Oh! The Places You’ll Go in the Multiverse!

It’s rare — actually near-impossible, if you want to talk about probability — to witness the emergence of a Multiverse. While multiversal realities containing infinite universes may be emerging continually, we’re not usually in the lucky position to be able to witness them.

But as always, Burners are often in unexpected places. This Build Week is quite unlike one we’ve lived before. The Burning Man Multiverse is being imagined and co-created by some exceptionally technologically adept and inspired Burners in our very own community — not just developers, but artists, theme camp organizers, performers — and many who you’d recognize!

Of course you’re asking: “What the heck can I do in there? And how do I join all these phantasmagoric experiences during Burn Week?”

We’re here to help you with the logistics. Read on for easy information about how to access each and every Universe. You’ll also learn some of the scintillating details that are emerging, bit by bit, as the Recognized Universes of the Burning Man Multiverse populate their virtual worlds with myriad, intriguing and mind-blowing experiences.

The Infinite PlayaThe Mushroom at Infinite Playa

Wrap your mind around these interactive virtual stages, each uniquely created for The Infinite Playa.

The Cathedral is a beautifully lit gothic cathedral that can be entered through various portals that you may find deep in The Infinite Playa. As you enter this bejeweled structure, you may find your way “home” through portal windows that open to a performance venue and multiple experiential art worlds. Prepare your mind for otherworldly performances by The Fungineers, Saint Balls, DJ Snaggy and Spoolius.

The Mushroom is an educational and entertaining playground of Fantastic Fungi designed by Android Jones and Paul Stamets, among others. Featuring two stages, The Mushroom will be a place to engage with musicians and artists, accompanied by world class speakers and presenters. A place to be curious, to learn, to dance, and to feel.

The Infinite Playa at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Mobile phone OR computer
  • App install required: No
  • Free: No
  • Family friendly area: Yes
  • Access The Infinite Playa here

Multiverse

Multiverse

The Multiverse crew is recreating 2020 Honoraria art installations to scale in their virtual world. These are the very installations you would have encountered on playa, had we been able to co-create Black Rock City this year. You’ll be able to explore and interact with them, as well as many well-recognized installations from Black Rock Cities past.

Prepare yourself to shake some pixel-dusted playa booty at some of Black Rock City’s most renowned sound stages and mutant vehicles — including Playground, Opulent Temple, Sonic Soul Tribe, Incendia, Celtic Chaos and Mayan Warrior.

Multiverse at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Mobile phone
  • App install required: Yes
  • Free: No
  • Family friendly area: No
  • Access Multiverse here

SparkleVerse


Creators of SparkleVerse, a whimsical 4D Mixed Reality Universe, are delightedly rolling out the Museum of Consciousness, a magic cyberdelic museum co-created by world-leading consciousness hacker Carl Smith. All are encouraged to visit 15 unique spaces that will feature special audio instructions to shift your awareness and adventure your senses. As you move through the museum, you’ll build up altered states and altered traits and discover curious ways of perceiving the world.

During Burn Week, the SparkleVerse creators enthusiastically encourage you to set up a tent in your living room, turn on a high-powered fan, and leave Zoom audio connected so random friends can wander into your camp and wake you up all night long.

SparkleVerse at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12 noon PDT Sunday, August 30, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Mobile phone OR computer
  • App install required: No
  • Free: No (min $1; add’l donation requested)
  • Family friendly area: No
  • Access SparkleVerse here

MysticVerse

MysticVerse

Brought to you by the wildly creative folks behind Black Rock City’s Camp Mystic, MysticVerse is fully-centered around the spirit of Burning Man as a massive experiment of radical collaboration and participation. Artists from all over the world have gathered to make MysticVerse their virtual artist playground.

Keep an ear to the ground for artist showcase day. Artists who have contributed to MysticVerse will be sharing the inspiration behind the art and their journey of co-creation.

The MysticVerse crew wants their Universe to be the most inclusive and accessible Burn ever. They’re enabling this through ADA-assisted and sensory enhancing experiences. Volunteers will offer their gift of narration and storytelling to guide differently abled people in their journey around MysticVerse.

