WNDR Museum, Chicago’s original immersive art and technology experience, today announced an expansion plan to include several additional locations across the United States, beginning with San Diego, Boston and Seattle scheduled to open this winter with other locations to come. In addition, the popular destination named acclaimed artist David Allen as Head of WNDR Studios, overseeing the creation and curation of WNDR’s art, experiential installations and digital content.
photo credit Hannah Shanker
“Since Brad Keywell conceptualized WNDR Museum as a pop-up in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood in 2018, WNDR has become a global destination, igniting curiosity for nearly one million visitors to date with its unique intersection of art, technology and audience,” said Ryan Kunkel, President of WNDR Global. “We’re thrilled to bring this interactive art and technology experience to communities nationwide.”
The new WNDR Museum locations will feature localized versions of popular exhibits found at WNDR’s original Chicago location alongside pieces by internationally acclaimed artists including Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama and more. The new locations will also include unique, site-specific interactive works by local artists in each city, curated in collaboration with Allen and the WNDR Studios team.
“As an artist myself, taking on this role at WNDR Studios has given me the unique opportunity to open a dialogue with other artists to communicate, curate and amplify the work of a diverse contingent of artists from around the globe,” said David Allen, Head of WNDR Studios. “For me, art is about finding meaning and connection in the human experience through work that is accessible and approachable, and technology gives us that opportunity like never before, right here at WNDR.”
Allen is best known for his transformative work as a tattoo artist supporting people who have undergone mastectomy surgery. He spent the last 15 years using emerging technologies as a tool to solve visual problems and communicate stories. Allen’s design process is rooted within those same stories of people he’s served, turning the realities of illness into a beautiful symbol of survival and reclamation of self-identity. In addition to tattooing, Allen has led speaking engagements, lectures and panel discussions around the country including a recent TEDx Talk in 2021. His work has been featured in exhibits across Illinois, New York, France and Germany
Open seven days a week, WNDR Museum was recently voted one of the top five immersive art experiences in the country by USA Today’s 2022 Reader Poll. Located in Chicago’s West Loop, WNDR disrupts and redefines the traditional museum experience by inviting guests to fully engage with the artworks and multi-sensory installations. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
WNDR Museum’s first locations outside of Chicago will be located at:
● 422 Market Street, San Diego, CA
● 500 Washington Street, Boston, MA
● 906 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA
For more information, sign up for WNDR Museum’s newsletter by visiting www.wndrmuseum.com and follow WNDR Museum on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.
About WNDR Museum
WNDR Museum is Chicago’s original immersive art and technology experience located in the city’s West Loop neighborhood at 1130 W. Monroe St with additional locations scheduled to open in San Diego, Boston, Seattle and more to be announced. Filled with interactive artworks by cutting edge artists, collectives, technologists, designers and makers, WNDR disrupts and redefines the traditional museum experience. As guests travel through WNDR Museum, they are taken on a multi-dimensional journey in which they serve as an extension of each creator by interacting with various installations. In July 2022, WNDR Museum was voted one of the top five immersive art experiences in the country by USA Today’s Reader Poll. For more information, visit WNDRmuseum.com.