House of Eternal Return is a permanent immersive art installation in Santa Fe, New Mexico, created and operated by Meow Wolf. It opened in March 2016 inside a 33,000sqft (3,100m2) former bowling alley (Silva Lanes) and contains a roughly 20,000sqft (1,900m2) walk-through exhibition built by a large team of artists and collaborators. The project received early financial support from author George R. R. Martin for acquisition and refurbishment of the building.
Development
Meow Wolf formed in 2008 as a Santa Fe–based art collective producing temporary, collaborative installations. In 2014–2015 the group pursued a permanent venue; Martin pledged about $2.7 million toward purchase and renovation of the former Silva Lanes property on Rufina Circle. Local reporting placed the building at approximately 33,000sqft (3,100m2). The installation was built over roughly two years by more than 100 artists and collaborators and opened to the public in March 2016.
Design
The installation centers on a full-scale Victorian-style house constructed inside the exhibition space; hidden passageways and portals (including a refrigerator and fireplace) connect to other environments across multiple rooms and corridors. Trade and local coverage describe more than 70 rooms and interactive elements across the exhibition’s footprint.
History
The site closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened on March 19, 2021, with capacity limits and reduced operating days.
Reception
Coverage at opening characterized the installation as a large, multiroom immersive environment built inside a former bowling alley. In its first year, the venue reported attendance of about 400,000; trade press placed first-year revenue at roughly $6–7 million. House of Eternal Return received a 2017 Thea Award from the Themed Entertainment Association. The complex also functions as a small music venue; local and national coverage notes a capacity of roughly 400 for performances.
