Our travels took us to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and tucked away on the University of New Mexico campus, we stumbled upon another spot claiming to be the Center of the Universe, but with a very different vibe.
This “Center of the Universe” is a concrete structure with a central middle from which six concrete arms/tunnels extend outwards, pointing north, south, east, west, upwards, and downwards. If there was an acoustic component, I did not notice it, maybe because it was just Justin and me there and looking around not talking.
Standing in the central space, under a skylight that seemed to peer directly into the vast New Mexico sky, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of being a focal point, even if just within this peculiar structure. Looking down there is a grate, marking the area, and possibility so you know there is a branch below as well.
And then there was the plaque. Weathered and aged, it simply read: “The Center of the Universe.” No explanation, no fanfare, just that bold declaration. It left us pondering: why this particular spot? Why this concrete structure on a university campus?
We were curious and did some further reading. Essentially, the universe, on a large scale, is expanding in all directions at once. And so Bruce Nauman (the artist) made this visual for us. However, the location does not matter, any given reference point could be considered the “center” of its own observable universe.
Whether it’s a trick of sound or a symbolic structure, the existence of multiple “Centers of the Universe” is a charming reminder of our human tendency to find significance in specific places. While Tulsa’s offered a quirky auditory surprise, Albuquerque’s concrete creation invited a more introspective pondering of our place within the grand, ever-expanding universe. And in its own quiet, unassuming way, it felt pretty cool to stand at yet another point claiming that extraordinary title.
If you ever find yourself on the UNM campus in Albuquerque check it out.