The New York Earth Room: A Unique Spot in SoHo: If you’re wandering through SoHo and fancy something completely different, you should definitely visit the New York Earth Room.
It’s an indoor art installation that’s been around since 1977, and it’s literally a room full of dirt—but it’s much cooler than it sounds.
What Is the Earth Room?
The Earth Room is exactly what it says on the tin: a room filled with soil.
There are 250 cubic yards of dirt covering 3,600 square feet of space, and it’s piled up 22 inches deep.
The piece was created by an artist called Walter De Maria and is located at 141 Wooster Street in SoHo.
Originally, it was only meant to stay for three months as part of an exhibition at the Heiner Friedrich Gallery.
But it ended up being so popular that it’s now a permanent fixture.
In 1980, the Dia Art Foundation stepped in to take care of it, and it’s been part of New York City’s art scene ever since.
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What’s It Like to Visit?
When you walk into the Earth Room, the first thing that hits you is the smell of the soil—it’s earthy and fresh, kind of like the ground after it’s rained.
The air feels warm and a bit humid, and the whole space is surprisingly quiet for somewhere in the middle of a busy city.
The dirt covers the floor completely, from wall to wall.
You can’t walk on it, though—there’s a low Plexiglas barrier keeping it in place, but you can still lean in to see how deep it is.
The walls are painted white, which makes the dark soil really stand out.
Depending on the time of day and the light coming through, the soil even changes in appearance—it can look warmer or cooler at different times.
You’re allowed to take photos now, even though Walter De Maria wasn’t a fan of it when the exhibit first opened.
But honestly, just standing there and taking it all in feels more meaningful than snapping a picture.
Some people find the Earth Room peaceful and calming.
Others are a bit baffld by it and aren’t sure what to make of it. Either way, it’s an experience you’ll think about long after you leave.
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Who Keeps It Looking So Good?
You might think it’s just dirt, but the Earth Room requires quite a bit of maintenance.
For more than 20 years, a caretaker named Bill Dilworth has been looking after it.
Every week, he waters the soil, rakes it, and even weeds it to keep everything neat. He also scrubs the walls to stop mould from forming.
When the Earth Room first opened, mushrooms would pop up in the soil.
But over time, the nutrients in the dirt have run out, so it’s now just plain earth.
Even so, Bill says it still feels alive in its own way. He likes to say that time is “growing” in the room, since the space itself doesn’t change.

Why Visit the Earth Room?
At first glance, it might seem like just a room full of dirt. But the longer you stand there, the more you start to think about it.
It makes you reflect on things like nature, time, and how something so simple can feel so powerful.
Walter De Maria believed that great art should have at least ten different meanings.
The Earth Room invites you to come up with your own.
For some, it’s about the environment. For others, it’s about slowing down and finding peace in the middle of chaos.
So, if you’re ever in SoHo and looking for something out of the ordinary, check out the Earth Room.
It’s quiet, unexpected, and surprisingly thought-provoking.
Whether you love art or are just curious, it’s worth a visit—and you’ll probably leave with a new perspective on something as simple as dirt.
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