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Prada Marfa is one of those stops that's way more impactful in person than it looks online. You're driving through miles of quiet West Texas emptiness and then boom this pristine "luxury storefront" just sits there like a mirage. It's witty, a little haunting, and honestly kind of poetic: high-fashion consumer culture dropped into the middle of nowhere. It's a quick visit (there's not much to do beyond take it in and take photos), but it's absolutely worth it if you're anywhere near Marfa. The best part is how the landscape becomes part of the art wide sky, long light, silence, and that perfectly framed window display. Come around golden hour if you can. Tips: there's no shade and it gets windy; be careful crossing/parking by the highway; and if you're expecting a museum experience, reset your expectations it's more of a "pause and think" moment than an attraction. Weird, iconic, and memorable.
This is such a random and weird art exhibit but I love it! There really is just a Prada building displaying the 2005 Prada collection on the side of the road just outside of the main town area in Valentine, TX. We came on a Friday in early evening a few other cars were also pulled off the road and taking pics in front of it. I would say if you're in the area you should pay it a visit to get pics or to put a love lock on the surrounding gate if you want, but otherwise it is pretty out of the way (like 35ish mins west of Marfa, TX) so don't stress too much if you can't make a visit! There's a little descriptive sign out front, seems it was commissioned by some artists in Berlin, Germany who have ties to the area.
Prada Marfa? Try "Prada Valentine." It's Prada basically in the middle of nowhere, yet, a half hour drive away from its namesake - the town of Marfa, TX. Then again, you don't want to refer to it as "Valentine" because that little town is rundown and neglected. While I am quite disappointed in this installment, hipsters will LOVE this spot. Prada in a high fashion area is cool. But Prada in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert quickly loses its value as the plaque reminds us, "the sculpture is more of a time capsule and will never function as a place of commerce, since the door cannot be opened." More on the loss of value in a moment... Still, the "sculpture" with supposed real Prada shoes and handbags attracts folks. Including me. I've only started to appreciate "permanent land art" such as this one in recent years. Back to the reason of my disappointment, though... See, while Prada Marfa artists Elmgreen and Dragset investigated "often-overlooked social, cultural, and political structures," I too analyzed the art in its current state through equivalent lens... The graffiti ALL over the damn back side on 2.16.2025 was not cool. There has been historic vandalism here actually. Why ruin someone else's artwork? Trash everywhere. Rude people on the highway. Rude people getting in the reflection of your shot or right in front of your shot. All in the name of "freedom" and social media, right? The locks on the fence behind it were actually the coolest thing to me.
Super kitchy roadside attraction in the middle of nowhere. Loved the fence of locks in the back of the building. We didn't have a lock, but used an extra carabiner from our hiking bags to add a keychain trinket that we weren't too sad to see go. It was great to see that an old bldg could be repurposed into a reason to visit this area of the state.
Yep, Hipster America and we did it. Long road trip from Tucson to Bastrop and we had a overnight in Van Horn. So here we go south on the 90 and we see this nugget along the way, a couple pictures then back on the road. The real find was continuing on past Marfa and taking the 90 thru Alpine, Marathon and to the 395 back north to I-10. What a beautiful strech of open road in Texas.
We've all seen the photos in magazines. I always thought I'd like to check the " Prada Shop" Marfa. First it's not in Marfa. Thirty miles west in the almost abandoned town of Valentine. It's an art work. Displayed inside the inaccessible " shop" is the Genuine collection installed in 2005. Described as "pop architectural land art "by artists Elmgreen and Dragset,it was inaugurated in 2005. Originally intended to not be repaired and naturally degrade,those plans were shelved after vandals broke in,stole the displays and trashed the place opening night . Maybe not a destination in and of itself,I was thrilled to see and experience this over the top creation. Constructed of adobe brick,plaster,glass, aluminum and carpet. For more reading about this interesting project,Prada Marfa Wikipedia is good.
The best thing about Prada Marfa is that it exists. In the middle of Far West Texas. I've stopped by a few times by car and driven by once on Amtrak. It's always a delight to see.
Lovely spot! Definitely a great location for some amazing pictures. Located along US Route 90 in Jeff Davis.
Located on Route 90, about 30 miles outside of Marfa in the town of Valentine, this is a gem in the middle of the desert. Created by Elmgreen and Dragset in 2005, it is an art installation made of biodegradable materials and it is supposed to deteriorate over time. The shoes and purses inside are Prada, but the doors don't open. I love it. I love an art installation and travelled all the way from NYC to see this and all that Marfa has to offer; which is not a lot, but if you love art, it is enough. We will definitely be back! There is a fence surrounding the sides and back of the "store" and people leave their "love locks" there. Bring yours!
