Goodwill of Southern Nevada Donates Desert Tortoise E-Waste Sculpture to Las Vegas Natural History Museum
Luis Varela-Rico’s 2021 artwork “Pikai” is made of electronics donated to Goodwill
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (June 16, 2025) – Three-plus years after its unveiling at AREA15, a sculpture of a desert tortoise crafted by local artist Luis Valera-Rico from electronics donated at Goodwill stores will have a new home as of June 19 at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum (LVNHM).
In 2021, Meow Wolf commissioned Varela-Rico, a renowned metalworks artisan, to create the one-of-a-kind sculpture, named “Pikai: Saving the Earth from E-Waste” as a testament to the importance of proper recycling of electronics.
“We have proudly showcased Pikai at events and our corporate headquarters,” said Goodwill of Southern Nevada (Goodwill®) Chief of Marketing and External Relations Bryan Stewart. “We could think of no better permanent home than the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, the ideal habitat for him to educate a new generation that e-waste doesn't have to go to waste.”
“The Las Vegas Natural History Museum provides educational programming year-round through hands-on learning experiences, presentations and classes,” said LVNHM Executive Director Laurie Thomas. “Visitors of all ages will be delighted by sculpture’s fidelity to real-life tortoise, larger-than-life size, and underlying message.”
“The project is meant to shed light on the problem of electronic waste,” said Valera-Rico, whose six-by-four-foot, 72-cubic-foot sculpture is covered with motherboards, keyboard parts, lithium batteries, and other computer components. “Hopefully his presence at the museum will inspire visitors to support our natural environment by donating electronics responsibly and sustainably.”
At the June 19 handover ceremony, Goodwill will also present a check for $5,000 donated by customers in May to support the museum’s learning experiences when school is not in session.
About the Las Vegas Natural History Museum
The Las Vegas Natural History Museum was established in 1989 by a small group of citizens who knew the community would benefit from the educational resources it could provide. After very humble beginnings, this private nonprofit museum is now a Smithsonian Affiliate, accredited with the American Alliance of Museums, and is a federal and state repository for fossils and artifacts. From the desert to the ocean, from Nevada to Africa, from prehistoric times to the present, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum takes visitors of all ages on a learning adventure around the world. Please visit lvnhm.org.