18 seriously cool art installations across the USA

Laid out across 12,500 acres of a working ranch in southern Montana, Tippet Rise Art Center doesn’t just feature artists. Huge swaths of the atypical sculpture garden were created by the most crafty elements in the natural world: wind, rain, ice and time. There are three ways to see the works, which include pieces like Patrick Dougherty’s Daydreams, a frontier schoolhouse enclosed in willow nests and Francis Kéré’s Xylem, a gathering pavilion inspired by the West African Dogon community—by hiking, biking or taking a van tour of the trail. Open June 20 to October 5

Why go? To experience site-specific and monumental works of art, including the newly installed sculpture Bronze Bowl with Lace by Ursula von Rydingsvard. Each new season is also accompanied by a program of concerts spanning Tippet Rise’s indoor and outdoor venues.

With one of the largest collections of outdoor sculptures in the country, the Hudson Valley’s Storm King Art Center isn’t a single art installation but a 500-acre canvas for dozens of them. The landscape is broken into natural galleries, each with its own permanent collection and the visiting exhibitions. Between them, you'll see sculptures and earthworks from modern masters like Andy Goldsworthy, Alexander Calder, Maya Lin and Richard Serra. Closed for the season; reopening May 2025

Why go? Because getting here—whether by bus, train or car—is one of the most scenic journeys you can take out of New York City, especially in the fall.

Glass denizen Dale Chihuly’s otherworldly garden grows in the shadow of Seattle’s Space Needle. Within, beautiful sculptures are intertwined with a lush, living landscape. The Glasshouse, a 4,500-square-foot conservatory with a 100-foot-long sculpture of vivid red, orange and yellow petals suspended from its ceiling, stands at its center. Eight additional indoor galleries feature more of Chihuly’s work in shapes, colors and patterns that defy expectations and test the boundaries of what glass can do.

Why go? The Bar at Chihuly Garden and Glass is a hidden gem in the heart of the city, boasting even more glass artworks, happy hour specials and solid bites, including a raved-about calamari.

In 1974, a group of San Francisco hippies calling itself The Ant Farm drove ten classic Cadillacs to a field just outside of Amarillo, Texas along Route 66. There they buried the cars nose first in the dirt, one after another, where they remained for more than 20 years before being relocated and perfectly reburied on nearby Interstate 40. Although Cadillac Ranch is on private land, its visitation is widely encouraged, as is adding to the sedans’ paint jobs. While the Caddies are usually covered in colorful graffiti, they spent a brief stint in 2020 painted solid black and sporting the rallying cry “Black Lives Matter.”

Why go? To do as Rihanna, who posted an art selfie at Cadillac Ranch in front of an anti-Trump message she spraypainted herself.

Area 15 is an art installation, immersive playground and alien carnival rolled into one over-the-top Las Vegas experience. A handful of artists and art collectives have shaped the vibe with exhibits like Wink World, a funhouse of light, sound and motion created by Blue Man Group co-founder Chris Wink. Meow Wolf is also in on the game. At Omega Mart, the artists’ collaborative has molded its unique brand of non-linear storytelling and alternate universe building into grocery store form. Other on-site experiences include mind-shifting virtual reality and augmented reality games, as well as the audiovisual installation Museum Fiasco “Cluster” and the Asylum Bar + Arcade.

Why go? Area15 is free to roam and explore, though you can activate your experience with a variety of paid ticket options that unlock different levels and some pretty trippy virtual dimensions. 

In the mid-00s, an unusual art installation by Berlin-based artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset popped up on the side of a lonely highway northwest of Marfa, Texas: a storefront built to mirror fashion designer Miuccia Prada’s upscale boutiques. The “pop architectural land art project” was built from adobe so that its slow, natural decay would become part of the work itself over time. Although real Prada shoes, handbags and clothing initially graced the store’s interior shelves and displays, vandals broke in and stole its wares on opening night. The Prada Marfa has since been restocked with fakes.