Cool to get some great pictures. Driving from El Paso to Marfa and saw people parked on the side of the road. Had to slow down and jump out and get a few shots of this famous site. Now I can say I was at Prada Marfa, art at it true form. Park on the side not across cuz of reflecting. Take some shots, edit if need and move on so that others can enjoy. Xoxo
On our way to Big Bend NP, we stopped here for a healthy dose of camp and disillusionment. For a place that was featured in a later season of The Simpsons (Homer takes a leak behind it) it was oddly expected out here... a bizarre art project in the middle of nowhere, featuring Prada shoes and bags... never mind it's a good 20-30 minutes from Marfa, an artsy city down the road a spell. We snapped a few photos, spun some Poke stops, and stretched out legs. No dumber or smarter than any other photos we took on our cross country road trip, but would have been bummed if we passed it without stopping.
I came, I saw, I left. Prada Marfa is one of those sights like the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo...you just gotta see it. Been on my list for years, but like the Ranch, that I FINALLY went to a year ago, I was just never in the area. I decided to do a little road trip recently, and figured it was now or never. I drove down from Pecos, which was fine because I wanted to check out the mountain areas on the way south. However, nothing in the town of Marfa really interested me, and I realized pretty quick that Prada Marfa is a lot closer to Valentine than Marfa. However, if you come up from Marfa, you can also see the road side exhibit for the movie Giant. Sadly, the only thing left from the movie is the windmill from the Little Reata location. Still pretty neat stuff for this old fart that's seen the movie way too many times. Anyway...it was mid afternoon weekday when I got to Prada Marfa. Not a lot of people, five or so, so not to hard getting pictures of the building alone. I got a couple of personal pics taken and took a few pics for others, just ask, everyone is happy to oblige. Later on when I had returned this way on my way to Van Horn, there were probably ten or more, so I think you can pretty much count on someone always being here, I would bet. It was a really unique thing. My advice however, is if you just want to see the exhibit, then go to Van Horn and head south. I think that's a lot quicker than the way I went.
Interesting art exhibit located just outside Valentine, TX. We stopped by because it was on our way from El Paso to Alpine. This exhibit has been here since October 2005 and is presented by Ballroom Marfa. It's basically a small scale mock up of a Prada storefront featuring real Prada items inside. Unless you get lucky and come at an off time, there will likely be a lot of tourists trying to take pictures. Be prepared to wait in a small line as people obnoxiously take a million photos with several different poses. That was our only gripe about coming here.
I never been here but i always seen pictures people post online and could not wait to go when I planned my trip out to Big Bend National Park. My plan was to leave BB and head to Marfa, eat lunch there and then head to the Prada store, take some pictures and then head to the Mcdonald observatory. It is very easy to get here from Marfa, the actual town the art installation is located is called Valentine, Tx. Either way, people love how unique and odd this art installation is located at. So from my reading, this was made possible by the town art scene and the fashion company Prada. When you drive on the road leading to it is hard not to see it from a distance since that is the only thing on the side of the road. It is the only building for miles. Everything you see in pictures is pretty much it, not much to it. There are no bathrooms either or a trashcan, at night the store does have lighting to make it possible to see inside. There are security cameras to keep everyone safe so there's that. All around the store there is a fence where people have posted stickers left momentoes and left their mark with a sharpie. It is cool to see how many things people have left behind as a way to say 'i was there', I was not aware of this and did not come prepared so i just place a sticker I got from BB and wrote my name with a sharpie lol. Overall I think I spend 30 or 40 minutes before I left, the whole time I was there maybe like 3 other cars with people stopped by. It is a pretty cool place to stop by and take some pictures and thats it. In my opinion this probably the top 3 attraction in Marfa (the observatory, the lights, and Prada store are top 3). read more
Although titled 'Prada Marfa', this incredible piece of land art is actually about a mile and a half west of Valentine, Texas: a poor place that seems to be slowly vanishing into the landscape but for the lonely bright lighted sign of a dentist's office and a tiny library on highway 90 that slices through town. Why is a fake Prada store here? Well, it wouldn't really work well if it were in Marfa proper. I could picture New York City folks standing in line waiting for the store to open because you're not a real New Yorker if you don't love a good line. Marfa certainly gets its share of those from the coasts (including me). Sometimes, it seems overrun and playing a count the Brooklynites drinking game could get you drunk. Honestly, it wouldn't be hard to imagine a real Prada store in the future but I hope it never happens. Visually, the appeal of this little building is its juxtaposition against the scrub brush of the flat rural landscape. I came here three times over two days and watched car after car stop. People got out of their vehicles long enough to snap selfies then go on their way. Far fewer photos of Prada Marfa would be taken if this store were blended into a typical streetscape. In addition to the obvious silliness of a Prada store in the middle of nowhere -- no disrespect to residents of Valentine -- I'd love to know what locals think of it. Do they ponder American conspicuous consumption? That the store amplifies this country as one of haves and have nots, does it hit too close to home? Should this installation even be in their backyard? For every car that stopped at Prada Marfa, I saw more 18-wheelers and pickup trucks just roll on by. Perhaps, locals have made their peace with this building whose interior lights turn on every night as dusk approaches. I flew to San Antonio then drove the almost seven hours west to see Prada Marfa. I think it's one the great land art installations in the United States. Another is a seven-hour drive north: Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. These two art destinations alone are enough reason for me to gladly be a repeat visitor to Texas. read more
