Elsewhere

An absolutely wild and wonderful collaborative art space and museum. Friendly folks running it, and a photographer’s paradise. The interior designs change frequently and would be well worth repeat visits to see what new resident artists have created and dreamed up.

Matthew was a wonderful tour guide. He even offered to give a zoom tour at a later date of the third floor for me due to my physical limitations. It was so cool to see how the museum has progressed since my first visit years ago and to hear about the current missions and activities. There's no other place like this on earth DVD everyone should visit with an open mind and open heart.

Such a fun & interesting place to visit! Whether going with my teenage son, or my group of adult friends, it's always an adventure. Note: If you're sensitive to energies you can feel the presence of other beings in a particular spot where bones were found in the wall,( & it's strong too!) (:

My wife and I went here a few years ago and we absolutely loved it. It was a really unique experience. Despite it being a small space, there was so much to explore. The art itself was really meaningful, and I loved how queer affirming this space was. We hope to go again soon!

I’m from Portland and I loved this place. It was so odd, weird, and inspiring. I loved the strange art incorporating what often folks throw away into art pieces. It felt like the inside of a hoarder’s mind depicted artistically. Like if Alice in Wonderland took place in a Goodwill. Then the swings at the front are wonderful. Depicting the childlike wonder we wish to remain in while the chaos of capitalism, toys, products, and all human trash or treasure spins around us and we just remain naive to it. Of course these are just some of my takeaways from my first visit but you bet I’ll be back.

Elsewhere was a really interesting experience. I'm a very hands-on person, so it's nice to go to a museum where I can touch everything.

Totally unique space if you have patience and an open mind. I think it is amazing what they are doing there in terms of the art gallery itself and artist residency. The docent at the front desk was very informative both about the history of the building itself and thrift store turned interactive art gallery. You are actually encouraged to touch and to move things, thus 'changing the art gallery forever', to create, and to collaborate with the other artists there. I'm a noise artist and so I loved the installation they had there that was a sound instrument consisting of children's toys. I didn't even get to see the second or third floor as they were closed at the time but they give guided tours of the rest of the building at certain times.

I love the concept of this place, but I feel like more should be done with the interesting space. It doesn't take long to see everything, and it's cheap. Fun to briefly explore, but I wasn't sure where I should stop exploring. There was some kind of bar/cafe thing with a group of people talking like a meeting was going on. I wasn't sure if that was public or not. It didn't feel welcoming to the public. They ask for a small donation of $1-5. My favorite sights in this place were the "supportive" bench and the detailed flowchart on the chalkboard. Definitely unique and inspirational.

I met Mrs. Gray years ago through one of her sons. She was a real gem. I don't like the term "character", but she was one of those things. And a good mother. I wish I had gotten to know her. Years ago, I went back to her shop. Mrs. Gray had died years before. Her shop was now a kind of exhibit place, and it was still filled with an incredible collection of "stuff" - toys, lunchboxes, wigs, figurines, buttons, everything you can think of - and lots of it in bins classified by color like a big bin of red toy cars. It was overwhelming and a lot of fun. I think the grand daughter or niece of Mrs. Gray was my friendly hostess in the store. I was allowed to roam the store freely - alone, stunned and amazed. They had named the place Elsewhere and there was some sort of organized group connected to the place. I got on their mailing list and sent them a contribution. Some years later, in 2014, I returned to my beloved hometown, Greensboro, for a visit. An old friend of mine and I walked the length of Elm Street, starting at the few blocks leading up to the Jefferson Standard Building - heading toward Lee Street. I relived many memories of my youth, my "hippie days" (circa 1967) and my working class hero days on that walk. We stopped in a lot of shops and the clerks and customers were friendly and seemed to like us. We supported those shops by making some purchases. It was quite a pleasant stroll. We reached Elsewhere. I hadn't been back there for decades. The people there were very full of themselves. They seemed suspicious of us, two traditional looking white old guys. I guess that was it. I've been around and I can recognize people who are too hip for their own good. They were entirely unwelcoming. I got the feeling that they wondered what we were doing there. They treated us like we were shoplifters or CIA. We wordlessly left the place. It was very disappointing to me. I did not send another donation.

Not a favorite of mine, but others may find it enjoyable. There are tons of toys and gadgets to see there. For me it was messy and overwhelming. I had to leave. But others may find it interesting. The place is unique in that it's organized but it's got so much stuff, it looks messy. Personally, I avoid the place. Others may find it a fun place to take a date.

