Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky

Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky is an environmental sculpture made of stone and wood with a turf-covered roof and white cement interior in Museum Park. It measures about 12 feet across and features a small opening in the roof that controls light entry.

This artwork was created in 2003 by British artist Chris Drury and commissioned by the North Carolina Museum of Art through the Robert F. Phifer Bequest. The structure was developed as part of Drury's international series of similar installations exploring optical principles.

The structure operates as a camera obscura, projecting upside-down views of surrounding foliage and sky onto interior surfaces through a small roof aperture. Visitors experience this optical effect by allowing their eyes to adjust to the darkness inside.

The sculpture sits within the 146-acre Ann and Jim Goodnight Museum Park and requires visitors to fully close the door for optimal viewing of the internal light effects. It is best visited on cloudy or sunny days, as outdoor light conditions affect how clearly the projected images appear inside.

This is one of only sixteen cloud chambers created by Chris Drury worldwide and one of just two examples in the United States. The installation demonstrates an optical principle dating back to the Renaissance, reimagined here through a modern artistic lens.