James Turrell’s Skyspace in Argentina — A Light Museum in the Andes

How I Found the Best Light Museum in South America

Here’s my go-to trick for finding hidden gems while traveling: I scan the map for five-star hotels in the middle of nowhere - then ask ChatGPT what’s around.

That’s how I stumbled upon the best contemporary art museum on the continent: James Turrell’s Light Museum in Jujuy, northern Argentina. It was unforgettable.

Getting There — Gravel Roads, River Crossings, and a Vineyard Hotel

From the nearest village, it’s a 3-hour drive on dirt roads. If it rains, the river might block your way entirely. But then, suddenly, you arrive at a peaceful hotel on one of Argentina’s oldest vineyards. I don’t drink, but the view of grapevines and mountains from the window? Absolutely.

How to Sneak Into a Fully Booked, Adults-Only Light Museum

Next to the hotel is the museum. Normally, visits require booking a month in advance, and children aren’t allowed. But for fellow lovers of spontaneity: here’s my hack. Show up just before closing, when no one else is around, and convince the Spanish-speaking staff that your group of ten adults absolutely includes your 3-month-old baby.

Magic happens fast in Latin America. Once I booked the hotel and bought 10 tickets, suddenly an English-speaking guide appeared, like Duolingo Owl in real life.

What Is a Skyspace and Why It Feels Like a Hallucination

Turrell’s art is all about perception - how natural and artificial light interacts with space. Imagine walking through a perfectly silent optical illusion or a sober Gaspar Noé trip. In reality, you’re just sitting on a bench in a white room, staring at a square of pure blue sky. Luckily, in Jujuy, the sky is always blue.

The Largest Skyspace in the World — And It’s Here

Photos won’t capture it, and neither will words. You have to drive through rivers and across mountains and feel it. This is Turrell’s only personal museum and home to the largest Skyspace in the world.

There Are 90 Skyspaces Worldwide — One Is Inside a Volcano

There are about 90 Skyspaces globally - one of them is inside a volcano in Arizona (because why not?). I’ve marked them all on my secret epic places map and fully plan to see them all.

What’s the Weirdest Museum You’ve Visited? Let Me Know