museum

 Santa Fe, NM

• Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, NM
• Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, NM
• Ojo Santa Fe Spa Resort, NM
• Bradbury Science Museum - Los Alamos, NM
• Los Alamos, NM
• Bandelier National Monument, NM
• Nambé Falls, NM
• Meow Wolf, NM

 Chaco Culture National Historical Park, NM

 Bisti Badlands, NM

 Monument Valley

 Grand Canyon, AZ

• Planning Your Grand Canyon Visit
• Grand Canyon South Rim Top Sites and Itineraries
• Grand Canyon El Tovar Hotel

 Sedona, AZ