My youngest loved Meow Wolf the first time she went and said we had to go when in Santa Fe. I describe Meow Wolf as an escape room meets art installation meets climbing structure. It was heavily funded by George R. R. Martin, of Game of Thrones fame.
One thing that surprised me was just how big it was. You can see the white building in the background, but it goes far back – a former 20,000 SF bowling alley. It seemed endless inside – a good thing, but easy to get lost.
I’d encourage you to get timed tickets, though on our February weekend visiting, we were able to go in a bit early as there was no line. You can stay as long as you want, so plan a few hours at least. There’s a lot to explore.
Meow Wolf opened in 2008 – some Santa Fe artists wanted to showcase their work in an immersive environment, with the bowling alley location and permanent facility finished in 2016. It’s art, but there’s also a storyline and mystery which you can dive into if you want. If you plan to do that, download the free app before you go and open it when you go in. I forgot to open it and by the time I thought to, I figured it was probably too late because we were exploring the art rooms. You can’t explore it once you’re out of the building, so do it while you’re there.
The basic story is that the Selig/Pastore family lives in the house above in Mendocino, California – and they are missing. Through articles, brochures, videos, etc. throughout the house, you learn more about them. The uncle is a bit of a cult leader who created vacation spots in another universe. The grandpa got a special machine for interdimensional travel when in the military/war. The young son disappeared after figuring out how to get into the multisphere. The sister is worried about him, as are the parents. It’s all a bit confusing and you learn more as you search the house.
If you are on your phone, you can get more clues and information. And unlock things and add to your knowledge. We just poked around and read brochures, watched the TV, looked through envelopes and albums. It felt a lot like Stranger Things to me. The fun thing in the house is that you can open all the drawers and touch everything. Read books. Go through the sock drawer. Open the cabinets. Go into the closet. There are lots of secret passageways.
The bathroom below had an undulating floor from the mysterious force. I realized partway through that there’s so much information available about this family and the situation that you can read online (decipher the code in the adjacent music room and start reading on teh computer). Plus a ton of papers and albums. You could easily come back again and again to dive in deeper and yes they do sell a yearly portal pass.
I highly recommend taking all the secret passageways and also wearing appropriate clothing to Meow Wolf. Sneakers or comfortable shoes. Shorts/pants. And kneepads would have been nice in many spots! Easier for the kids than the aging parents!
Why yes, I did go into the washing machine. To do so, I recommend going head-first. I am not sharing that picture. Inside you’ll find all your missing socks! And a passageway into another dimension.
The actual house is only part of the fun. There are a ton of art installations, some in rooms and some just in hallways. They’re all creative and interesting and you can touch anything. I loved the ice holder below – it’s awesome to walk into.
The story continues in various places throughout the rest of Meow Wolf – a video here, some other references there. A place where you can flush toilets – or at least feel like you’re flushing toilets. Not everything seems to be directly or indirectly related though.
The area above is where they hold concerts (the stage is directly opposite the lighthouse). Their website features other events at Meow Wolf. The lighthouse has a photo booth inside – you can get Meow Wolf tokens for that, as well as for a small arcade in the building. Or for the zoetrope thing below.
Below was one of our favorite rooms – it held all kinds of items from everyday life – whether CDs or toothbrushes, or bottlecaps.
There are a lot of photo selfie spots that kids will like (adults too) but it didn’t feel like people were doing much of that – which is good. People seemed to be exploring and taking it all in.
We wandered around a lot and finally had to go because we had dinner reservations. I would not have minded staying longer to explore more of the story, but the few hours we spent there were enough to feel satisfied. We think we saw all the rooms and art at least once. We did got lost a few times and if you go with a group of people, you’ll probably want to pick a meeting spot and time. You can go through the house as much as you want, even if you end up back in the lobby.
If you go to Meow Wolf with kids
You cannot bring food or drink in. You can bring a water bottle and fill it inside. Unless you really need to drink a lot, I wouldn’t bother. You don’t want to carry it around. Also you can’t bring in purses or other bags. Make sure what you do have won’t fall out of your pockets because you will be climbing around, and trying to find something you’d dropped would not be easy. They have lockers there for a nominal fee. I totally understood the no purse rule after going in.
While you can’t bring food in, they do have a cafe there – and a bar. I was interested in trying some of the interesting drinks on their menu at the Float Cafe but we didn’t have time. They also have some kid-friendly grab-and-go items, like cookies. string cheese, hummus cups, uncrustables, etc.
Meow Wolf say it’s ADA-compliant on its first floor, but exhibits have steps up/down and different flooring textures that can be difficult for mobility. Those with mobility issues will not able to access everything – including the second floor, which has a lot on it.
Strollers are not allowed. Take a look at what is prohibited inside.
Have you been to this Meow Wolf or others? What did you think?