Downtown Boston immersive art museum announces closure

Downtown Boston’s WNDR Museum will close Aug. 30, the company announced Monday.

“To every guest who visited, every artist who shared their work, and every team member who helped make WNDR what it was — thank you,” the immersive art museum said in an Instagram post. “You made these spaces more than museums. You made them places to play, wonder, connect, and create memories.” 

WNDR Museum opened its Downtown Crossing location at Lafayette City Center, 500 Washington St., in 2024. The museum’s Chicago location will also close on Sept. 7, the company said. 

The museum’s Boston location features unique, interactive works by local artists. 

One of the current installations is “Ballcade,” inspired by childhood toys such as marble runs, offering visitors a digital glimpse into another space or the physical journey of a bill as it moves through the exhibit. 

Another installation,“Light Floor,” features a generative light floor that responds to human interaction, changing as visitors move across it.  

WNDR describes its experience as a “playful journey that awakens creativity, cultivates community, and leaves you wondering what’s next,” per the company’s website. 

The museum was recently named one of USA Today readers’ 10 best immersive art experiences in the U.S.  

WNDR also offers private event spaces, including a 200-square-foot lounge and a full museum buyout encompassing 12,000 square feet. 

“If WNDR has ever made you smile, sparked your curiosity, or given you a memory you’ll carry with you, this is your last chance to come experience it,” the museum said. “Come say goodbye. One last WNDR.” 

WNDR did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company’s Instagram post did not specify a reason for the closure. 

Ryan Kunkel, president of WNDR Global, the operating company behind WNDR Museum, told Boston.com in 2022 that Boston was a natural fit for the museum and that the team was “ecstatic” to expand to the city. 

“It’s a city with so much rich history and context and culture but, to our knowledge, it doesn’t have this new-age art and technology experience that we’re excited to bring to the city,” Kunkel said.

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