Goldwell Open Air Museum
4.5(1.4K)google
4.6(57)yelp
ArtOutdoorSculpture
Overview
The Goldwell Open Air Museum is an outdoor sculpture park near the ghost town of Rhyolite in the U.S. state of Nevada. The 7.8-acre (3.2 ha) site is located at the northern end of the Amargosa Valley, about 120 miles (190 km) northwest of Las Vegas, and about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Beatty off State Route 374. About 5 miles (8.0 km) further west is Death Valley National Park.
Practical Info
Every dayOpen 24 hours
Suggested Duration30-60 minutes
Best TimeSunset is the absolute best time to visit. The giant, life-sized ghostly white plaster sculptures (such as 'The Last Supper') created by Belgian artists look incredibly ethereal and surreal against the backdrop of the glowing desert and fading light.
Getting ThereLocated immediately adjacent to the Rhyolite ghost town, less than half a mile away. From downtown Beatty, drive west on SR-374 W for about 5 minutes, turn right onto the ghost town access road, and the outdoor art installations will be clearly visible on your left. Parking is free on-site.
Travel Tips
- This outdoor museum is an unstaffed, 24/7 free venue with no shade structures, water stations, or services; visitors must carry adequate water and robust sun/wind protection.
Photo Tips
Photo Spots
- Late afternoon and golden hour offer the optimal lighting angle for photographing 'The Last Supper' sculpture, utilizing western angles to yield dramatic shadows and avoid harsh midday contrast.
Photo Rules
- Operating drones for low-altitude filming or skimming around statues is strictly banned to protect fragile, weathered plaster and steel installations from collision damage.
Reviews
Positive
- Located right next to Rhyolite ghost town, these giant white 'ghost' sculptures standing in the barren desert offer immense visual impact, blending artistic loneliness with open desert.
- A completely free, 24-hour open-air art installation where you can walk right up to touch and photograph the sculptures without fences, offering fantastic interactivity.
- The artistic imagination here is strange and wonderful. From 'The Last Supper' ghosts to the tall couch and wire miner, it shows surrealism colliding with the Nevada desert.
- Perfect for lovers of novelty and modern art. Under a vast blue sky or night stars, these artworks display magical light and shadow effects, making it a photographer's dream.
Heads up
- Being fully unmanaged outdoors, there are no shades, benches, or trash cans. There is zero comfort under blazing sun, and staying over 10 minutes in summer can cause heatstroke.
- There are no permanent restrooms, only a highly primitive and smelly portable plastic toilet (Porta-potty) with unacceptable cleanliness. Use a restroom before arriving.
- The scale of the art is quite small, with fewer than 10 total installations. If you aren't taking photos, you can see it all in 5 minutes, making it feel thin for a dedicated trip.
- Due to a lack of live crowd control or security patrols, some sculptures and installations show visible damage from human scratching and graffiti, which is very unfortunate.