A group of artists led by Mike Tyka and Barry Brumitt built an enormous functioning model of the original Rubik’s Cube for the 2009 Burning Man desert arts festival. Called “Groovik’s Cube,” it was balanced on one corner and appeared to rise out of the desert, floating in the air.

Lit from within by LEDs, the 40-foot structure glowed so brightly that it could be seen from two miles away.

Groovik’s Cube required three players to operate, with each controlling one axis of the Cube. Situated 50 feet apart, the players needed to find a way to communicate and collaborate on moves while dwarfed by the massive object they were controlling, bathed in its glow, and laughing in excitement.

Many believed it was impossible to solve, but the first night it was open, Cube fanatics assembled a team, worked out a communication system, and solved it in two hours!

Today, Liberty Science Center has partnered with the Groovik’s Cube team to build a version sturdy enough to travel internationally alongside the Beyond Rubik’s Cube exhibition. Learn how you can help.

The original Groovik's Cube at Burning Man in 2009.