Crazy, creepy, beautiful, and brilliant–I literally don’t know which word best describes Meow Wolf Convergence Station in Denver, Colorado!
I’m a huge fan of art installations, especially immersive ones. But I have never experienced anything quite like this epic place in Denver. I felt transported to a different universe, and I never knew what would be around the corner! The sheer amount of work that went into creating this fantastic venue is apparent with every step, and I’m sure I could visit at least ten times without discovering all the tiny details.
It’s so unique that I had difficulty deciding how to tell you about it. After all, how could I encapsulate such a vast, bizarre, synthetic universe into just one blog post?
I will do my best, but to truly understand the insane alien world that Meow Wolf has created at the Convergence Station, be sure to check out my YouTube video, too!
What is Meow Wolf Convergence Station?
Meow Wolf Convergence Station is a 4-story art installation created by over 350 artists from around the world! While Meow Wolf has several epic experiences in the western US, Convergence Station in Denver is the largest of these permanent exhibitions.
Each level has been transformed into an epic alien world that’s designed to get lost in. In fact, when we asked about the best way to explore, we were told to wander–it all connects eventually.
As you meander around, you’ll have the chance to collect the “memories” of alien citizens torn from their home worlds by the Convergence. You can scan special cards at Qpass stations to add to your memory archive and try to figure out how four particular citizens may have caused the Convergence in each of their worlds.
If this interactive element doesn’t float your boat, no worries. You can still aimlessly explore, taking in all the incredible (and sometimes gruesome) details of each alien world.
C Street
We started our adventure on the 4th floor, also known as C Street. This level embodies the main street of an alien town, complete with a theater, cyber cafe, art museum, hair salon, laundromat, and more.
I particularly loved the level of interactive elements on this floor. For example, working futuristic computers with games and data files, a room lined with QR codes linked to funky experiments, and a car you could get into and play with the buttons on the dash. The theater even has a few seats, so you can sit and watch a funky show play on the screen. And part of the story is that they’re constantly electing a new mayor, so you can even go up to a kiosk and cast your vote!
This was one of the more straightforward floors to explore despite a few winding hallways hidden within the shops. But it’s pretty easy to wander down the main avenue and check out all the different shops, restaurants, and galleries. Some of them held rather gruesome surprises (like the laundry mat running a cycle of human teeth), but most were intriguing.
Pro tip: there’s a secret room behind the bus! The entrance is located through one of the nearby shops.
Ossuary
One of the more extensive and chaotic floors was Ossuary. However, it’s also gorgeous in some parts. We accidentally entered this zone through a C street stairwell that led to a warped Chuck E. Cheese zone, but we were pulled into the theme once we hit the main area.
This area is made for wandering, with lots of diverging paths, small rooms, and hidden places you’ll just stumble upon randomly. Overall, most of this labyrinth has a very elegant feel, with many columns, white stone, and even fancy paintings and chairs. My favorite room was a library with floor-to-ceiling books and archways made from books!
But there’s also a grungy downtown to this area (complete with graffiti on the walls and a Rock-em-Sock-Em style rat boxing game!) and a mining district with glowing gemstones in the rock columns and ceiling. This area was less interactive but had so many cool things to discover.
Eemia
When I first saw the towering Eemia Cathedral, I thought it looked like it was made with those transparent, magnetic building blocks. It’s such a remarkable structure, and it peeks through multiple floors of the building!
The story here is that just a tiny slice of Eemia was taken in the Convergence. But while this area is somewhat condensed, there’s plenty to see and do.
Outside the Cathedral, which is even more impressive up close, there are two robots that you climb into and interact with. You can also see whoever is in the other robot, which is a cool feature. Don’t forget to check out the ceiling, constantly moving with stars and constellations, and the epic ice formations.
Inside the Cathedral, you can take in the colorful splendor, play with an organ, and check out the Book of Whales.
Pro tip: Apparently, you use the robot controls to line up the planets on the ceiling and cause a wormhole! Inside the Cathedral, you can also activate a secret code on the organ, and it’ll play a special song! You do need a Qcard to activate both of these.
Numina
The final (and most extensive) world is Numina. It’s modeled as a sentient and evergrowing universe where each element is part of the whole. This warped wonderland forest extends through three of the worlds, so you may stumble on one of its upper levels during your explorations. This makes it a bit tricky to distinguish between worlds but feeds the story that they’ve all converged on top of each other.
There’s something to discover in every square inch of this world, from the open forest and archways to small alcoves hiding fun or weird surprises. Most of this area is beautiful, but you never know when you’ll stumble across a horse with tentacles (or entrails?) for a head or find plants with eyeballs staring at you from the ceiling. It’s all supposed to be family-friendly, but some things were a bit of a shock.
But for the most part, I think this was my favorite area. It’s rather dark, but colorful lights are everywhere, in the plants and crystals, making them pop even more. I also loved that it extended up several levels, so you can wander over beautiful bridges and up the “Cosmohedron,” which is the nucleus of the world and the central stairwell. I found fewer interactive elements in this world than the others. But I think the focus here is on taking in the details and finding the hidden rooms.
You can check out Meow Wolf’s official description for more backstory on each of these worlds.
FAQs About Meow Wolf Convergence Station
- How much does it cost? Tickets start at $40 per person ($30 for Colorado residents) but go up in price depending on the day and time.
- Is there parking onsite? Convergence Station does have limited parking spots in the lot connecting to the building. However, parking costs $15 and can fill up fast. It’s also not available at all on game days. For this reason, they highly recommend using a ride-share service rather than bringing your own vehicle.
- How long does it take to see everything? Honestly, you could wander through here a few times and not discover all the secrets this building holds. I highly recommend a minimum of 2 hours to enjoy the experience without feeling rushed. But you could easily spend 4 here at any given time.
- Where is Convergence Station located? You’ll find it at 1338 1st St, Denver, CO 80204, right under the bypass and directly behind Empower Field.
- What should I wear to Meow Wolf? Since this exhibit is so interactive and requires lots of walking, I highly recommend comfy shoes and clothes you can easily bend, crawl, and climb in.
- Is there a security check? Yes, security will check your bags and have you pass through a metal detector before you enter the building. So keep all your sketchy stuff at home, lol.
Watch Our Adventure at Convergence Station!
Closing Thoughts on Meow Wolf Convergence Station
I would definitely like to return to Convergence Station on my next trip to Denver, Colorado! My biggest regret is that we didn’t have enough time (or energy) to explore it like it’s meant to be, and I’d love to fix that with a return trip.
While it’s certainly a trippy experience, it was incredibly fun! I loved all the hidden rooms, secret puzzles, and deep-dive interactions that they built into every floor, and the addition of the Qcards and stories adds complexity!
So, if you’re ever in Denver, I recommend you check it out!
For more Colorado inspiration, here are some additional posts to dive into:
- Quick Guide to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs
- Need a Hot Springs Getaway? Mt. Princeton is the Best!
- 8 Reasons to Book a Stay at the Catbird Hotel Right Now
- How to Maximize Your Trip To The Bear Lake Corridor
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Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you’ll be back again for more travel inspiration! Happy travels!
