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Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky
Officially: Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park
What people say
Chris Drury's stone, wood, and turf camera obscura creates a live inverted image of the surrounding trees and sky inside its dark chamber. Cloud Chamber is on the southeast side of the Museum Park beyond the Welcome Center area. Follow the official park map and trail signs; it is not beside the main gallery entrance. The optical image is easiest to perceive after allowing your eyes time to adjust inside the dark chamber. The experience depends on daylight and weather. The approach is along park trails, so check current closures and expect changing outdoor surfaces.
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Gyre
Thomas Sayre's three monumental earth-cast concrete rings, a signature work of the Museum Park and one of its most recognizable photo stops.
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public_art
Wind Sculpture II
Yinka Shonibare's 20-foot painted sculpture transforms a patterned fabric form into a vivid landmark that appears to move in the wind.
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nature
Museum Park Pond
A terraced stormwater pond and wildlife-viewing destination with native plants, a viewing platform, and connections to the Eco Trail.
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trail
All-Access Eco Trail
An audio-described nature route beginning at the Welcome Center, with a short paved option to the Ellipse and a longer route toward the pond.
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performance
Bryan Theater and Picture This
The outdoor amphitheater is embedded within Picture This, a large-scale environmental artwork spanning more than two and a half acres.Public record
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8 answers
Frequently requested details, researched and kept current by AuditMap.
What is Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky at NCMA Museum Park?
Chris Drury's stone, wood, and turf camera obscura creates a live inverted image of the surrounding trees and sky inside its dark chamber.
Where exactly is Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky within NCMA Museum Park?
Cloud Chamber is on the southeast side of the Museum Park beyond the Welcome Center area. Follow the official park map and trail signs; it is not beside the main gallery entrance.
What should I know before visiting Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky?
The optical image is easiest to perceive after allowing your eyes time to adjust inside the dark chamber. The experience depends on daylight and weather. The approach is along park trails, so check current closures and expect changing outdoor surfaces.
Where should I park for the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky?
Visitor parking is free. Use the Blue Ridge lots to the right after entering Museum Drive for the museum buildings and north side of the park. Overflow parking is behind West Building. For the Welcome Center and south side of the park, use the District Drive entrance and its nearby parking area.
Is the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky free?
Yes. Admission to the Museum Park and the People's Collection is free, and visitor parking is free. Concerts, films, special exhibitions, and other separately ticketed programs may charge.
Where are restrooms in the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky?
The Welcome Center has accessible restrooms open daily from dawn to dusk. Restrooms at the Park Theater are seasonal. The museum buildings also have restrooms during gallery hours.
How accessible is Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky?
The park includes paved routes and two all-access Eco Trail options. The shorter Eco Trail route is about one-quarter mile on paved, mostly level paths; other trails and artwork approaches can include gravel, slopes, grass, and changing surfaces.
How do you reach Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky?
GoRaleigh Route 27L Blue Ridge serves the museum. Route to the exact park entrance or subsite because the 164-acre campus is large.
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