Set in Joshua Tree, California, Noah Purifoy’s “Outdoor Desert Art Museum” is 7.5 acres of open land displaying Purifoy’s assemblage sculptures, all created on-site between 1989 and 2004.

Should you be on the north side of Joshua Tree National Park and you tend to be visually stimulated and a bit interested in history, may we suggest visiting Noah Purifoy’s “Outdoor Desert Art Museum”  It’s just a short 10-15 minute drive outside of town and the only thing you’ll be sad about is the artist has passed away and we’ll never have the chance to meet the mind behind these curiously intriguing structures.

Purifoy insisted, “I do assemblage. I don’t do maintenance.”

Our photos don’t do it justice…

Noah grew up in the American south and experienced our own particular version of Apartheid first-hand.  I found this piece (below) quite pithy.  What you can’t see in the photo is that the left water fountain is labeled “white” and the one on the right is labeled “colored”.

…and it’s free.  Take the ticket, look inside:

While in the area, you may enjoy checking out the Krblin Jihn Kabin