Meow Wolf, the company that has cornered the immersive field with its surreal artist-made environments, is growing westward. Its sights are set on Los Angeles for its sixth permanent exhibition space, which is slated to open in 2026.
“For years we’ve made trips to Los Angeles, dreaming of creating something in its layered and ever-changing network of creativity,” said Sean Di Ianni, Meow Wolf’s co-founder. “L.A. is more than a physical place; it extends deep into the global landscape of human imagination, constantly pushing its own bounds.”
The L.A. outpost will take up home in a movie theater, and meld Meow Wolf’s signature brand of maximalism with the region’s particular flavors. Future visitors can expect Hollywood fantasy crossed with a glamorous absurdism, as well as “mysterious eggs” and connections to “an overarching cosmic Meow Wolf Universe,” per a blog post.
Di Ianni, as the senior creative director of Meow Wolf’s L.A. outpost, promises the venue will “stretch these cinematic horizons by weaving together an unpredictable tapestry of art, story, and interactivity.”
“This is more than an immersive experience,” added Meow Wolf’s CEO Jose Tolosa. “We want it to be a part of the city’s ongoing narrative of growth. Being in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, we’re humbled to add to the dynamic interplay between art and entertainment here.”
Neon Kingdom in Meow Wolf’s the Real Unreal in Grapevine, Texas. Photo by Kate Russell, courtesy of Meow Wolf.
Founded in 2008 in Santa Fe, Meow Wolf has rapidly grown from an art collective (albeit one with George R.R. Martin’s imprimatur) into an entertainment giant with permanent branches in Denver, Dallas, Las Vegas, and, soon, Houston. At each location, the arts producer has touted its collaborations with local artists, who have built unique, kaleidoscopic worlds for each venue—from an interdimensional portal for Convergence Station in Denver to a narrative art-scape for the Real Unreal in Dallas.
News of Meow Wolf’s L.A. expansion, however, arrives in the wake of the company laying off 165 workers across departments from exhibitions to security. The decision, Tolosa explained in an earlier statement, was made to “right-size the business to ensure future success.”
The company’s May 3 Instagram post announcing its new West Coast space has since been flooded with comments decrying its plans to expand after cutting its expenses by 10 percent.
“These cuts,” wrote the Meow Wolf Workers Collective in a statement, “harm working creatives, many of whom were living at near-poverty conditions before the layoffs. We expect these cuts to greatly impact our ability to not only make art, but to operate our exhibitions.” The workers’ union was formed in 2020, during Meow Wolf’s last round of mass layoffs, which impacted more than 250 employees over lockdowns.
In a statement shared with Artnet News, Kati Murphy, Meow Wolf’s vice president of press relations and communications, addressed the company’s growth following its recent layoffs, saying: “Meow Wolf is dedicated to growing thoughtfully and sustainably. Our recent restructuring is informed by our first-hand understanding of staffing and market needs. In our mission to deliver groundbreaking experiences, we will always refine our approach as we gain insights.
“Looking forward, we’re excited to bring our experiences—not just to Los Angeles, but to other cities as well. This growth is crucial not just for expansion; it’s essential for continuing to employ the artists and storytellers who bring our worlds to life.”