Superheroes are lighting up North Texas this summer in an interesting way.
Starting Friday, Gaylord Texan Resort will unveil “Universe of Light”, the world’s first DC-themed lantern attraction. The exhibit features larger-than-life glowing sculptures of iconic characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman.
Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREThe immersive experience is on display at the Gaylord from May 23 through September 3, 2025.
Spanning 17,500 square feet, the attraction involves more than 1,000 handmade lanterns — many towering up to 24 feet tall. Each installation was meticulously crafted by 160 master artisans from Zigong, China, known as the “Lantern Capital of the World.”
Get top local stories delivered to you every morning with NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP The new partnership stems from a trip that Gaylord officials made to China as part of the yearly connection to artisans in Harbin, China, for the holiday ice sculpture exhibit that runs every winter season in North Texas.
“A lot of people in this area are familiar with ICE!, which we’ve done for over 20 years,” said Martha Neibling with Gaylord Texan. “While our special events team was in China, they also visited Zigong — a city with over a thousand years of lantern-making history. The artistry is just amazing. They wanted to develop a partnership with them and something specifically that we could do for summertime."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
During the exhibition, guests can walk through Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, sit inside the legendary Batmobile, witness a Justice League battle scene, and even meet DC characters in person.
The lantern display includes 200,000 pounds of sculpting by artisans, along with 30 miles worth of silk. The full installation traveled more than 7,800 miles from Zigong, China, to Grapevine, Texas
“Each lantern you see is hand-painted. It really overtakes your senses,” Neibling added. “It’s been incredible watching it come to life. Seeing those warehouses of raw metal and silk in the early photos, and now walking through this glowing universe—it’s just spectacular.”
“Universe of Light” is open to both resort guests and day visitors.
Click here for tickets and more information.