3 years ago
Don't waste your gas driving to the area. There is a window that's broken & makes your pics look meh! read more
6 years ago
Beautiful especially when the sun has set with purple/pink/orange sky. It was kind of crowded but I'm so glad I got to get some great photos. Some people need to learn to not hog up a beautiful space like this and let others also get the opportunity to enjoy it and get some photos too especially when it's getting dark with limited time. read more
5 years ago
This art installation has been on my radar for YEARS, so when I decided to take a road trip across west TX, it was on the top of the list of weird stuff to visit. Prada Marfa is situated along a long, open, empty highway about 40 miles outside of Marfa, TX. I found that the best time to go is sunset, as the sun sets to the right of the installation, making for a stellar photograph. Keep in mind that this is a popular "influencer" spot, so it is highly likely that you'll run into some folks dressed to the nines taking 10,000 photos to capture the moment (or the light) "just right." However, the experience is super cool in a "Hey, look at me. I'm super chill and road trip spontaneously" kind of way, and definitely worth a visit. read more
4 years ago
This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen. It really is in the middle of nowhere and I swear it isn't a mirage! It's just a Prada store in the middle of the desert. We had a photo shoot here and the pictures came out great. We did get there a little late because we were coming from El Paso and I didn't realize that you drive through a time zone to get there. The sun set 20 minutes too early but the views were stunning. The lights are always on though so it doesn't matter when you visit if you just want to see it but definitely be careful of wildlife in the dark. There are donkeys in the back but they are fenced. Also don't forget to bring a lock and sign it so you can add it to the chain-link fence. I wish I knew this because I didn't bring one. This was definitely worth the 2 Hour drive and I highly recommend visiting. We brought a Polaroid and a tripod, we also had our phones and a selfie stick. The Polaroid did not work too well when it started to get dark even though it had a flash made it worse. We definitely got some great shots and I'm very happy with how they turned out. read more
5 years ago
8 years ago
You can't go to Marfa without visiting the Prada store. Plan your outfit beforehand and stop on your way to town. It's about 35 miles outside of Marfa on 90 if coming from El Paso. read more
7 years ago
This is the most unique public art in Texas! It's in the middle of nowhere, literally nowhere. It's not even in the town of Marfa. It's worth the stop of you are driving on Interstate 90. read more
I'm going to lapse rather sentimental about this strange little roadside attraction. There's, of course, something really classically Romantic about a roadtrip across the wide, vaguely undulating expanses of West Texas; but, for a non-native, it's also totally alien and thus wrought with a certain degree of anxiety. So just imagine yourself, in the midst of this: alone on a two-lane highway so deserted the government-approved speed limit (driveways and little side-roads notwithstanding) is 80mph, literally in the middle of nowhere. There, on the side of the road---about 30 miles off of the 10 Freeway and 40 miles outside of Marfa, where there is zero cell phone reception, just as little radio, and not another car in sight---there is a Prada store. Now, I'm told that the Prada exhibit---and it is an exhibit, in case you couldn't tell (apparently stocked with the 2004 Prada handbag and shoe collection)---isn't actually intended to produce this result; it's a commentary, likely critical, on the bizarre artistic-elitist culture that exists, happily or unhappily, amidst the simple ranching culture of Marfa. But forget that. That's not what it means to me: to me, feeling alien and sort of isolated in the middle of nowhere, Texas, it was the perfect representation of exactly how *I* felt out in the high Texas desert. Like a freaking Prada store on the side of a two-lane highway. I put in five big red stars for this being one of the most perfect installation exhibits I've ever seen; the exhibit that (even before I got to the Chinati Institue in Marfa, which is also great for this) I credit with really teaching me to appreciate site-specific art. Go to Marfa; stop at Prada; take a picture; feel at home. read more
