It was revealed today at SXSW that the creators of some of the world’s best immersive art experiences, Meow Wolf, are readying their seventh permanent location in the USA – New York City.
The news comes less than a year after they revealed that a Los Angeles location would open in a movie theatre in 2026. For New York City, they’ll be taking over a space at Pier 17, in the city’s historic Seaport, which is already home to a fantastic live music venue. This will mark the first time the collective have opened a permanent experience on the East Coast of the US.
The announcement happened live on stage at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, where “beloved icon Plotzo, Meow Wolf’s self-proclaimed rat king of the undermaulers, crashed the SXSW panel Dada for Dada: The Power of Absurdity to deliver the news.”
Plotzo also sits front and centre in the first released artwork, which you’ll see at the top of the article.
For those who haven’t been to a Meow Wolf exhibition before, it’s a hard experience to describe. There’s not much out there like it, so you can’t neatly fit it into categories. As the recent press release explained, “they’re not escape rooms, selfie museums, or traditional immersive experiences. They are interactive universes filled with layers of narrative, where every visitor becomes part of the story.” Further, Meow Wolf New York promises to “push these boundaries even further, connecting to Meow Wolf’s larger cosmic universe while crafting something distinctly New York.”
New York’s Pier 17 will join Santa Fe, Las Vegas (pictured above), Denver, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles (opening in 2026) as the collective’s seventh permanent location.
While we don’t know the theme as of yet, as the first Certified B Corporation in the entertainment industry, we know Meow Wolf is dedicated to working with local artists to ensure each exhibition reflects the heart of its host city. Meow Wolf New York promises to “be a love letter to the stories, people, and artistic spirit that make the city an unmatched cultural powerhouse,” according to the press release.
“The energy of New York City is unlike anywhere else, and it’s the perfect place for Meow Wolf,” said Jose Tolosa, CEO of Meow Wolf. “This city has given the world so much groundbreaking art and culture, and as someone who has proudly called New York City home for over ten years, I’m beyond thrilled that we’re bringing something truly unique to the greatest city in the world.”
“New York has always been a city that thrives on reinvention, making it the perfect place for Meow Wolf’s next evolution,” said Vince Kadlubek, Meow Wolf Founder and Chief Vision Officer. “I’ve been closely involved in bringing this to life, and I couldn’t be more excited. We’re creating something with a level of creative ambition and next-generation storytelling that pushes beyond anything we’ve done before—an experience that truly belongs in this city.”
Founder, mascot, and 2025 SXSW panelist Benji Geary sees it through a different lens. “I’m just excited to see an exhibit of ours in the most legendary city. New York is its own planet, a hyperobject of culture—self-assured, jaded, but hungry. It devours, reinvents, and warps reality through sheer density of minds. What happens when we throw our weird into that mix? The artists, the energy, the exquisite corpse of collaboration—what egregore will emerge? This isn’t a Meow Wolf exhibit in NYC. It’s NYC’s Meow Wolf exhibit. It’s gonna be what it wants to be.”
Take all these tidbits as you will. We can’t wait to learn more.
So many details, including the theme, and opening date, are still to come. Stay tuned to the AU for updates, or visit meowwolf.com.
Images provided. Photo of Omega Mart in Las Vegas by Kate Russell.
