The VAST Theater Project in Ely, Nevada, reimagines a 96-year-old landmark as a landscape observatory and celestial exploration hall at the heart of the historic downtown district. More than a building, VAST is a place to slow down and pay attention—to the sky above, the ground beneath, and the human stories in between.

VAST is both a community hub and a cultural platform, where science, art, and local knowledge meet. Art is central to this work—not as ornament, but as a way of noticing, questioning, and making complex ideas tangible. Through immersive installations, visual storytelling, and public-facing artworks, VAST invites visitors to engage with deep time, living systems, and the choices that shape this landscape.

Cultural voices are integral to the project, with Native American perspectives honored through dialogue and collaboration, and local histories and lived experience woven alongside contemporary science. VAST preserves heritage architecture while catalyzing Main Street revitalization, generating year-round foot traffic and orienting visitors to the extraordinary desert, dark skies, and ecological systems that surround Ely.

At its core, VAST is a public observatory—for curiosity, care, and shared attention. We believe that how we look matters, and that sustained attention can change what feels possible.

Learn more about the project as it evolves on our blog or sign up for our newsletter. We’re continually adding new scientific, artistic, and cultural voices as the work unfolds—so watch for updates and invitations to participate.

Everywhere is now playing.

The VAST Theater Project is being stewarded by the Muser Collective, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit established to bring community driven science education to the public realm.