Known for creating immersive art installations that layer trippy visuals with cosmic storytelling, the Santa Fe, New Mexico-based Meow Wolf evolved last year from an artist collective into the ur-experience economy company. It now has projects in the works for Las Vegas (fall), Denver (2021), Washington, D.C., and Phoenix, all of which will be distinct experiences but live in the same “Meow Wolf story universe,” says chief creative officer Ali Rubinstein.
Last April, a ride called Kaleidoscape, which opened in Denver’s Elitch Gardens theme park, distilled the company’s gestalt into a three-minute journey, giving visitors of all ages a taste of what’s to come when Meow Wolf opens next year in the city. “Everything we had designed before had been a nonlinear, choose-your-own-adventure format,” says cofounder and SVP of brand Emily Montoya. “It’s been our dream to work on a ride.” Here’s how it was conceived:
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A version of this article appeared in the March/April 2020 issue of Fast Company magazine.