Goldwell Open Air Museum Named Among Best Sculpture Parks in U.S.

The Goldwell Open Air Museum, located near the ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada, has been recognized as one of the top sculpture parks in the United States by USA TODAY. The museum, a unique outdoor art experience, features colossal sculptures set against the backdrop of the Mojave Desert.

What Award Did Goldwell Open Air Museum Win?

The Goldwell Open Air Museum ranked No. 10 in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for sculpture parks nationwide. USA TODAY 10Best Awards highlight the best in travel, food, drink and lifestyle, determined by public voting after expert nominations.

What is the Goldwell Open Air Museum?

The Goldwell Open Air Museum began with the installation of The Last Supper in 1984, created by Belgian artist Albert Szukalski. Other artworks were added in the 1980s and 1990s by Belgian artists seeking a creative environment in the Nevada desert near Death Valley. The museum spans 7.8 acres and includes the Red Barn Art Center, a multi-purpose studio and exhibition space for artists-in-residence. Goldwell Open Air Museum is a nonprofit organization.

Featured Sculptures at Goldwell Open Air Museum

The museum showcases a diverse collection of large-scale sculptures, including:

• The Last Supper: A recreation of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, created using plaster-soaked burlap draped over live models.
• Ghost Rider: A plaster figure of a ghost preparing to mount a bicycle, also created by Albert Szukalski in 1984.
• Serving Ghost: Another Szukalski creation from 1984, depicting a figure holding an artist’s palette.
• Lady Desert: Also known as “The Venus of Nevada,” a 25-foot nude woman constructed from pink cinder blocks, designed by Dr. Hugo Heyrman.
• Tribute to Shorty Harris: A large metal sculpture of miner Shorty Harris accompanied by a penguin, created by Fred Bervoets.
• 1,000 in 1: A giant origami crane made of sheet metal by Las Vegas artist Cierra Pedro.
• Memorial for Queer Rhyolite: A column of mine tailings created by Emily Hudd, commemorating a failed attempt to establish an LGBTQ+ community in Rhyolite.
• Portone: A collection of nine colorful frames arranged in a Jacob’s ladder formation, created by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya.
• Dip Town: A sculpture resembling buildings sinking into the ground, created by Irina and Stanislav Schminke and originally featured at Burning Man.

Visiting the Goldwell Open Air Museum

The Goldwell Open Air Museum is located near Rhyolite, approximately five miles west of Beatty off State Highway 374. Beatty is about 115 miles north of Las Vegas and 325 miles southwest of Reno. The address is 1 Golden St., Beatty, NV 89003. Goldwell Open Air Museum is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and admission is free, though donations are encouraged. The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. To 4 p.m., with reduced hours in the summer.

Other Top-Ranked Sculpture Parks

Here are the other U.S. Sculpture parks that ranked in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards:

• Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park (Wilson, North Carolina)
• Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
• Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina)
• Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park (Sumpter, Wisconsin)
• Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park (Hamilton, Ohio)
• Garden of Eden (Lucas, Kansas)
• Grounds for Sculpture (Hamilton, New Jersey)
• Laumeier Sculpture Park (St. Louis)
• Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden (New Orleans)