Houston has broken ground on a new interactive arts museum, Meow Wolf, which will be located in the city’s Fifth Ward area. The $42 million venue, which will feature multi-media art installations from local artists, art gallery spaces, restaurants and retail shops, is expected to create over 100 jobs and use 32,242 square feet of a historic 115,000-square-foot warehouse. Meow Wolf was founded in 2008 by Santa Fe-based artists who shared an interest in displaying public art. The Fifth Ward location will be the company’s fifth in the US, with other museums in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Denver and Grapevine, Texas.
From left: District B Council Member Tarsha Jackson who represents the Fifth Ward, Mayor Sylvester Turner, and District D Council Member Carolyn Evan-Shabazz.
The City of Houston has broken ground on a new interactive arts museum in the Fifth Ward area, just northeast of downtown Houston. This latest effort by the city highlights its thriving diverse communities. The $42 million Meow Wolf entertainment venue will help revitalize a historic building built in 1917, located at 2117 Opelousas. It will feature multi-media art installations from local artists, art gallery spaces, restaurants and retail shops.
Houston City Council approved an ordinance on May 18, 2022, to allow for the development, construction, and operation of the venue. Meow Wolf was founded in 2008 by Santa Fe, NM-based artists who all shared an interest in displaying public art and working together to develop their skills. Fifth Ward will be its fifth location in the U.S. with other museums in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Denver, and Grapevine, TX.
“The good thing about this is that the artist actually creates the installation, and [I’m] really excited about the jobs it’s going to be bringing,” said District B Council Member Tarsha Jackson who represents the area.
The museum is expected to bring in over 100 jobs and plans to use 32,242 square feet of a historic 115,000-square-foot warehouse, with hopes of attracting more tourism for visitors and residents. Jackson said she was instantly sold on the museum when she visited its Las Vegas location not only because of the job opportunities but because of its focus on community involvement.
“It’s community-centered,” she said. “I’m a community organizer, I’m always about engaging the community, and this is what Meow Wolf is doing.”
The “groundbreaking” wasn’t a typical one. Community leaders spray-painted the Meow Wolf logo on the wall to signify the start of construction. Fifth Ward is one of Houston’s designated cultural arts districts, an area that’s often overlooked for development. Mayor Sylvester Turner said the community deserves a new museum.
“This is so important because it will attract people to an area that’s been underserved for a long time,” he said. “It will be a catalyst for other investments that will come.”
Turner said the museum is setting the tone to shed light on artists who come from communities like Fifth Ward who might not have the same opportunities as others.
“It places a focus on the arts, and it places a focus on the communities that have been neglected for far too long,” he said. “It says to those communities that we value you, we see you, and we’re going to invest in you.”
The Meow Wolf interactive art museum is an excellent example of how the city’s diverse communities can come together to create something beautiful. It’s a celebration of the arts and a catalyst for growth in an area that’s long been overlooked. The museum’s focus on community involvement and job creation is a welcome addition to the Fifth Ward area, and it’s sure to attract visitors and residents alike.