Why go? Marfa, Texas, has become a haven for minimalist art. While you're in town, stop by The Chinati Foundation/La Fundación, a contemporary art museum dedicated to permanent large-scale installations by Carl Andre, Dan Flavin and more.

What began as a solo beautification project of a down-and-out neighborhood by artist Isaiah Zagar in the late 1960s is now Philly’s most interesting art installation. For five decades, Zagar plastered walls and sidewalks with mosaics made from clay tiles, found objects, junk and international folk art. Tunnels and grottos he excavated in the mid-2000s add to the eclectic vision, which now consists of two indoor galleries and a two-level outdoor sculpture garden.

Why go? Zagar’s work continues beyond the boundaries of the garden, too. Six blocks of mosaic-laden South Street lead to The Eye’s Gallery, a folk art shop owned by his wife, Julia Zagar, where more of the artist’s portfolio can be found.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steve Mention (@streetsideshot)

Detroit has one of the most impressive collections of street art in the country and the half-mile stretch of Grand River Avenue between Rosa Parks Blvd and Warren Ave features some of the city’s best works. There, more than 100 murals and exhibits by local, national and international artists are spread across 15 buildings and a dozen free-standing structures. The installation, which launched as part of a revitalization project in 2012, is modeled after another famed Detroit work: Diego Rivera’s 1930 frescoes, Detroit Industry, which are still on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Why go? You can view all the murals from the comfort of your car. Or take a ride on the free Detroit People Mover, a 2.9-mile loop with a collection of 13 mixed-media artworks along its stations.

Artist Noah Purifoy picked the blistering Mojave to build his 10-acre Outdoor Desert Museum, a collection of large-scale, immersive sculptures made from blown-out tires, broken keyboards, scrap metal and cracked toilets. Complex and uncompromising, the pieces range from dark and political to silly and unexpected. The outdoor museum is free and, with the exception of a brochure to guide visitors at the gate, there is no staff and no major ongoing maintenance. Purifoy, who called the pieces “environmental sculpture,” saw their slow decay as an integral part of each work.

Why go? To contemplate our wastefulness as a species, and marvel at how one man could create acres and acres of found artworks. If you're in the Yucca Valley or Pioneertown areas, take 30 minutes to explore it all.

This outdoor street art park launched during Art Basel in 2009 and has since become an anchoring institution of Miami's wildly popular arts district. Featuring nearly 50 murals that rotate annually, some of the world’s most acclaimed artists have contributed to Wynwood Walls over the years, including Shepard Fairey, Ryan McGuinness, Kenny Scharf, How and Nosm, Faile, Retna, the Date Farmers and Liqen. Beyond general admission, there are a variety of ticket options to choose from, including a graffiti class, guided tours, a neighborhood buggy experience and more.

Why go? Use a visit to the Wynwood Walls as a jumping-off point to explore the rest of the area, which is literally covered in world-renowned street art and is increasingly home to some of Miami's best restaurants and nightlife.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Otherworld (@otherworldohio)

More than 40 artists collaborated to create Otherworld, a 32,000-square-foot immersive art installation in Columbus, Ohio. Otherworld walks the line between fantasy and science fiction, inviting visitors to discover the remains of an alternate reality created by a defunct tech company. Within its 40-plus rooms bloom bioluminescent flora, bizarre creatures and alien landscapes of light and sound. A second Otherworld opened in Philadelphia in 2023.

Why go? While some of the other destinations and artworks in this guide skew more heady and conceptual, Otherworld aims to appeal to all ages, including any kiddos who might be in your party.

A lagoon in New Orleans’ City Park forms the backdrop for the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a riparian landscape planted in native palmetto, bald cypress, sweetbay magnolia and swamp lily. Among the gardens are 97 large-scale works of art, including Arman’s bronze cello tower, Pablo Casal’s Obelisk, Jeppe Hein’s Mirror Labyrinth, and the giant hovering Corridor Pin, Blue by husband-and-wife team Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg.

Why go? While each sculpture is a work all its own, together—along with the pond and garden—they form a singular installation that beautifully combines art and the natural world.

