James Turrell Twilight Epiphany Skyspace

The Twilight Epiphany Skyspace is free and open to the public every day.

The Skyspace structure is open and available to the public throughout the day. Light sequences occur daily at sunrise and sunset. To experience the Twilight Epiphany sunset light sequence, simply walk up. It is free and open to the public. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to guarantee your seat. Visitors are subject to Skyspace guidelines at all times when in and around the structure.

For groups larger than 10, that require special assistance, please contact skyspace@rice.edu. 

Reservations are not required for entry. Please walk up and take an available seat. 

LOCATION & DIRECTIONS:

The Skyspace is located on the Rice University campus. Please consult the campus map for the nearest campus entrance numbers (8 & 18) and the nearest parking area (West Lot 2). Although there is no physical address, the Skyspace is near University at Stockton. Bus routes 26, 27, 34, 73, & 87 and MetroRAIL Red Line all have stops within walking distance. See a Google map for more information. 

PARKING:

Paid visitor parking is available throughout campus.

Central Campus Garage is just north of the Skyspace, east of the music school (underneath the Jones Graduate School of Business). Fees for the use of this lot are: $1 for each 12 minutes, with a $12 daily maximum. Consult an interactive map of the Central Campus Garage here. 

West Lot 2 is located adjacent to the Shepherd School of Music.The easiest way to access West Lot 2 is to enter campus from Entrance #18 off Rice Boulevard and turn right at the parking gates to West Lot 2. Fees for the use of this lot are: $1 for each 20 minutes, with a $12 daily maximum. For visitors with disabilities, accessible parking is available at the south end of the lot. Consult an interactive map of West Lot 2 here.

Greenbriar Lot is west of the stadium at the corner of Greenbriar at University. Fees for the use of this lot are:  $3 flat rate per entry, with a $12 daily maximum. Enter the lot from Greenbriar Blvd at campus entrance 13A or 13B. Consult an interactive map of Greenbriar Lot here.

Payment Instructions: Machines at the entrance gates will instruct the driver to insert a credit card (American Express, VISA, MasterCard or Discover).  When the gate opens, the computer’s “parking meter” begins. Upon leaving, the visitor drives to the exit gate and inserts the same credit card. It is very important to use the same credit card used at entry while exiting, otherwise, the computer will not recognize the card. The gate will open in approximately 2 seconds, at which time the meter stops. The computer calculates the time, briefly shows the amount and automatically bills the credit card. 

TIMING:

We recommend that you arrive 15 minutes prior to the posted times for both Sunrise and Sunset light sequences. Please note: the Sunrise light sequence begins approximately 40 minutes before sunrise. The time noted on the calendar is for the Sunrise light sequence start, not for sunrise itself. The Sunset light sequence begins about 8 - 10 minutes before sunset. Each sequence lasts approximately 40 minutes.

SEATING & WEATHER:

There is bench seating inside the Skyspace in both the upper and lower viewing areas; no chairs or blankets are required. The Skyspace is handicap accessible via the lower viewing area, and there are two spaces for wheelchairs. The light sequence will run rain or shine; please dress accordingly, as the Skyspace is open-air. In the event of lightning, a docent may ask visitors to exit the Skyspace. Click HERE for current Houston area weather.

If you have general questions, please contact skyspace@rice.edu.

The Skyspace is free and open to the public. In return, we ask that visitors adhere to the following:

Please do not bring food or beverages into the space. Pets, bicycles, and skateboards are strictly prohibited in the Skyspace. The grass hill and light panels in the upper viewing area are part of the installation, do not walk or sit on them. In addition, we ask that you refrain from the use of cameras and/or cell phones during the light performances, as any additional light elements will adversely affect the space’s carefully composed light patterns. The Skyspace is under 24-hour video surveillance to ensure the safety of those who visit the space, and the preservation of the Skyspace itself. 

For more than half a century, American artist James Turrell (b. 1943) has used light, space, and the sky to engage viewers with the real wonder and perceived limits of human perception. Erected in 2012, Twilight Epiphany, the James Turrell Skyspace at the Suzanne Deal Booth Centennial Pavilion at Rice University, is one of the artist's largest works and is his 73rd worldwide. It is also the first Skyspace to be engineered for acoustics, both for live performances and for electronic music. 

Turrell’s work has been the subject of more than 150 solo exhibitions worldwide. Since 1972 he has been transforming Roden Crater, a natural cinder volcano situated in Arizona’s Painted Desert, into a large-scale artwork. The artist's permanent installations are on view at the Guggenheim Museum and MoMA P.S.1 in New York City; the University of Texas at Austin; the Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Germany; the Panza Collection in Varese, Italy, and in some of the most significant public and private collections in the world. Turrell is the recipient of several prestigious awards in art and architecture, including the National Medal of Arts, the MacArthur Fellowship, and awards and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Academy of Arts and Science, and the American Academy in Rome, among many other significant achievements. The artist has two other major projects in Houston, the Quaker Live Oak Meetinghouse and “The Light Inside,” a site-specific, neon and ambiently lit interior installation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The artist lives and works in Flagstaff, Arizona.