About Goldwell Open Air Museum
A few miles west of Beatty, the desert becomes a surreal gallery. At Goldwell Open Air Museum, a ghostly version of The Last Supper stands against the mountains. Elsewhere are a towering pink cinder-block woman and a steel prospector with an unlikely penguin companion. The huge space and empty horizon are part of the art.
Belgian artist Albert Szukalski began the project in 1984, and other artists expanded it into an outdoor sculpture park beside the Rhyolite ghost town. It is neither a conventional museum nor an abandoned curiosity: Goldwell is an active nonprofit art site with a visitor center and artist programs.
The sculpture grounds are open around the clock for a free self-guided visit, though donations support the site. The visitor center keeps more limited hours and often closes early in summer heat. Stay off the artwork, and check the museum’s current guidance before heading down the desert road.