Visiting Meow Wolf Denver - It’s Not Your Average Art Museum

 

The Cathedral at Meow Wolf - Convergence Station

Back in May I had the opportunity to visit Meow Wolf Denver - Convergence Station. This turned out to be a highlight of our trip, and I can not recommend it enough. That being said, the experience itself is a little hard to explain, and I thought it would be worth going into detail about what to expect at this artsy, kaleidoscopic experience.

What Is Meow Wolf? 

As an organization, Meow Wolf is very similar to an art museum or artists collective. It operates several locations around the US, including Convergence Station in Denver.  Each location is filled to the brim with installation art that can be described as trippy, nostalgic and whimsical. Each Meow wolf location has a separate theme or storyline which connects each room or art piece. 

However, most guests moving through a Meow Wolf exhibit won’t feel like they are in a modern art museum at all. I think it feels more like an escape room, minus the time limit and clear end goal. Posters and videos help convey a story to guests, including a few mysteries. There are secret doors, and hidden messages. There may even be a few “guides” (staff members acting as a character) leading activities and providing hints when you need them. 

The Story of Convergence Station at Meow Wolf Denver

Meow Wolf’s Denver location is modeled after a sci-fi interdimensional train station. Upon entering, you will find a white and chrome lobby with signage for “transportation cube” (elevator) departures. You can travel to to several locations within “The Convergence” from here. It won’t take long after riding up to discover that the Convergence refers to a handful of interdimensional pockets that were fused together in a cataclysmic event. These locations were also cut off from their home world. Within convergence, you can visit a cyberpunk city, a crystal library, a frozen cathedral, and a fifth-dimensional forest. (this forest spans 3 whole stories!) Each area has its own local characters with quests and information to share. 

The central mystery of Meow Wolf Denver revolves around 4 women who disappeared at the same moment in time when the convergence formed, each from a different location. Meanwhile, the QDOT transit authority is campaigning a proposed “final destination." This project would bring everyone back to their home world - if QDOT can be trusted. To learn more you will have to read posters, explore rooms, and “boop” a special pass card. "Boop" kiosks can be found everywhere around the building. “Booping” yields mems, short for memories, which act as a currency for the characters within convergence.

C Street in Convergence Station, the cyberpunk city section 

The logistics of Meow Wolf Denver - How to Get Tickets, How to Get There, And More

Location

Meow Wolf Denver is located near Mile High Field, and is just a few minutes walk from the nearest train station. Since we did this on the last day of our trip and didn’t have a vehicle that day, this worked out perfectly. The train runs at half hour intervals and connects with Union Station, if you need to make a connection. 

Tickets and Entry

Tickets cost $50 a person, which falls on the more expensive side of what I would normally spend on activity. (check out my article on dirt cheap travel here.) The pass card which you need to complete the interactive story costs an additional $3, but you really only need one per party. Entry tickets must be ordered online - you can’t buy them at the gate. Keep in mind that these tickets are also timed entry; You must arrive at the time on your ticket to get in. You will also have to go through a security check, and they may look in your bags. Make sure to leave items like pocket knives or multitools at home, and don’t bring any food or beverages.

Services

To make your stay easy and convenient, Meow Wolf Denver offers some helpful services. There is a baggage check near the front entrance, which meant we could bring our whole backpacks and go straight to our Amtrak back to Iowa.. There is an on-site cafe, which my boyfriend and I enjoyed. You can even get the local specialty, green chili, at a reasonable price. You can also order mac n cheese and tacos. There is also a gift shop with wacky items you might recognize from the exhibit or from other Meow Wolf locations. I hear that some of the books you might find in the library are printed as books, although we didn’t have time to look thoroughly at the shop.

Accessibility

The Meow Wolf Denver building is pretty accessibility friendly. There are elevators to take you between floors. However, guests with walkers or wheelchairs might have trouble with areas like Numina (the forest) where stairs are frequent. If you have questions about accessibility, I would recommend calling in advance. We found the staff to be really helpful and accommodating. 

A section in Numina, Convergence Station's mysterious 5th dimensional forest

Should you bring kids to Meow Wolf Denver?

Absolutely! Every art piece that we saw was perfectly family friendly, plus there are lots of interactive elements where you can climb, touch and go inside installations. I think that this would be an enjoyable experience for older kids in particular. Younger kids might not be able to follow the plot as easily, since it can be abstract at times. Additionally, families with young kids that don’t do well with crowded spaces, loud sounds, dark rooms or bright lights should opt for an alternative activity. Alternatively, you can use earplugs to help kids from becoming overstimulated. 

Conclusion

Meow Wolf Denver makes a great addition to any trip to Denver, and I really can’t recommend it more highly! If you will be stopping in Denver on your way to the national parks, try visiting while you get used to the elevation. If you will be in Denver for a flight, Meow Wolf makes a great half day activity during a layover or before a flight home. (Dinosaur Ridge is also a great option for an outdoor activity in Denver.) But I promise it will leave you wanting to stay longer. I’m already dreaming of coming back to find the stories that we didn’t finish.