GRAPEVINE, TX (February 5, 2026) — Today, Meow Wolf Grapevine has been named a Winner of the IAAPA Brass Ring Excellence Awards, earning international recognition for Best New Food & Beverage Build for its in-exhibition bar experience, Prime Materia. Presented by IAAPA, the Brass Ring Excellence Awards are considered the most prestigious professional honors in the global attractions industry, celebrating excellence, innovation, and leadership across immersive experiences worldwide.

The Food and Beverage Brass Ring Excellence Awards honor culinary experiences that elevate a guest's visit and redefine how food and drink function within attractions. Winning in this category places Prime Materia among the top food and beverage builds in the world, recognized for creativity, innovation, and seamless integration into the guest experience.

This recognition builds on Meow Wolf Grapevine's momentum following multiple IAAPA honors in 2025, reinforcing the North Texas exhibition's growing legacy on the international stage.

“Receiving another Brass Ring Excellence Award is incredibly meaningful for our team,” said Jamie Weaver-Garia, General Manager of Meow Wolf Grapevine. “We are deeply grateful to IAAPA for this recognition and proud of the artists, fabricators, and operators who brought Prime Materia to life. To see something created here in Grapevine celebrated at a global level speaks to the care, creativity, and ambition behind everything we do.”

Opened in summer 2025, Prime Materia is Meow Wolf Grapevine's first in-exhibition food and beverage experience, hidden within The Real Unreal. The space blends immersive storytelling with a fully functional bar, inviting guests into the world of the Gizmo_Mancers, a cast of in-character bartenders who serve lore-infused elixirs and mocktails while guiding guests through a deeper layer of the exhibition's narrative.

The bar features an interactive counter embedded with touch sensors and responsive lighting that reacts to guest movement, creating a dynamic environment that changes throughout the day. Designed for sip-and-stroll exploration, Prime Materia allows guests to carry their drinks as they continue to uncover hidden passageways, interactive art, and story threads throughout The Real Unreal.

“Prime Materia was designed to dissolve the line between storytelling and hospitality,” said Tommy Schatz-Thompson, Creative Director of Prime Materia in Meow Wolf Grapevine. “Every layer of the show experience, from the narrative environment to the menu itself, reinforces the idea that food and beverage can be an active part of world-building. This award recognizes how deeply that integration resonates with guests."

Built entirely by Meow Wolf's internal teams, Prime Materia transforms a tucked-away space within the exhibition into a destination of its own. Guests may stop in briefly for a drink or choose to engage more deeply through conversation, environmental details, and character interactions that unlock new layers of the story. The result is an experience where refreshment becomes discovery.

With this latest IAAPA Brass Ring Excellence Award, Meow Wolf Grapevine continues to define what immersive attractions can be, offering guests not only award-winning art and storytelling, but one of the most celebrated food and beverage experiences in the international attractions industry. Visitors are invited to explore The Real Unreal and discover Prime Materia, now officially recognized among the best in the world.

Guests can visit Prime Materia with admission to The Real Unreal at meowwolf.com/grapevine.

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ABOUT MEOW WOLF

Meow Wolf is much more than your typical arts and entertainment company; they're the creators of extraordinary, mind-bending experiences that transport millions of adventurers of all ages into breathtaking realms of imagination and wonder. As the proud recipients of numerous accolades, including Time Out's #1 Immersive Experience in the US (2023), Fast Company's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies (2024, 2022 and 2020), and USA Today's Top 10 Best Immersive Art Experiences (2022), Meow Wolf is committed to engaging curious seekers through the magic of discovery and play. They are distinct in their collaboration with hundreds of visionary artists who infuse creativity into every Meow Wolf experience. The journey began with the THEA Award-winning House Of Eternal Return in Santa Fe (2016), a mystery house with hidden passages and mesmerizing art exhibits. In Las Vegas, Omega Mart (2021) presented a surreal grocery store experience. Denver's Convergence Station (2021) appeared as a maximalist architectural marvel linking four alien worlds. Meow Wolf unveiled Webby Award-winning The Real Unreal (2023) in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Meow Wolf's fifth and newest location Radio Tave, a community radio station that spans dimensions, opened on Halloween of 2024 in Houston. Meow Wolf's next exhibition opens in Los Angeles in 2026 followed by its seventh location in New York City. As a certified B-Corporation, Meow Wolf leads in themed entertainment, innovating and celebrating human imagination. All are invited to join a journey that defies convention, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

About IAAPA  

IAAPA is a diverse and dynamic community of global attractions professionals. As the largest international trade association for permanently located attractions, IAAPA unifies the attractions community, connects people to learn and grow together, and strives to promote the highest professional standards for excellence and safety around the world. Founded in 1918, IAAPA represents leading industry attractions and supplier companies, consultants, and individual members from more than 100 countries. Members include professionals from amusement parks, theme parks, attractions, water parks, resorts, family entertainment centers, zoos, aquariums, science centers, museums, cruise lines, manufacturers, and suppliers. The association's global headquarters and North America office are in Orlando, Florida, U.S. IAAPA also maintains offices in Brussels, Belgium; Hong Kong, China; Shanghai, China; and, Mexico City, Mexico. Visit IAAPA.org or connect through IAAPA's social media channels: @IAAPAHQ #IAAPA