Photo credit: Lua Brice courtesy of Submersive
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Just over a year ago, the surreal, kaleidoscopic portal known as Meow Wolf: The Real Unreal officially opened its doors in Grapevine. The maximalist wonderland in DFW marked the company’s fourth permanent location, offering a local portal where Dallasites can get utterly lost in a mind-bending world of art. As DFW continues to bask in one of the coolest interactive concepts in the United States, you have to wonder what its innovative founders are up to next.
Well, Dallas, buckle up: we have the answer, and it’s called Submersive.
What is Submersive?
Created by Meow Wolf co-founder, Corvas Brinkerhoff, Submersive is an entirely new concept: an immersive bathhouse that marries cutting-edge art, science, and tech with the ancient practices of traditional Japanese and European bathing rituals.
The plan is for Submersive to be the “world’s first immersive bathhouse concept” – and its flagship location is coming to Austin, Texas.
Photo credit: Lua Brice courtesy of Submersive From Maximalist Art to Therapeutic Immersion
While The Real Unreal offers a high-stimulation, maximalist experience, the environment at Submersive is designed for therapeutic immersion.
Submersive intends to go far beyond simple relaxation. Founders hope the venue can deliver transcendent states of awe, wonder, euphoria, and “elevated states of consciousness.”
The experience will feature a curated selection of artworks, including sculptures and flats, among other installations that guests can literally submerge themselves into, experiencing art through style, look, and texture.
Inspired by the widespread isolation and disconnection of our time, Submersive’s core mission is to create deeper personal connections—both for its guests internally and with their communities and environments.
Brinkerhoff, the visionary behind the concept, said:
“In the early years of Meow Wolf… I wondered if we could make immersive experiences that not only wow and entertain us, but that have potential to be truly therapeutic. Submersive is the next chapter—an exploration of what’s possible when art, science, and human connection come together to transform lives.”
Photo credit: Lua Brice courtesy of Submersive Submersive: The Space
This truly unique venue will be a sprawling 25,000-square-foot space. The immersive bathhouse is comprised of 12 distinct, multi-sensory rooms mapped around a main communal space.
The venue blends ancient bathhouse features (thermal pools, steam and sauna rooms, grottos, waterfalls, cold plunges, and floatation tanks) with innovative technologies to curate the experience.
When Can Texas Get Submerged?
Presently, Submersive plans to open its first location in Austin, Texas in 2027. While the exact Austin location hasn’t been released, Brinkerhoff plans to follow up with 11 more locations across the world.
According to Attractions Management, prices are expected to be accessible, starting at $60 and averaging around $88, depending on your chosen option (3-hour, 5-hour, or all-day).