Declared a museum, converted into artsy studio. Non traditional style, collections of junk(not really, but at our homes we'd probably call it junk), piles of fabric, discarded toys, piles of old styrofoam egg cartons, and fabric stacks everywhere. It sounds like it wouldn't work, but it does. The color and textures play against each other. I tell you, I would NOT start displaying my egg cartons, but there, it works. Go and check it out for yourself. Before you up and leave, take a little cash. Suggested donations from $1-$5 are requested. They will take cards but for this just toss a little green. Then go walking. Explore the kitschy, the junky, the old broken yet charming collections. Something that is also cool and is more brand new and hi tech - the kitchen area. There is still stacks of plates and cups towering like 15 feet high or more. But the fridge is some fancy double glass door with deep open shelves. Everything is labeled. I would love that at my place. Even better if someone else eat that up . As you might expect even the bathroom is artfully designed although not with your typical hgtv style. It's fresh, and funky (is that what the kids today still say?). And peaking out one of the back doors exposed this lovely shared garden and sitting area. I'd kill to have something like that but I'm not sure that's actually available to share.

What a fun little place to visit! I drove past it on Elm street and I couldn't help but be drawn in visually by the eye candy of this place. I hit the breaks and immediately parked my rental so i could satisfy my itching curiosity. Plenty of street parking made it easy to pull over on a whim! When i walked in, i wasn't sure if this place was a coffee shop, or a thrift store, or a restaurant, you just can't tell until you ask. Luckily, ladies in the front were ready to give me a thorough explanation. Elsewhere is a living museum; meaning, everything inside used to belong to an old lady (who i believe is already dead). you donate $1 to go inside and then you are allowed to interact with everything you see. You can pick up books, play with toys, play the musical instruments, move things around. You name it! you can do it! Piles and piles of random tid bits and jurassic technology lurks around watching you from infinite shelf space and hidden corners. Broken 1950s television set houses a 1970s typewriter. Toy cars are piled together, toy phones are displayed artistically. Fabric is color coded and so are books. Let your imagination run wild here and don't be afraid to touch and feel and see everything that is around you. Trust your inner artist to be moved by the environment and then move the environment to leave a little piece of your voice in here. Move a little toy gun from the green toy section and put it on top of a book in the library. Or rip a page out of a book, write on it and place it inside a typewriter. You can do all of this in here! I believe this place also doubles as an art/center/school where they invite an artist in residency to teach workshops and classes at different times of the year. This reminded me of a few things: 1) The 2009 Exhibit at the MOCA in NYC: "Waste Not" by Chinese artist Song Dong, about his mother's hoarding behaviors after her husband's passing. 2) The City Museum in St. Louis, MO 3) The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles, CA. 4) A really cool antique/thrift/flea market I really enjoyed stumbling upon Elsewhere. A creative way to turn junk into art and let you, the visitor, interact with your chaotic surroundings!

Elsewhere is a magical little place in the middle of Greensboro. It used to be a thrift store many many years ago for 4 generations, then for what I understand, it was abandoned and they decided to reopen it as a museum. The concept is pretty neat, they invite a group of artists to collaborate and create installations using the toys/clothing/fabrics and other old stuff currently in the building, so every time you go you will have a different experience. They ask for a $1+ dollars donation to enter, which is nothing compared to the fun that it is to explore it. You will have a crazy nostalgia attack when you see bins and bins full of your favorite toys growing up. When I arrived, everyone was super friendly. It's important to mention that they have some really cool dinner events every week. Check it out!

I came here a year ago and forgot to write a review, but just remembered how dumb this place was and felt compelled to warn other potential visitors. "Elsewhere" is simply a large building filled with garbage. It isn't nostalgic, artistic, edgy or whatever else they'd have you believe. It is just a series of dirty rooms filled with stuff you'd tell your senile grandparents they should throw out. If you've seen the Harry Potter movies, it's basically Greensboro's version of the Room of Requirement. Except nothing at Elsewhere is magical and at least Crabbe had the common sense to burn all the junk Hogwarts had kept around for too long. The best part of Elsewhere is that they ask you to pay to see their garbage! It's genius. However, there are several dumpsters within walking distance of Elsewhere that don't charge admission that my group found equally compelling on our Garbage Tour of South Downtown. "Wow! Look at this filthy broken toy from the 1950s! Amazing!", said no one, ever. I love art, creativity, free expression and design. It's truly wonderful and an integral part of our society. Elsewhere is not art. It is not creativity. It is not useful. It is a hipster parasite occupying what would otherwise be a lovely storefront in a revitalized part of downtown GSO. On a positive note, they did have a large open window in the front that let a lot of fresh air in. It helped combat that "old dirty junk" smell.

