prada marfa

you are either going to feel supid you drove the 38 miles from maria or you are going to go, wow....who the hell thought this up. we enjoyed our brief visit.

Prada Marfa is actually a mile or so west of Valentine, Texas, on US 90, a enigmatic and solitary monument to materialism, starkly set roadside in the middle of nothing. Despite its isolation, it just might be the most-photographed spot in Texas. If you like selfies, this is a must to add to your collection. But that's about it. All the goods displayed are said to be genuine Prada. If you're lucky in your timing, you might encounter legendary local artist Boyd Elder, who curates this exhibit. If you're going to visit this iconic attraction, bring what you need. Despite its being a monument to materialism, there is absolutely no commercial activity within miles -- no gas, no food, no sanitary facilities, aside from what nature has provided. The nearby almost-ghost-town of Valentine (pop. ~190) is worth exploring. The Old Mercantile Building, on the north side of the tracks, is the site of an annual musical festival -- Valentine's in Valentine, which supports the local school district. A far more interesting counterpoise to Prada Marfa can be found at the Highway Café, a tumble-down adobe building on the east end of town, where Valentine locals tend to congregate. Proprietors Gloria and Victor are very hospitable and gracious, and always happy to meet new friends. Bring some beer to share, and you'll get some tales from Victor's days on the Southern Pacific RR, or just catch up on the local gossip, of which there is a bountiful supply. Autograph a dollar-bill and tape it to the wall on the bar, for an authentic souvenir of your visit.

Prada Marfa is located 20 mi from Van Horn. So if you just want to see and photograph this you can venture off I-10 and the return in about an 1 or so depending on how long you are taking photos, Cool place to visit.

Other than driving 36 miles to see it and nothing along the way, This is something you should not miss. An art installation on the side of the road that makes you wonder how the artist thought of doing that.

I like the novelty of a decrepit, stand-alone building filled with fancy designer shoes and bags, but that is literally what Prada Marfa is. If we hadn't happened to drive by on our way into town, I would never suggest to anyone they make the trip. But if you're heading out or into town that way, it's a weird, fun thing to come across.

Ironic for where this faux-store is located. Perfect for visiting hipsters or us normal folks passing through.

While we did see a report on Prada Marfa on 60 minutes a while back we had forgotten all about it until passing by. The place is looking rather run down however we read that that is part of the "art" as there is no plan to restore it. As another reviewer wrote it is not in Marfa. It is unexpected as it is in the middle of nowhere.

A little run down and I've heard they do come out and repaint. Still though a fun drive and great to see it just standing there. The drive in the valleys around is amazing on your way back to Marfa. Definitely worth the extra minutes.

I was thrilled to visit Prada Marfa. Although as many others have stated, it is not in Marfa but about 30min from there (near a town named Valentine), it is worth the trip. The art installation is supposed to be degrading with time, so don't feel dissapointed if it is not in perfect conditions. Also, it has been vandalized several times and has been restored so that it is not lost forever.My favorite part of visiting Prada Marfa was all the silence you experience in the middle of the road, and it is surreal to see a Prada store in the middle of that.Really nice experience, would definitely visit again!

Folks here don't seem to understand that the installation is not "under-maintained". It was intended to decay.And in so doing, it offers an interesting perspective on consumer culture and the advertising that maintains that impossible dream. The deteriorating site calls to attention the incredible expense of effort and money that is required to cling to the ideal of newness all the time...and then calls into question those values.

We are two baby boomers who went to Marfa with our Millennial kids. Marfa was highly recommended by many of our friends for the "art scene." Hmmmm. We loved the food and El Cosmico (glamping at its finest) but really didn't "get" the art scene.This art installation is about a 30 minute drive outside Marfa to the west. We came from Austin so this was an additional one hour round trip drive. It is literally just a little building at the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't that much to do in Marfa on the weekend in November when we were there so this was an interesting side trip.We liked the journey, the desolation, the town of Valentine, the tumbleweeds. The millennials in the group loved the photo op at Prada Marfa. We are glad we went but just can't say that you "have" to go there. If you are in the area and don't have much else to do....by all means do it.If time is tight and you have other great options, you can skip it without any regrets. BTW, the trip to McDonald Observatory was exceptional....a do not miss, fantastic experience.

As almost everyone has noted, this is neither in Marfa nor near it - the site is actually a few miles away from a tiny village called Valentine. But I guess calling this "Prada Valentine" would not have carried sufficient art cachet. I drove right by it on my drive into Marfa but stopped for a couple of minutes on the drive back to El Paso.The installation building has good aesthetics, and the contrast between the building and the emptiness surrounding it does make for some good photos. But if you really want to see some magnificent desolation, take a short detour along Ranch Route 505 a few miles away. You probably will not see another soul on the road.

I had known about Prada Marfa for some time, but it wasn't in my mind when traveling to Marfa. I went flying past it, jammed on the brakes, and turned around. This structure is iconic, and the story behind its creation is amazing. I photographed it on my way into Marfa, and loved it so much that I drove back out and did a second photo shoot there. Definitely fun.

It's about a 35 minute ride past Marfa in the middle of no where. Small little fake store front that needs to be updated or something done to it. The awnings are torn and the bags are sun faded. It's worth a slow down but not really a complete stop.

We took a trip from Marfa to see this one evening, i have to say it was a long drive for a now vandalised, poorly maintained art installation. It is a quirky idea and quite good to have a look at if you happen to be passing but i don't think it is really worth the 70 mile round trip from Marfa... the freight train that passed us while we were there got us more excited!