The 2026 Black Rock City Temple Will Be 'Temple of the Moon,' Inspired by a Flower That Blooms One Night a Year

Artist James Gwertzman's Temple of the Moon, a 170-foot parametric timber structure inspired by the rare Queen of the Night cactus flower, was announced as the 2026 Temple on February 6.

Burning Man Project announced the 2026 Temple design on February 6, 2026: Temple of the Moon, led by artist James Gwertzman with the Moonlight Collective and a volunteer build crew, plus architect Annie Locke Scherer and build lead Tim Priest. Every year's Temple is a sacred, non-denominational space that burns on the event's final night, the traditionally more reflective counterpart to the Man burn.

The design draws on the Queen of the Night, a desert cactus whose flower opens for a single night each year, connecting that fleeting bloom to lunar cycles as a metaphor for impermanence. The structure is about 170 feet in diameter with a central spire reaching 52 feet, eight gateway entrances tied to major moon phases, and crown petals designed to hinge open at sunset and close at sunrise.

Gwertzman, who trained in theater set and lighting design before a career in video games, previously created Prairie of Possibilities (2022–2023) and the Moonlight Library (2025) — works that formed the Moonlight Collective now building the 2026 Temple. Community members can contribute directly: the temple's fence uses CNC-cut panels incorporating community-submitted moon and flower designs.