At first glance, Spectra Art Space is just another quirky storefront on Denver’s bustling South Broadway, but step inside, and it becomes clear that this isn’t your average art gallery. Through a curtain tucked at the back of a vibrant shop filled with handmade goods, visitors enter Novo Ita: Propagation, an immersive experience that blends fantasy storytelling, hands-on puzzles, augmented reality and lush botanical design to bring a hopeful, post-apocalyptic world to life.
Open since June 1, Novo Ita: Propagation is the latest iteration in a series of homegrown immersive installations by Spectra founder and curator Sadie Young, who launched the gallery nearly a decade ago. Though it may fly under the radar compared to big-budget ventures like Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station, Novo Ita offers something arguably more intimate and personal.
Your journey begins with a briefing from a staff member, who explains the exhibition's rules, encourages you to interact with everything in the environment and then hands out a small brown slip of paper. On one side is lore about the world of Novo Ita, a solar-punk society rebuilt after the fall of a greed-driven civilization. On the other are instructions for an optional augmented reality scavenger hunt that becomes one of the show’s most engaging interactive elements.
The paper sets the tone for what’s to come, describing a world born “out of ruin,” where humanity has chosen to live in harmony with nature instead of exploiting it (remember: this is fiction). The community of Novo Ita now celebrates the Festival of Spirit, marking the planting of the powerful Spectral Tree, an organic symbol of rebirth.
“As balance returned, so did the Nature Spirits," the paper reads. This foundation is more than window dressing; it’s a pointed commentary on climate collapse and ecological renewal, threading a bold environmental message throughout the experience.
The first room you enter is dimly lit, centered around a glowing, multicolored tree as a recorded voice narrates Novo Ita's origin story, detailing how the so-called "Oil Age" scorched the Earth, and how this new world emerged in its ashes. Nearby, a glowing control panel encourages interaction, offering touch-activated puzzles to further engage with the backstory.
From there, you move into a lighter, more modern chamber filled with color-changing lights and a musical instrument you can play with. The second room leads to a cheaply constructed hallway with mismatched rainbow patterns that had me questioning if this experience was going to be worthwhile, but once you exit into the outdoor portion of the installation, the world truly blooms.
While the indoor rooms are short on spectacle, the outdoor section quickly makes up for it. What begins as a quiet art garden reveals itself to be a lively patchwork of handcrafted structures, colorful flora, hidden details and interactive installations crafted by over 40 local artists.
It’s here that the designers’ imaginative labor shines through: a hammock chair under a butterfly-covered canopy, a robot sculpture by Chris Mora tucked into a sunlit corner, flower-crowned altars, a greenhouse that contains a journal with entries that expand the world’s mythology. The experience is less about one big “wow” moment and more about piecing together the world through subtle cues, layered storytelling and curious exploration.
Unlike some immersive experiences that rely heavily on actors or guided interactions, Novo Ita is largely self-directed. There are no performers to speak with, but there are plenty of textures to touch, buttons to press, puzzles to solve and passages to discover, including one that leads to a small, secret room that, when activated correctly, transforms into a disco-lit party room perfect for an impromptu dance break.
After completing my initial walkthrough of the environment, I remembered that I still had the AR nature spirit quest, which turned out to be the highlight of the experience. Designed by Corrina Espinosa, the game leads guests to search for eight hidden spirits, each marked by a symbol hidden somewhere in the outdoor area. Scanning these targets triggers sound-based messages that slowly unlock additional context about Novo Ita. The hunt encourages second and third passes through the environment, rewarding careful observation with a parting gift from the front desk.
Plan to spend about 60 to 90 minutes exploring. It’s not an all-day affair, but it’s more than worth the $20 admission. Compared to the sometimes-overstimulating scale of other immersive attractions, Novo Ita’s smaller scope works in its favor. It’s immersive art at a human scale — touchable, thoughtful and decidedly Denver.
And perhaps that’s what makes Novo Ita: Propagation so refreshing. It isn’t trying to be a national sensation. It’s not chasing corporate sponsorships or replicating a museum model. It’s a weird, whimsical and deeply local celebration of art. Plus, its gift shop, stocked with local art, is definitely worth a browse, and the surrounding South Broadway corridor offers plenty of options to extend the outing.
In a city overflowing with immersive options, Novo Ita: Propagation stands out not with size or spectacle, but with heart. Although it's certainly a good place to grab a few photos for your Insta, this isn't trying to be a selfie museum. It’s trying to tell a story of survival, of choosing growth over greed and of what happens when artists ask not just what the future could look like, but how we might build it together, and Novo Ita does so beautifully.