Back in 2005, two Scandinavian artists inaugurated a non-functional, permanently-installed sculpture built to resemble a real Prada boutique in the middle of the dusty high desert. Only, the sculpture isn't actually located in Marfa - it lives in Valentine, Texas. Getting there may be even more interesting than the sculpture itself. Jump in your whip, take Route 90 West out of Valentine, and then pull sharply over as you almost miss the familiar storefront. Move along, nothing to see here! Well, kind of - you see, there's the storefront filled with its bottom-less handbags and shoes minus their mates. Beyond that, you may not get a ton out of this exhibit unless you're down to play in the desert and pop art installations are your jam. Want to document your experience by capturing Instagram selfies or their artsier cousins on DSLR? The not-so-heavily trafficked Route 90 means you may wait awhile - as in a painfully loooooong while - so a tripod is your friend, my friend. I'm not at all embarrassed to admit that a girl friend and I created our own photo shoot replete with props that definitely don't naturally occur in the desert... what a fun way to kill a Saturday afternoon! Oh - and definitely don't wear your good shoes, unless you think a layer of dust and dirt several centimeters thick is an attractive look. read more
5 years ago
What can I say? If you're road tripping through Texas and can take the I-90 then I'd say it's worth the detour through some major back country roads to check this out and snap some fun pics. Constructed in 2005, the reality is that this $80K art installation may soon get removed due to some silly dispute with the Texas Department of Transportation, as they have officially classified the structure as an illegal outdoor advertisement as of last year. To find it, you'll travel on I-90 and it will be ~1.5 miles west of Valentine and another ~35 miles west of Marfa. From my recollection, we passed into the CST zone right around here, which we were not expecting. The structure is still in good shape, featuring a few handbags and single shoes on display. The contrast makes you think, and it's a great backdrop for epic road trip photos. Valentine is tiny, but the city of Marfa is eclectic and worth a stop overnight. There is a restaurant in Marfa called the Food Shark that looked amazing but we got there too late to try it out. Need more road trip tips? I also recommend checking out the Caverns of Sonora (about 3 hours east) and Big Bend National Park as well. read more
8 years ago
It's fun! Depending on the direction you are coming from, you will pass through Marfa, as it's actually located in Valentine. Be mindful there is nothing around it. No washrooms especially! Bring a lock that you can put on the fence out back ;) If you go early, you might be the only ones there, but afternoon and evening you will likely have to wait your turn to get your Instagram shot! It's super fun and very neat to see in real life. It's an art installation that is worth the drive! read more
16 years ago
N 30°36.224' W 104°31.103' Those are the GPS coordinates for Prada Marfa. Interestingly, Marfa is about 35 miles Southeast on Hwy 90 from this place. It's actually about a mile from the derelict town of Valentine. I spent an hour there on 3/31/2010 and enjoyed it. In fact a maintenance crew came to vacuum and replace a light while I was setting up a shot. It's definitely still being cared for, despite warnings to the contrary. I posted a photo here as proof. Certainly worth the trip. read more
5 years ago
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7 years ago
I don't really know why this is considered Marfa. It's closer to a teeny town (Valentine?) and about 30 minutes from Marfa. But it was fun to see. I think more than the store in the middle of nowhere, Texas, it was fun to see all the locks on the surrounding fence. We were celebrating our 29th anniversary in West Texas and it made me wish I had known so we could have left one. Good, clean fun. NOTE: absolutely no restrooms anywhere for miles and miles. read more
8 years ago
Definitely worth the stop. It is just an installation but very popular one. I drove all the way from Los Angeles. It is a one time kind of thing. I won't make the trip again as it is nothing else but a tiny house for pictures purpose. read more
6 years ago
6 years ago
9 years ago
Some will disagree but I think this is a cool spot to see first hand. It's worth it if you're with about 50 miles of it and certainly if you're staying in Marfa. Be warned, this is not actually in Marfa but closer to Valentine which is a good 25 mikes away. Truly the middle of nowhere! read more
Super cool roadside attraction created in October 2005. This was fun to take pics and a few selfies. Purses and shoes galore. No vandalism probably because there is a clearly visible camera. No exact address but it is just past the small town of Valentine with a population of 217. Worth it! read more
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11 years ago
We arrived at Prada Marfa about an hour before sunset and snapped a few photos. Then another photographer came up with about 5 models and some stylists and proceeded to take over the location through sunset. I was able to get a few photos as soon as they left. The building apparently had been recently restored after being vandalized and everything looked good and in order. The pull out for parking across the street is mostly loose rock and there is little parking directly around the art installation. You wouldn't realize it from most photos, but there are powerlines that run along the road on the side where the installation is. We enjoyed viewing this "out of place" building in the middle of the desert while waiting for the sun to go down. read more
9 years ago
It's dumb and fun. Sometimes art can just be about itself, and that's cool. The powerlines make it hard to get a good shot. read more
9 years ago
While taking a trip to Marfa, Texas to view the mysterious lights, I HAD to drive the additional 40 miles to the small town of Valentine to see, in person, this Prada art building. I'm glad I did. How cool! Yes, if you're close by visiting Alpine, Marfa, or Fort Davis... it is certainly worth the drive to see in person! read more
12 years ago
Seeing a photo does not justify the experience of actually having to drive to its very rural location. One of my favorite pieces, very happy to have finally experienced it! read more
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14880 US 90
Valentine, TX 79854
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