Starting this fall, ahead of the 50th International Balloon Fiesta, visitors to the Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum will be able to experience the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta year-around.
This is thanks to the museum’s new permanent exhibit, “Canopy of Color”, which celebrates Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta. The museum said this new exhibit will delight visitors with the evocative sights and sounds of the Balloon Fiesta with several displays, infographics and interactive set pieces.
One of these pieces is a special art installation called the “Bloom Box”.
Designed by Albuquerque Artist Thomas Tomlinson, the Bloom Box makes visible the invisible flight pattern that hot air balloons can take that is created by the Albuquerque “box”, a unique wind pattern created by the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande Valley.
Dr. Lynne Newton, who serves as the Balloon Museums curator and was the lead project coordinator for the Canopy of Color exhibit, spoke about what visitors can expect when walking through the exhibit.
“The exhibition entices visitors into the space with its vibrant colors, imagery and landscape. There is no correct way to enjoy the exhibit, some will be drawn to the dome theater to take part in a mass ascension, while others will explore how this event started. Visitors can see personal photos and news footage from the Balloon Fiesta. Famous clothing and memorabilia from the museum’s collection and even gondolas flown at Balloon Fiestas through the years.”
Canopy of Color opens to the public on Saturday, September 24th, with events running from 10:00 a.m. to noon that include a first look at the exhibit.