MysticVerse at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Mobile phone, computer, OR VR headset
  • VR headset types: Any
  • App install required: No
  • Free: Yes
  • Family friendly area: Yes
  • Access MysticVerse

BRCvr

BRCvr is rolling out a number of wondrous experiences, many from camps with which you may already be familiar!

PlayAlchemist brings its Great Pyramid to BRCvr. This virtual homage will serve as a central hub for serendipitous connections, events, and dance parties. Hundreds of people can join in the events at one time, make eye contact and chat with their neighbors.

IDEATE has developed a mind-bending virtual world with four stages: the Moon-shot Tea Lounge, an OuterSpace Ocean Stage, Neon Love, and Wild Truth: Illuminated. Most events will take place between Thursday and Sunday. IDEATE in collaboration with Empathy Co-op will be streaming a live Reno event — Love Aid Telethon, a variety show benefit for Burning Man Project.

CurioCities is a new camp in the spirit of Science, Art and Cacophony! Come visit their tribute to early computer graphics, and a gallery featuring some of Black Rock City’s most loved photographers. Special music events and talks all week will offer highlights of Burner culture from the decades of Black Rock history.

BRCvr at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Mac, or PC with Windows 10 OR VR headset
  • VR headset types: Oculus Rift CV1, HTC Vive, Oculus Go, Oculus Quest, Windows, Mixed Reality
  • App install required: Yes
  • Free: Yes
  • Family friendly area: Yes
  • Access BRCvr

BURN2

BURN2

The folks in BURN2 have been doing this virtual Black Rock City thing longer than anyone else. Burners built the first Second Life virtual BRC experience way back in 2003.

The BURN2 community is ready for you! Prepare yourself for artfully created Burning Man spaces, and avatars dressed in stylish playa gear. During Burn Week they’ll be featuring  “Man museums” where you can drop in to explore virtual renditions of some of our favorite Man builds. They’ve invited past BURN2 artists to place their art during Burn Week. But don’t just come for the Burn; make you set aside time to explore a recreation of our favorite little town, Gerlach. Browse the full BURN2 schedule.

The BURN2 Second Life SIM, called Deep Hole, will be open 24/7 during Burn Week — anyone can drop in to explore. Start by downloading a Second Life viewer and creating your avatar. Then navigate to the Black Hole SIM. Note that the BURN2 environment can only accommodate 80 to 90 people at one time. Because of this, they’ll also be live-streaming Burn Week shenanigans on their Facebook page.

BURN2 at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Computer
  • App install required: Yes
  • Free: Yes
  • Family friendly area: No
  • How to access BURN2

Build-A-Burn

Build-A-Burn

This adorable, explorable 2D Universe is offering up a playful collection of known and new theme camp experiences. Temple Burn Sunday at 4-7 PDT, stop by Ashram Galactica for a sunset set hosted by Beau Sebastian. Wander up to The Lost Penguin Cafe to join one of their playa famous open mic sessions (you’ll have to supply your own snow cone). Tune in for lounge music and alien conspiracy theories at The Dig, and throw down at Art Island for a mix of DJs, fire, glow flow and live digital painting. The main Build-A-Burn space will feature a mutant vehicle with a full lineup of DJs Monday to Thursday, 2pm to midnight PST.

If you’re a fan of Burning Man ephemera (who isn’t?) lose a few hours in Rome, which features an explorable landscape created from old, old Black Rock City photographs paired with recorded playa soundscapes. See you there.

Build-A-Burn at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed:Computer with Chrome browser
  • App install required: No
  • Free: Yes
  • Family friendly area: No
  • Access Build-A-Burn here

The Bridge Experience

The Bridge Experience is a mixed reality virtual experience created by Burners around the world and the Bridge Group from Miami’s Love Burn Regional event. Get ready to explore new spaces and ideas, and delve into spaces that blend music and art in an enhanced dimension.

With Enter The Dream Tank Portal, The Bridge Experience will feature a youth-created virtual reality experience. Join youth leaders from the Dream Tank social impact accelerator and think tank to play with purpose and discuss solutions to global problems. Take your senses for a ride at TheJediz Art Camp. They’ll be showcasing their collaborative artistic vision with a virtual reality spectacle blending digital art with music by Gucci Bass featuring DJ Qbert, Pushing Lotuses, Mn8 and others.