Previously a thrift store, where you could hardly haggle out an affordable price for anything. Thus, the collection grew and grew, never servicing the customers as much as the archive which would later become Elsewhere. Years later the collection of "thrift" items has become an artist's playground. Clothing, musical instruments, toys and electronics all become the objects of creation and exploration. Only one rule has remained from thrift story history to date: what enters the building never leaves and lives on forever in this eclectic collection.

I never knew Greensboro has such a fun and funky art scene but this place is it for sure. I went with some friends to their Spirit festival and it was like stepping into a dreamworld of inspiration. The property is old yet timeless and with so much vintage and antique around you can feel transported to another era but the quirky modernity of it all brings you back. It's like stepping in and out of eras. Surreal and so very masterfully artsy. There were tons of textiles, nostalgia, avant-garde exhibits that were placed so that it flowed in a way that didn't feel like a studio instead of an experience. They had various bands that evening, food and drink and ways to get involved in the action. Most of the artists were dressed up in vintage clothing and as they mingled you felt like you had stepped back in time. Definitely a lot of Spirit here. Lots of nooks and crannies and rooms to explore and an outdoor little patio area and dancing some really fun Irish jigs kept us on our toes all night. Would definitely check it out with or without an event.

I've been to Elsewhere several times (pre-COVID). It's a place I always recommend for friends who live in or are traveling to Greensboro. It's one of those delightfully wonderful places that you just can't experience anywhere else! The bins of toys are a walk down memory lane for Gen Xers like me. There's something to discover around every corner, and it never stays the same, so each visit is unique. For even a better experience, take the tour! Several floors of art experiences. I think it's up there with Meow Wolf, if you're familiar with that, if Meow Wolf was as lucky to have live-in artists. I wish I could get a chance to live there and create art! Can't wait to see you guys again :)

One of my favorite places in GSO- for the people, inclusivity, and the playfulness of the space. First Fridays are fun with new installations to explore from artists representing both nationally and internationally. Definitely a one of a kind experience that you should check out if you are in the area!

It's just the coolest, quirkiest place! Once known as a collection, (and in this day and age, more likely known as hoarding), one lady's lifelong acquisitions are turned into a Living Museum. What does that mean? You can interact with all the pieces, and rearrange them, leaving your own interpretation of an exhibit, or unique stamp on the place. If you're not sure what to make of the jars of marbles, stacks of toy trucks, or bins of Christmas ornaments, turn to the exhibits that are set up to encourage play. My parents and I loved the musical instrument corner -- various instruments, and pots and pans, are strung from the ceiling. The entire floor is covered in bouncey balls. Take a ball, throw it at a drum, a gong, a xylophone, and make "music." The Living Library also had a build-a-story-book section. Little surprises like costume pieces, and chalkboard challenges are hiding in every corner. We spent about 30 minutes in here, but you could easily spend longer exploring and playing. And the interactive exhibits change. To me, this is the perfect kind of place for a first date. It's just $1 donation to get in too!

I came here with some friends when we went to Greensboro for the day. It's certainly a unique spot! I think we spent about 30 minutes to an hour walking around. There's so much to see and it's definitely quirky! The backyard space is beautiful if the weather is nice.

This place is amazing! I could have stayed for hours! There was so much to do and see. I was able to help a volunteer make a quilt and observed the resident artists work and make their dinner, which was interesting. I loved all of the details. There is nothing like this place, it's almost like a playground for adults and kids. It's slightly different every time you visit, which is really neat. I can't wait to go back and bring friends! It has something for everyone!

This is an ever changing, live museum...it is very interesting! Kids LOVE this place because they can interact and become part of the museum. It is also cool because all they ask for is a donation when you walk in the front door. If you have the time, you should definitely check it out.

Very cool experience! The community here is different and quirky and the exhibits are unique. Worth a walk through.

Go on the tour! It's so worth the $5. There is really great art upstairs and you get way more info about the whole history of the place.