
Meow Wolf is an interactive art exhibit in Denver, Colorado, that has attracted a lot of attention, especially from those interested in psychedelics. The exhibit features a room with virtual mushrooms growing on the walls and floors. These mushrooms light up and pop when stepped on, sending out spores. Meow Wolf also has an installation in Grapevine, Texas, where there are musical mushrooms arranged around a large tree trunk in the forest. When tapped, these mushrooms respond with their own sound and light, creating a unique and immersive experience.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Opening Date | September 2021 |
| Art Installation | Interactive |
| Features | Forest Mushrooms |
| Forest Mushrooms | Interactive, Musical Fungi |
| Forest Mushroom Characteristics | Pulsing with Light, Sends Ripples of Starlight |
| Forest Mushroom Functionality | Responds with its own sound and light when tapped |
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What You'll Learn

Meow Wolf is an interactive art exhibit in New Mexico
The flagship attraction, the House of Eternal Return, is a permanent installation that blends technology, sculpture, sound, and atmosphere to create a unique and captivating experience. It is a labyrinth of vibrant rooms and mysterious corridors filled with towering alien creatures, inviting guests to explore and discover their own path. The House of Eternal Return also plays host to musical events, adding another layer of entertainment to the already captivating experience.
The art installation encourages active participation and interaction with its exhibits. One such interactive element is the forest mushrooms. These are not your typical fungi; they are musical, glowing creations that respond to touch by sending ripples of starlight through the forest canopy. The mushrooms become living nodes of the forest, connecting visitors to the very heart of nature.
Meow Wolf has become a cultural phenomenon, attracting visitors from all over the world. It has expanded beyond its original location in Santa Fe, with additional installations in Las Vegas, Denver, Grapevine, and Houston. Each new location offers a unique experience, with the Denver exhibit, Convergence Station, featuring a rotating exhibit of local artists and tributes to significant cultural movements. Meow Wolf continues to push the boundaries of art, creating immersive worlds that defy expectations and ignite the imagination.
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The exhibit features musical, light-up mushrooms
Meow Wolf in Denver's Convergence Station is an interactive art installation that opened in September 2021. It is a unique and wild exhibit that calls to psychedelic users. The exhibit features musical, light-up mushrooms. These are interactive, musical fungi that send ripples of starlight through the forest canopy upon being played. When played, the mushrooms pulse with light, becoming living nodes of the forest itself.
The mushrooms are arranged around a large tree trunk in the forest. When a visitor taps a mushroom, it responds with its own unique sound and light. Each tap also triggers a response from other mushrooms in the group, so that each one feels connected to the others. The mushrooms are designed to be coordinated with each other. Each mushroom's response is defined by a MIDI delay algorithm, with options for delay time and pitch (transposition, inversion, or random) for up to 2 delays per tap.
The mushrooms were created with four principles in mind: invitation, agency, discovery, and sharing. The process of ideation, design, iteration, and installation was lengthy and detailed. The mushrooms were prototyped using a MIDI keyboard and a Max patch, and user testing was carried out. Studio testing of sensor hardware, microprocessor software, and lighting software was also conducted before installation.
The Meow Wolf exhibit also features child-friendly rooms, including one that is reminiscent of Teamlab Borderless in Tokyo. This room features virtual mushrooms growing on the walls and floors that light up when stepped on, sending out spores.
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Mushrooms are arranged around a large tree trunk in the forest
Meow Wolf is an interactive art exhibit in New Mexico that calls to psychedelic users. It features a variety of unique, interactive art installations, including one with mushrooms arranged around a large tree trunk in the forest. This particular exhibit, called the Forest, is located in Grapevine, Texas, and features interactive, musical fungi that light up and play their own sounds when tapped. Each tap triggers a response from other mushrooms, creating a sense of connection between them. The mushrooms send ripples of starlight through the forest canopy, pulsing with light and becoming living nodes of the forest.
The mushrooms in the Forest exhibit were designed with four principles in mind: invitation, agency, discovery, and sharing. Creative Engineer Alan Watts and a colleague from Meow Wolf built interactive musical mushroom software, prototyping the experience using a MIDI keyboard and a Max patch. Each mushroom's response was defined by a MIDI delay algorithm, with options for delay time and pitch for up to two delays per tap.