Anyone with a device and a Chrome browser can participate in The Bridge Experience.

The Bridge Experience at a Glance:

  • Open date: 12:01am PDT Monday, August 31, 2020
  • Equipment needed: Mobile phone, computer with Chrome browser OR VR headset
  • VR headset types: Oculus Quest
  • App install required: No
  • Free: Yes
  • Family friendly area: Yes
  • Access The Bridge Experience Here

The Bridge Experience


Top photo: “The Cathedral” created in The Infinite Playa by Meow Wolf

Multiverse photo: “Cosmos” in Multiverse by Jen Lewin

About the author: Kirsten Weisenburger

Kirsten Weisenburger

Misadventures led Kirsten Weisenburger (aka kbot) to Black Rock City in 2004. She was captivated and hoodwinked into organizing theme camps, rangering and participating in Regional Events. As Communications Strategist, Kirsten works across the organization and global community gathering stories and writing for the Burning Man Journal, the Jackrabbit Speaks, and the annual Dispatch. She went to journalism school in the 1990s and then spent two decades at startups and digital agencies.

15 Comments on “Oh! The Places You’ll Go in the Multiverse!

  • This will be my first Burning Man. Since I Can Visit from Home… I Hope to Participate by writing a new song… an Playing it on Youtube… Here is an Old Song… Awaken The Giant Within… Big Medicine Song… Written after Playing the Father Drum at an American Indian Tent Meeting…

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  • DK says:

    Looks really cool. I’m curious about the real burn that someone on reddit posted a few hours ago saying there will be a private burn out at fly ranch next weekend. How do we attend that one?

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  • Xen says:

    The info about the VR events is pretty confusing. Most of them don’t mention the software required to access this stuff or where to get it. Some clarification would be appreciated.

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  • Here is my new song written for Burning Man 2020. Music Video: “We Are Coming Into Alignment.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpKqBQGt2zY

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  • went to the Infinate Playa, but cannot find the Cathedral or the Mushroom which are highlighted above. they don’t show up in the Search, and I clicked on all the options for performances, art installations, talks/workshops. also “saved” a number of items but don’t see any Live Streaming Content. how do you view anything except the little icons and scrolling list of items.

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  • PlayaPie says:

    I spent an hour an half reading and researching what I need and how to access. Wasn’t able to access a single multiverse. They all require 3rd party apps and downloads or donations. Made a donation also, but no access. Extremely confusing and not inclusive of an average computer user. This was designed for tech people to have a private experience it seems.

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    • PlayaPie says:

      Just re-read it, accurate description.
      “It’s rare — actually near-impossible, if you want to talk about probability — to witness the emergence of a Multiverse.“

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  • Marvelo says:

    Not able to get anything to work :-(
    Constantly getting error messages or sites hang.
    My anti-virus is going crazy giving me warnings when I try to open stuff on my PC.
    Asking for money up front doesn’t seem very Burnerish particularly with the growing number of problems people are having.
    I’ve yet to see a positive review from anyone.
    Not the BM I know :-(
    I give up, so sad.

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  • Nailed It says:

    So, here’s whats bothering me. For a community so inherently guided by it’s principles, I see a lot of commodification going on in the multiverse. To me, it seems like there is both a fiscal, and technological barrier for access, and the org doesn’t really seem to care too much. New path moving forward?

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  • T'amalshone says:

    As a black person, the fiscal, and technological barrier to access smacks of cultural bias and inherent racism. I thought you guys were supposed to be working on this. The is the same thing as voter ID laws making it harder to vote because black folks don’t know where the DMVs are. This is the same kind of racism. I don’t even know how to get on the Internet, my white friends (although he’s probably not a real friend) is helping me. I have to agree to have sex with his wife for the favor. She’s fat, though.

    Report comment

  • Ommovies Apk says:

    Thanks in support of sharing such a good opinion,
    post is nice, thats why i have read it completely.Keep doing like this more.

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