Nova Ita: Propagation, tickets currently available through Thursday, July 31. Exhibit is "seasonal and will be gone in the fall." Learn more at spectraartspace.com.
Open since June 1, Novo Ita: Propagation is the latest iteration in a series of homegrown immersive installations by Spectra founder and curator Sadie Young, who launched the gallery nearly a decade ago. Though it may fly under the radar compared to big-budget ventures like Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station, Novo Ita offers something arguably more intimate and personal.
Your journey begins with a briefing from a staff member, who explains the exhibition's rules, encourages you to interact with everything in the environment and then hands out a small brown slip of paper. On one side is lore about the world of Novo Ita, a solar-punk society rebuilt after the fall of a greed-driven civilization. On the other are instructions for an optional augmented reality scavenger hunt that becomes one of the show’s most engaging interactive elements.
The paper sets the tone for what’s to come, describing a world born “out of ruin,” where humanity has chosen to live in harmony with nature instead of exploiting it (remember: this is fiction). The community of Novo Ita now celebrates the Festival of Spirit, marking the planting of the powerful Spectral Tree, an organic symbol of rebirth.
“As balance returned, so did the Nature Spirits," the paper reads. This foundation is more than window dressing; it’s a pointed commentary on climate collapse and ecological renewal, threading a bold environmental message throughout the experience.
The first room you enter is dimly lit, centered around a glowing, multicolored tree as a recorded voice narrates Novo Ita's origin story, detailing how the so-called "Oil Age" scorched the Earth, and how this new world emerged in its ashes. Nearby, a glowing control panel encourages interaction, offering touch-activated puzzles to further engage with the backstory.
From there, you move into a lighter, more modern chamber filled with color-changing lights and a musical instrument you can play with. The second room leads to a cheaply constructed hallway with mismatched rainbow patterns that had me questioning if this experience was going to be worthwhile, but once you exit into the outdoor portion of the installation, the world truly blooms.
While the indoor rooms are short on spectacle, the outdoor section quickly makes up for it. What begins as a quiet art garden reveals itself to be a lively patchwork of handcrafted structures, colorful flora, hidden details and interactive installations crafted by over 40 local artists.
It’s here that the designers’ imaginative labor shines through: a hammock chair under a butterfly-covered canopy, a robot sculpture by Chris Mora tucked into a sunlit corner, flower-crowned altars, a greenhouse that contains a journal with entries that expand the world’s mythology. The experience is less about one big “wow” moment and more about piecing together the world through subtle cues, layered storytelling and curious exploration.
Unlike some immersive experiences that rely heavily on actors or guided interactions, Novo Ita is largely self-directed. There are no performers to speak with, but there are plenty of textures to touch, buttons to press, puzzles to solve and passages to discover, including one that leads to a small, secret room that, when activated correctly, transforms into a disco-lit party room perfect for an impromptu dance break.
After completing my initial walkthrough of the environment, I remembered that I still had the AR nature spirit quest, which turned out to be the highlight of the experience. Designed by Corrina Espinosa, the game leads guests to search for eight hidden spirits, each marked by a symbol hidden somewhere in the outdoor area. Scanning these targets triggers sound-based messages that slowly unlock additional context about Novo Ita. The hunt encourages second and third passes through the environment, rewarding careful observation with a parting gift from the front desk.
Plan to spend about 60 to 90 minutes exploring. It’s not an all-day affair, but it’s more than worth the $20 admission. Compared to the sometimes-overstimulating scale of other immersive attractions, Novo Ita’s smaller scope works in its favor. It’s immersive art at a human scale — touchable, thoughtful and decidedly Denver.
And perhaps that’s what makes Novo Ita: Propagation so refreshing. It isn’t trying to be a national sensation. It’s not chasing corporate sponsorships or replicating a museum model. It’s a weird, whimsical and deeply local celebration of art. Plus, its gift shop, stocked with local art, is definitely worth a browse, and the surrounding South Broadway corridor offers plenty of options to extend the outing.
In a city overflowing with immersive options, Novo Ita: Propagation stands out not with size or spectacle, but with heart. Although it's certainly a good place to grab a few photos for your Insta, this isn't trying to be a selfie museum. It’s trying to tell a story of survival, of choosing growth over greed and of what happens when artists ask not just what the future could look like, but how we might build it together, and Novo Ita does so beautifully.
Nova Ita: Propagation, tickets currently available through Thursday, July 31. Exhibit is "seasonal and will be gone in the fall." Learn more at spectraartspace.com.