The success of the mushroom project underscores the value of prototyping, user-testing, and design iteration. User feedback was collected using the original Max patch and mushroom prototype, followed by studio testing of sensor hardware, microprocessor software, and lighting software. The physical installation involved mounting, low-voltage cabling, and adjusting overall levels and sound mix.
Meow Wolf in Denver's Convergence Station is another unique interactive art installation that has strict entry times and requires visitors to pass through metal detectors and bag scans. Visitors are encouraged to dress up and wear face masks at all times. Same-day tickets may be available for purchase at the door, and parking is available on-site for a fee.
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Each mushroom has its own sound and light when tapped
Meow Wolf in Denver's Convergence Station is an interactive art installation that opened in September 2021. It is a unique, immersive experience that has attracted visitors from all over. The exhibit features various rooms, some of which are child-friendly, with one room resembling the inside of a church adorned with virtual mushrooms growing on the walls and floors.
The mushrooms are a key part of the exhibit, with each mushroom designed to be interactive and musical. When tapped, each mushroom lights up and produces its own unique sound. These are not just any ordinary mushrooms, but living nodes of the forest, pulsing with light and sending ripples of starlight through the forest canopy.
The mushrooms are arranged around a large tree trunk in the forest setting. Each mushroom has a distinct response to being tapped, with a delay and pitch defined by a MIDI delay algorithm. This creates a coordinated symphony of lights and sounds, as each tap also triggers a response from neighbouring mushrooms. The result is a captivating display of light and music, with each mushroom contributing its own unique note to the overall melody.
The creation of these musical mushrooms involved a meticulous process of prototyping, user-testing, and design iteration. Creative Engineer Alan Watts and his team built interactive musical mushroom software, ensuring that each mushroom felt connected to the others. The final installation included physical mounting, low-voltage cabling, and adjustments to overall levels and sound mix.
The Meow Wolf mushrooms offer a truly unique and interactive experience, blending art, music, and technology in a captivating and imaginative way.
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Meow Wolf also has child-friendly exhibits
Meow Wolf is an immersive art experience with interactive exhibits. It was born in Santa Fe in 2008 as an underground art collective and has since expanded to include hundreds of artists and storytellers. Meow Wolf offers unique experiences that expand minds and worlds through its kaleidoscopic art.
One of its exhibits, the "House of Eternal Return", features an interactive and musical forest with glowing mushrooms. These mushrooms are described as "living nodes of the forest itself", sending ripples of starlight through the forest canopy when played.
While Meow Wolf's exhibits are known to attract psychedelic users, they are appropriate for all ages and are not intended to be scary. In fact, children aged 3 and under can even enter for free, and discounted child ticket pricing is available for those aged 4 to 12. Meow Wolf provides an opportunity for families to explore imaginative and immersive worlds together, with its exhibits serving as portals to new and exciting places.
The organisation also offers a range of merchandise, including t-shirts, plush toys, stickers, and other items designed by artists, providing a tangible reminder of the Meow Wolf experience for visitors of all ages. Meow Wolf's exhibits are a testament to the creativity and collaboration of its artists and storytellers, offering a unique and inclusive experience for all who visit.
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Frequently asked questions
The light-up mushrooms are an interactive art installation at Meow Wolf, an exhibit in Denver, Colorado, and Grapevine, Texas.
The mushrooms are interactive and musical. When people tap a mushroom, it responds with its own sound and light. Each tap also triggers a response from other mushrooms, creating a sense of connection between them.
The mushrooms' response to touch was prototyped using a MIDI keyboard and a Max patch. Each mushroom's response was defined by a MIDI delay algorithm, with options for delay time and pitch.
The mushrooms are arranged around a large tree trunk in the Forest. They are designed to be living nodes of the forest, sending ripples of starlight through the forest canopy.
Yes, the light-up mushrooms are suitable for children. Meow Wolf offers a variety of exhibits, some of which may be slightly scary for younger children, but there are plenty of child-friendly options as well.

























