Immerse yourself in the Beyond Van Gogh Exhibit

People often think of Van Gogh as the art they see in museums. Famous paintings like The Starry Night (1889) or The Bedroom (1888). Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience not only brings to life the paintings, but also Vincent. In a way, it humanizes the man behind the art leading to greater appreciation of the artist and his works.

My wife and daughter experienced Beyond Van Gogh during it’s stop in Salt Lake City. However, the immersive experience is making its way across North America. Find the next stop for Beyond Van Gogh and grab tickets to immerse yourself in the art of Vincent Van Gogh.

A couple of weeks before exploring this museum, we saw some of Van Gogh’s art on display at the Musee D’Orsay in Paris. It was great to see the actual pieces of art on canvas, and then see them in this immersive experience.

Here’s a rundown on what you can expect as you plan your visit to the exhibit.

Getting tickets to Beyond Van Gogh

Tickets to the Beyond Van Gogh exhibit are available online. Visit BeyondVanGogh.com and click on your city. If tickets are on sale, click on the Purchase Tickets button. If tickets aren’t on sale yet, click on Register for Pre-Sale.

You’ll need to pick your date and timeslot, then you’ll be presented with multiple ticketing options. Prices range from about $40 to $94 for adults. Children 5-15 are only $25. Here’s a rundown on each of the ticket options available:

Basic Timed Entry ($47): This is your typical admission ticket for everyone 16+ and is for a specific time slot.

Group Timed Entry ($40): For groups of 8 or more (the group ticket basically saves you $7 per ticket) with a specific timed entry.

Premium Flex Ticket ($64): Premium Flex tickets allow you to enter up to two hours before or after the start time as stated on your ticket, subject to exhibit opening hours.

VIP Package ($94): VIP tickets include Premium ticket perks, priority access to the exhibit, and a Beyond Van Gogh merchandise package.

Student/Senior/Military Timed Entry ($42): Valid ID must be presented at entry and covers students up to age 25, seniors 65 and older, and members of the military.

Once you purchase your tickets online, you’ll be emailed your tickets and can access them on your phone. It’ll save you from having to print them out and bring in paper copies. When you arrive, simply show each ticket and the corresponding QR code so they can scan it, and you’re ready to go.

Read about Vincent Van Gogh

After your tickets are scanned in, you’ll receive a few instructions about your visit. They stressed the simple concept of “Don’t lean against the walls.” They are temporary walls, and they seem to have people falling down at least once a day from leaning on the walls.

The first part of the exhibit is a path through various quotes from Vincent and a brief history of his life. Many of the quotes were taken from letters Vincent wrote to his brother Theo. We all felt kinda inspired by the quotes shared in the exhibit, which often talked about beauty, success and life.

I really enjoyed how this was setup. The large panel walls with quotes, along with large empty picture frames guided visitors through the path. I encourage you to take the time to read each panel (available in English and Spanish). Don’t rush to get through this part and reach the main exhibit. It’s this portion of the experience where you learn more about the painter behind all the Van Goghs you’ll see.

Immerse yourself in his most famous paintings

The main 360-degree experience is amazing. The paintings really do come to life through animations that flow from one grouping of paintings to another. It doesn’t matter where in the 35-minute video loop you arrive, because it simply loops and keeps going. When you start to see the art you saw when you first entered the room, you’ll know you’ve seen the full loop.

ADVICE: Don’t watch the 35-minute experience through your phone. Yes, take a few photos. Maybe capture a little video here and there. But immerse yourself in the moment and enjoy the art as it comes to life.

As you can see from the photos below, you get to experience many different subjects of Van Gogh’s art. There are flowers in pots, fruits on the table, streets of Europe, night skies and portraits.

RELATED POST: Check out the real art of Van Gogh at the Musee D’Orsay in Paris

Overhead, there’s music playing that adds to the serene nature of the overall exhibit. At times, when a quote appears on the walls, you’ll hear a narrator reading it. At other times, there are little French voices that say small snippets of something. I couldn’t hear the words well enough to interpret the French. Sorry.

I liked to wander through the room and take it all in. Others found a beanbag or chair and enjoyed the show from their fixed position. Others simply sat on the floor. Do what works for you – but I enjoyed wandering, because you can’t necessarily see everything on the walls from a fixed position.

The Details:

Address: Varies based on host city. The exhibit in Salt Lake City, Utah has since closed – but find a list of the current cities via the link to their website below.

Cost: Ticket prices range from $25 to $94.

How Long to Spend: 45-60 minutes.

Parking: Varies based on host city.

Hours: Varies based on host city.

Website: Find the exhibit in a city near you at https://beyondvangogh.com/

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