(Update: According to The Los Angeles Times, the Luna Luna Amusement Park will be opening in Los Angeles in December 2023.)

In the summer of 1987, the world’s first art amusement park opened in a lush, green park outside Hamburg, Germany. Borrowing its name from Coney Island’s Luna Park, the colorful carnival was unlike anything that had ever come before—or since. Some 250,000 people visited the park that summer to marvel over and even ride dozens of fairground amusements designed and built by some of the era’s most influential artists.

Visitors could get a little lost inside Salvador Dalí’s mirrored fun house and spin around on a Keith Haring carousel. They could take in the view from atop a dazzling Jean-Michel Basquiat Ferris wheel while listening to Miles Davis. They might’ve gazed up at wandering stilt walkers, been trapped in an invisible box with a mime, or perhaps even met the man in the moon (a David Bowie-esque character wearing a handmade four-foot-tall crescent moon).

“There are 30 pavilions in this international carnival of the avant-garde, and each one simultaneously elevates the mind and makes the jaw drop,” a 1987 Life magazine article wrote. The art park was the brainchild of Vienna-born multimedia artist André Heller, the culmination of his yearslong odyssey to bring together the public and the avant-garde art world. But the lights went out—suddenly and unexpectedly—on Luna Luna.

A performer dressed as the moon interacts with visitors outside the pavilion that American Pop Art icon Roy Lichtenstein covered with his "Perfect/Imperfect Paintings."
A performer dressed as the moon interacts with visitors outside the pavilion that American Pop Art icon Roy Lichtenstein covered with his “Perfect/Imperfect Paintings.” Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Luna Luna LLC

A deal with the city of Vienna to display the park permanently fell through, as did a European tour. As summer gave way to fall, the art amusement park was dismantled and packed into storage. Heller went into debt, and, in 1990, attempted to sell the park to a philanthropic group. That deal also crumbled, and the park’s future remained in limbo for the next three decades. Eventually, the art pieces found their way to a rural Texas storage unit where they sat for 15 years—that is, until rap superstar Drake showed up. In 2019, through his DreamCrew production company, best known for producing HBO’s Euphoria, the Canadian pop icon joined other angel investors in the effort to bring Luna Luna back to life.

Since January 2022, a team of art restorers, tucked away in a Los Angeles warehouse, has been carefully reassembling Dalí’s fun house, Haring’s carousel, Basquiat’s Ferris wheel, and the 27 other art park installations. After more than 30 years in storage, the art park will make its grand return as a traveling event in 2024, with cities not yet announced. Visitors won’t be able to ride the original pieces, but the team behind the new Luna Luna promises it will feature rides and attractions by contemporary artists, reimagined fair foods, and more. Until we’re able to experience the real thing, Atlas Obscura took a trip down memory lane—with the help of images from Luna Luna: The Art Amusement Park (Phaidon, February 2023), the first English translation of Heller’s 1987 book about the project. Come with us to that summer, when a port city in northern Germany played host to the magical marvel known as Luna Luna.

This inflatable tent, the "Dream Station,” housed a cafe and was one of two attractions built by Vienna-born multimedia artist André Heller, Luna Luna’s creator. Heller also designed a wedding chapel where visitors could "marry" whomever they liked.
This inflatable tent, the “Dream Station,” housed a cafe and was one of two attractions built by Vienna-born multimedia artist André Heller, Luna Luna’s creator. Heller also designed a wedding chapel where visitors could “marry” whomever they liked. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Phaidon

This multicolored entrance archway to the park was designed by Ukrainian-born artist Sonia Delaunay shortly before her death. The painter may not be as famous as some of the other Luna Luna artists, but in 1964, the Louvre’s retrospective of her work was the first ever held at the museum for a living female artist.
This multicolored entrance archway to the park was designed by Ukrainian-born artist Sonia Delaunay shortly before her death. The painter may not be as famous as some of the other Luna Luna artists, but in 1964, the Louvre’s retrospective of her work was the first ever held at the museum for a living female artist. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Luna Luna LLC

American artist Kenny Scharf built this swing ride for the original Luna Luna art park. The ride, dedicated to the cosmic spirits of flight, was covered in a colorful array of geometric shapes and cartoon figures.
American artist Kenny Scharf built this swing ride for the original Luna Luna art park. The ride, dedicated to the cosmic spirits of flight, was covered in a colorful array of geometric shapes and cartoon figures. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Phaidon

Born in Los Angeles, Kenny Scharf credited his self-described, colorful “pop surrealist” style to the fact that he had grown up near Disneyland while being fed a steady diet of sitcoms and cartoons. His swing ride for Luna Luna (shown here) exemplifies his whimsical style.
Born in Los Angeles, Kenny Scharf credited his self-described, colorful “pop surrealist” style to the fact that he had grown up near Disneyland while being fed a steady diet of sitcoms and cartoons. His swing ride for Luna Luna (shown here) exemplifies his whimsical style. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Luna Luna LLC

A fire eater performs in front of English artist David Hockney's geometric forest pavilion. Best known as a painter and photographer, Hockney was an important member of the 1960s Pop Art movement.
A fire eater performs in front of English artist David Hockney’s geometric forest pavilion. Best known as a painter and photographer, Hockney was an important member of the 1960s Pop Art movement. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Luna Luna LLC

Born in New York in 1960, self-taught artist Jean-Michel Basquiat became one of the 20th century's most significant artists. He only agreed to design this Ferris wheel for Luna Luna after Heller got permission to use Miles Davis's 1986 song “Tutu,” which played during the ride.
Born in New York in 1960, self-taught artist Jean-Michel Basquiat became one of the 20th century’s most significant artists. He only agreed to design this Ferris wheel for Luna Luna after Heller got permission to use Miles Davis’s 1986 song “Tutu,” which played during the ride. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Phaidon

An aerial view of the 1987 Luna Luna, located in a Hamburg park. Weeks after the image was taken, the attractions were packed away into 44 shipping containers where they sat for more than 30 years.
An aerial view of the 1987 Luna Luna, located in a Hamburg park. Weeks after the image was taken, the attractions were packed away into 44 shipping containers where they sat for more than 30 years. Sabina Sarnitz, courtesy Luna Luna LLC

“My life thus far has been a never-ending flight of dreams, filled with wonder and challenges,” writes multimedia artist and Luna Luna creator André Heller in a new preface to his 1987 book about the park. The preface accompanies the first-ever English translation of the book, published earlier this year by Phaidon.
“My life thus far has been a never-ending flight of dreams, filled with wonder and challenges,” writes multimedia artist and Luna Luna creator André Heller in a new preface to his 1987 book about the park. The preface accompanies the first-ever English translation of the book, published earlier this year by Phaidon.

This story originally ran in 2023; it has been updated for 2023.