World Art Utopia

Field of Light — Uluru

Thousands of small glowing light stems by Bruce Munro spread across red desert sand and spinifex near Uluru at dusk, with a few desert oaks on the horizon
Artwork FileUluru, Australia

Field of Light

StandingMar 2026

Bruce Munro · 2016 · Ayers Rock Resort near Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia

Photo: DaHuzyBru / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), as published in Street Art Utopia; full photo.

Field of Light is a desert installation of 50,000 solar-powered light stems by British artist Bruce Munro at Ayers Rock Resort near Uluru. It opened on 1 April 2016 for what was planned as a one-year run. Its lights and infrastructure were upgraded in 2024, and on 31 March 2026, at its 10th anniversary, the operator Voyages said it will stay until at least the end of 2029. Source Source Source Source Checked

Standing Mar 2026: on 31 March 2026, at the work’s 10th anniversary, the operator Voyages said Field of Light will stay at Uluru until at least the end of 2029. Source Checked

More photos

Close view of glowing glass spheres on thin stems linked by tangled lit optical fibres at night, with rows of red and orange lights behind
2016 First yearPhoto: Romain Pontida / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Wide panorama at dusk of thousands of red, violet and yellow lights spread across desert scrub under a deep blue sky with silhouetted trees
2017 Past its planned endPhoto: Paul Balfe / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

💡 4 things to know

  1. An idea from a 1992 camping tripMunro first thought of the work while camping at Uluru in 1992 with his then fiancée Serena. The Art Newspaper says the installation was 24 years in the making. Source Checked
  2. A Pitjantjatjara nameThe Uluru installation was named tili wiru tjuta nyakutjaku, which designboom translates as 'looking at lots of beautiful lights' in the local Pitjantjatjara language. Source Reported
  3. Meant to be temporaryThe operator Voyages says the work was intended to be temporary when it opened in 2016, and that some 750,000 people had seen it by early 2026. Source Checked
  4. Refreshed, then extended to 2029The installation was refreshed in 2024, with its lights and infrastructure upgraded. On 31 March 2026, during its 10th-anniversary weekend, Voyages confirmed it will remain until at least the end of 2029. Source Checked

📍 Where it is

Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, Northern Territory, about 10 km from Uluru Source Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

Opens a map at -25.2548, 130.9992, where the 2025 hero photo was taken, beside the installation.

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 201623 Feb

    Announced for 1 April · The Art Newspaper

  2. 20161 Apr

    Opened at Ayers Rock Resort · designboom

  3. 201710 May

    Photo of the lit field, after its planned end date

  4. 202522 Jan

    Refurbished; extension to April 2027 announced (since superseded) · Travel Weekly

  5. 20255 Oct

    Photo taken at night

  6. 202611 Feb

    10th anniversary celebrations announced · Voyages

  7. 202631 Mar

    Extension to at least end of 2029 confirmed at 10th anniversary · Voyages

  8. 20262 Apr

    10-year celebration held at Ayers Rock Resort · Travel Weekly

Green stamps mark dated photographs (the date given on the photo’s page); amber stamps mark records, events and reports. Publication dates are not photo dates.

🗞️ In the sources

The Art Newspaper23 February 2016

Bruce Munro’s light installation to illuminate Ayers Rock

“The installation has been 24 years in the making.”

Read the source →

designboom1 April 2016

bruce munro illuminates australia’s vast desert landscape in a field of light

“the sculpture stretches to an area the size of four football fields just beside uluru”

Read the source →

Travel Weekly22 January 2025

Uluru’s Field of Light installation undergoes major refurbishment

“has undergone a major refurbishment and its presence extended until April 2027”

Read the source →

✅ The facts

Artist
Bruce Munro, British light artist Source Checked
Opened
1 April 2016 Source Checked
Planned run when it opened
One year, 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 Source Checked
Size
50,000 solar-powered stems Source Checked
Area
About 49,000 sq m (The Art Newspaper, Travel Weekly); compared to four football pitches (The Art Newspaper, designboom) or seven football fields (Voyages) Source Source Source Source Conflicting
Pitjantjatjara name
Tili wiru tjuta nyakutjaku, 'looking at lots of beautiful lights' (spelled Nyakunytjaku by Travel Weekly) Source Reported
Location
Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, about 10 km from Uluru Source Source Source Checked
Inspiration
A 1992 visit to Uluru with his fiancée, now wife, Serena Source Checked
Refurbishment
Major refurbishment overseen by Munro's team in late 2024 (Voyages); according to Travel Weekly, all luminous and fibre-optic parts were replaced Source Source Checked
Extended until
At least the end of 2029 (announced 31 March 2026; a January 2025 extension had run to April 2027) Source Checked
Visitors
More than 750,000 by March 2026 (operator figure) Source Checked
Power
Munro's first solar-powered Field of Light Source Checked
Longest-running
The original and longest-running Field of Light, according to Voyages Source Reported

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 11 November 2026 · How we verify art