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The Rhyolite Ghost Town and Goldwell Open Air Museum

Last updated: Dec 15, 2023

The Rhyolite Ghost Town and Goldwell Open Air Museum

Situated just a short distance from Beatty, Nevada, the Rhyolite site and Goldwell Museum have been on my travel list for quite some time. However, during my visits to Beatty, I often found myself hurried along by companions eager to reach our next stop. Recently, I dedicated two days to drive the 440 miles from Las Vegas to Reno, making it a priority to take in the sights, especially en route to Burning Man.

The exit leading to both attractions is found four miles down Highway 374, heading west from Beatty. You'll first come across the Open Air Museum, featuring a collection of unique sculptures scattered across the arid landscape. I recommend spending around an hour exploring the site and appreciating the artwork. Here are some images.

The Artist’s Palate — If I remember correctly, this sculpture is known as The Artist’s Palette.

Following the ghostly motif, this piece is titled The Last Supper. The image does not fully show three additional ghost figures on the right side, making a total of thirteen.

The Venus of Nevada — Here’s the Lady Desert: known as the Venus of Nevada. This one particularly stands out to me. Looking back at older images, it seems she might benefit from a fresh coat of paint.

shorty harris — A tribute to Shorty Harris, a miner during the peak of Rhyolite’s prosperity. The figure on the right is likely meant to represent his pack burro. For those interested in learning more about Shorty, please check out this link. Frank “Shorty” Harris .

For additional photographs and details, please visit this site. Goldwell Open Air Museum .

Just a half-mile further up the road lies the ghost town of Rhyolite, where its storied past is documented at this website. Wikipedia I apologize for only sharing a limited selection of photos.

The only well-maintained structure remains the Bottle House. It is surrounded by a fence and securely locked, but it seems they occasionally allow visitors inside. During Rhyolite's height, building materials were scarce, thus bottles served as an innovative way to reduce the required concrete in constructing the house's walls. Interestingly, my first job involved working at the Bottle House located at Knott’s Berry Farm.

Porter Brothers Store — Porter Brother’s Store

There are remnants of additional buildings in the vicinity, but I aimed to keep this newsletter concise and engaging. I hope these images provide a glimpse into both locations. If you ever find yourself near Beatty, I highly encourage you to set aside a couple of hours for a visit.

Written by: Michael Shackleford