This fall, Nick Cave transforms the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s galleries into an immersive, site-specific landscape that explores themes of identity, race, culture, natural history and the planet’s evolutionary story. Mammoth is an ambitious, large-scale presentation of new works that includes fantastical handcrafted hides and bones, a video projection of the long-dead ancient creatures come to life and a massive beaded curtain depicting the Missouri family farm where the artist spent his childhood. November 21, 2025–January 3, 2027

Why go? For a whimsical and thought-provoking meditation on survival, adaptation and the precarious future of the American landscape. Plus, the Smithsonian American Art Museum is free and open to the public daily from 11:30am to 7pm.

One of the country’s most exciting collaborative installations, Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe, New Mexico is an endlessly fascinating romp through 70 rooms of immersive art. At its core is a story of mystery and intrigue involving the vanished Selig family, clues to which are hidden in enchanted forests, two-dimensional cartoon rooms, futuristic corridors and the true-to-life two-story Victorian house in which the Seligs lived. There are now five Meow Wolf locations, including two in Texas, one in Colorado, one in Las Vegas and a sixth opening soon in Los Angeles.

Why go? Whether you’re slipping through cosmic portals or taking a break in a psychedelic treehouse, this time-and-space-defying adventure will keep you on your toes.

Superblue Miami is a 50,000-square-foot art space dedicated to experiential mediums. With previous outposts in New York, Los Angeles and London, the Miami location debuted in 2021 with an impressive lineup of acclaimed international artists, including an immersive environment by stage designer Es Devlin, a transcendent digital experience by Japanese art collective teamLab and an extrasensory light-based work by American artist James Turrell. Its latest installation, Lightfall by Studio Lemercier, challenges our perception of the natural world through an interplay of light, projection and mathematics set to ambient electronic music by Mexican artist Murcof.

Why go? Ticketed separately, The Machine Behind the Art by artist JR, is worth a visit on its own. After snapping a portrait in one of three individual photo booths, visitors enter the interior of an oversized, whirring printing press—turning their image into a massive, one-of-a-kind artwork they can take home.

Experienced by millions of visitors during its limited runs in Rome, Paris, Milan, Madrid, London, New York and Miami, the first-of-its-kind exhibition dubbed "Let's Fly" presents larger-than-life contemporary artworks in a hands-on, immersive environment. Currently showing in Los Angeles (until March 16, 2025), the Balloon Museum invites visitors of all ages to explore the contrast between lightness and heaviness through the medium of air. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the art, touching and feeling the various pieces exhibited. Basically, the exact opposite of the “don’t touch the art” mantra that dominates trips to more traditional museums.

Why go? To channel everyone's favorite social media-savvy American girl building brands and breaking hearts in the City of Light. Yep, Balloon Museum was featured in season 3 of Emily in Paris, and it's just as picture-perfect in real life.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Seismique (@seismique)

Go deep inside glittering halls and light-bright galaxies at Houston’s Seismique. The interactive art installation created by a team of 65 artists and craftspeople combines sculptural elements and technology across 40,000 square feet of space. Inside, you’ll find works of art both playful and wondrous, from suspended woven jungle gyms and rotating hallways to rooms full of glowing orbs and holographic lights.

Why go? On a hot day, Seismique is the perfect indoor reprieve from the elements and is suitable for all ages. Plus, it was practically created for capturing your next social media post.

If you can get over the steep price of admission, this sprawling, immersive light installation (billed as one of California’s largest) makes for a dreamy sunset excursion outside of Los Angeles. Sensorio features 15 acres of rolling hills illuminated by more than 100,000 glowing bulbs, plus activations including live music, hot chocolate trucks, air stream bars and a full-service restaurant. Installations include large-scale light-based works by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro and HYBYCOZO, the collaborative studio of artists Serge Beaulieu and Yelena Filipchuk.

Why go? It takes around 30 to 45 minutes to experience the full exhibit by foot, but for maximum impact, you'll want to extend your visit to view the works in differing shades of light as the night falls over the hills.