New York City is full of unusual places, but one of the most paradoxical and memorable is The Earth Room. Located in the heart of trendy SoHo, surrounded by boutiques and galleries, it offers a stark contrast to the city’s bustle and gives visitors a strange, almost meditative experience.
History
The Earth Room is the work of American artist Walter De Maria (1935–2013), a key figure in conceptual art and land art. The installation was created in 1977 with the support of the Dia Art Foundation, which continues to preserve it today. Since then, the exhibition has remained unchanged — a space frozen in time for decades.
Description
The installation occupies almost the entire second floor of a building at 141 Wooster Street. Inside are 191 cubic meters of soil — that’s about 127 tons — laid out in a smooth layer about 60 cm deep, covering 3,600 square feet (335 square meters).
Visitors are greeted by silence, the earthy smell of damp soil, and the uncanny sense of a natural landscape locked inside an urban gallery.
Interesting Facts
- The sole caretaker of the installation is artist Bill Dilworth, who has been maintaining it for over 20 years. He waters the soil, fights mold and fungus, and personally welcomes visitors.
- Dilworth is also known for leaving visitors unique, decorative signatures of his own design.
- The installation is open year-round, except during the summer months when the gallery is closed.
Visitor Information
📍 Address: 141 Wooster St, New York, NY 10012
Admission: Free
Official website: diaart.org
We recommend pairing your visit with another Walter De Maria installation nearby: The Broken Kilometer.
