In June, I started to see ads for the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit appear on my Facebook timeline. I was instantly intrigued by the prospect of experiencing this exhibit when it started in August here in Phoenix. I automatically knew it would be a great outing for my mother and I to have in August because it was our birthday month. I thought it would be an excellent way to celebrate another year of life on this earth.
After I perused the photos on the exhibit website, I saved the link so that I could refer back to it when I was ready to purchase our tickets. However, when the beginning of August arrived, the tickets were sold out for the days I wanted to visit the exhibit. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.
Fortunately, as luck would have it, I decided to look for tickets in October and was happy to see that they had plenty of tickets available throughout the month. So, I mentioned that there were tickets available to my mother and her art loving friend Nancy and they were eager to attend. Oh happy day!
I quickly purchased our three tickets before they ran out again and locked in our date. Then, I made arrangements for us to meet up and ride together to see what all of the hype was all about.
If you want to know if the show was worth the hype, take a moment to read about our immersive Van Gogh exhibit experience below.
Let’s Start At The Beginning
I purchased our tickets for October 22nd at 11 am. We arrived approximately 15 minutes early in order to give us time to find a parking space and walk to the location. There were two signs along our path that pointed us in the direction of the exhibit. Once we turned the last corner, we saw another sign indicating that we had arrived and directing us to take the escalator down to the entrance.
The adventure began with the escalator ride. The middle, which separated up from down, was lined with bright sunflowers. Even the staircase alongside the escalators leading to the entrance was painted blue with white flowers and the Van Gogh Exhibit title. Clearly, these visual touches were placed there to prepare us for the experience waiting for us inside.
The Experience Begins
Once we reached the bottom of the escalator, we stood in a short line. Then we donned our masks as directed, flashed our tickets, and headed into the space, eager to see what was next.
Upon entering the building, we knew we were in for a visual treat. The lobby of the site was colorful, bright, and full of art. There was also a small area to buy refreshments, a help desk, and a gift shop. The staff enthusiastically directed us to the entrance of the exhibit and that’s where the fun began.
The Grand Entrance
The entrance to the exhibit was a great artistic preview of the main event. It was a tunnel lined with black and white rectangular arches that were covered in artwork that was lit from within. The lights brightened and dimmed as we strolled down the path. It was definitely a cool start to this artistic adventure.
The Immersive Experience
After strolling down the creative abstract tunnel, we made it to the entrance of the exhibit. A staff member was there to greet us and gently pull back the black curtain to expose us to an entirely new and exciting environment. As we sauntered across the threshold, we were instantly thrust into the world of Vincent Van Gogh.
To say that we were “immersed” in the world of Van Gogh is putting it mildly. All of the walls and floors were covered with art. It was a beautiful sight to behold. We stood in the smaller room for about ten minutes trying to take it all in, then we made our way to the larger room.
The larger room displayed the same video as the first room. The only difference was that it was much larger in size, it had a few benches scattered throughout the room for seating, and there were social distancing circles displayed on the floor.
We found a few circles to stand in and watched the video in awe. The art seamlessly transitioned from one painting to the next. Accompanied by a wonderfully curated soundtrack, the images floated, flashed, and undulated across the surface of the walls with ease. Effortlessly telling the story of Van Gogh’s artistic journey.
The entire experience took about an hour to enjoy. Fortunately, my mother was able to find an empty bench for us to sit on for the last half of the show.
After we finished looking at the exhibit, we ventured into the gift shop. It had the typical items you would expect to find in a gift shop. They even had masks that were made out of fabric covered in Van Gogh art. We decided not to purchase anything because they would turn into dust collectors in the house.
Final Thoughts
This was a delightful outing from beginning to end. The experience was visually stimulating, yet relaxing at the same time. Additionally, the soundtrack expertly set the tone for the audience to not only see, but feel what was happening during each part of the exhibit. This was a wonderful way to visually learn about Van Gogh and his art. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to try new experiences.
Tips
If you decide to visit this exhibit, here are a few tips to help you have a pleasant experience.
- Purchase Tickets In Advance. Don’t wait until the last minute because they will probably be sold out.
- Try Going During The Week. The tickets are cheaper during the week versus the weekend.
- Arrive Early. This will ensure you have enough time to find a parking space, walk to the venue, and stand in line.
- Bring Your Mask. A mask is required to view the exhibit.
- Take a Portable Chair If You Can. Otherwise, you will be standing or sitting on the hard floor for over an hour.
- Take Plenty of Pics and Videos. You will definitely want a few photos and videos as mementos of the experience.
