Abstract: The Qingdao Virtual Reality Innovation Center project adopts an inverted conical space truss support cylinder and a steel frame structure system. The bottom inverted conical space structure has a novel shape, and its load transmission mechanism and bearing performance are not yet clear. Therefore, this paper takes the inverted conical steel truss structure as a research object. Based on a geometric similarity ratio of 1∶10, the principle of stress equivalence and the actual constraint conditions, a scaled model of the inverted conical single-bay steel truss structure was designed. A vertical static load-bearing test was conducted on this scaled model, obtaining the load-displacement response, strain development law, failure mode and deformation characteristics of the model. The results show that the model specimen first undergoes weld tearing failure at the connection node between the upper connecting beam and the inclined truss, with the bearing capacity dropping to 55%. After continued loading, the bearing capacity slowly increases. Subsequently, the lower connecting beam fractures, causing a significant drop in bearing capacity again, a rapid increase in the vertical deflection of the specimen, and an overall bending deformation characteristic. The structure can still bear the load, with the upper and lower connecting beams acting as a secondary defense line. Eventually, local buckling occurs to the members at the column foot position of the specimen. Based on the experimental failure mode and through a comparison with numerical simulation results, the load transmission mechanism of this structure was further revealed, and relevant design suggestions were provided. The research results offer theoretical support for the design and analysis of such engineering projects.