I came here this past Saturday with my Bonus Dad and had a great time! We had a reservation for 4pm and parking was only $6 for 2 hours which is excellent for DC. When you walk in the exhibit, it is an open space with a large sunflower backdrop for pictures. After you check in, you can take a more professionalized photo, chose your background and purchase it at the gift shop for $10. It was not crowded at all which is great because it gives you time (and space) to read about the artist Vincent Van Gogh. I learned a lot and saw more replicas of his artwork. Only reason why I had to deduct a star is because there were some evident errors in years posted of his work. One piece said he created a masterpiece in the 1900s and another said he did artwork in 1837 when he wasn't even born yet lol. The best parts of the immersive experience were the 360 room of theatrical lights, the 10 minute Virtual Reality ($5 p/p) and the staff I met along the way. My bonus dad and I spent about 30-40 mins in the room watching the story of Van Gogh's background. I was amazed at the different screens displaying so much I didn't know where to look because every screen was covered. The strobe lights on the floor were emulating birds and rain. The VR was well explained and made comfortable by Perry. At the end of the VR, you then walk into the gift shop and explore a few souvenirs. We met Donnie and Paige there who had wonderful, vibrant personalities. I purchased our pics from the booth earlier and he bought a flask with shot glasses. This was my 1st time at this exhibit and in this area that I saw many cool places to check out later like Metro Bar, a movies theater next door, & an indoor pickle-ball/rollerskate place. The dinosaur exhibit was right next door so don't be frightened if you hear a tyrannosaurus while checking out Van Gogh's work :D read more

Really cool and unique experience!!! I am so happy I did this!! I learned a lot about my favorite artist and it was a fairly long experience. It about 1hr - 1hr 30 mins to go through. The first part was info on Van Gogh and his life. There were pictures of a lot of his paintings if not all. It wasn't super crowded, I did the VIP experience which came with a virtual reality portion at the end. You get a head set and it basically goes through another set of info on the artist life. You don't have to do the VIP experience to do it. There's a sign that says $5 at the end to participate. I'm not too sure how much it was in total cause my bf paid but I think it was around $75. My favorite part was the Artechouse house like portion where you have like a 20-30 mins of watch all his paintings, quotes, and inspo on the walls. It's a 360 experience and they provide benches, chairs, blankets, etc.... I'd recommend if you like art exhibits and Van Gogh read more

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Absolutely, phenomenal! A friend invited me to this exhibit and since it is all the buzzzz, I decided to go. Well, I must say that it didn't disappoint! I LOVED learning more about this very talented artist and seeing his works in motion. For starters, Mika (or Meeka not sure of the spelling) greeted and checked us in. She was sooooooo very helpful from directing us to register our cars that were parked in the lot to giving us guidance to ensure we had an amazing experience. She's the BEST!!!!! We proceeded to walk the exhibit which included narrated segments of the artists life along with visual stimulation that was unbelievable to the eye! The amazing colors were breathtaking!! There is 30 mins of amazing animation that will mesmerize you, so be prepared to sit in awe of his art in movement. We had the VIP package, which allows to experience the virtual reality show - which was so worth it- toward the end of the walking exhibit. We also received a poster of choice before exiting the event. Amazing visual stimulation abounds! It's a must see! read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pretty interesting exhibit to learn all about Van Gogh but it can be a little pricey. The best part was the immersive room with the live art. I could sit there for hours to watch all the paintings come to life. I recommend waiting until you get to the exhibit to pay for parking since it's cheaper than booking ahead. Overall, this is a good rainy day activity. It probably traits 90 minutes tops. read more

Whether you love art, Van Gogh the artist specifically, or just want to know more about his life or his collection, this experience is a must-do. It is tucked behind the main road in an upper parking lot. Free parking...in DC! We went on a Friday at 1:30pm in August, and it was fairly empty. It is a self-directed tour, so you can go at your own pace. It can take you anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours, depending on what you decide to read, view, watch, and experience. Luckily it was fairly empty when we attended. We brought our two boys with ASD and they enjoyed looking at the digital recreations and 3D features. Of course their favorite part of the exhibit was the large immersive experience room. They had rugs and a few beanbag chairs and sling back chairs in addition to traditional benches. We enjoyed watching it from the floor on a rug and a beanbag chair. The exhibit itself was curated beautifully. It really told the story of Van Gogh and I learned far more about his life, his relationships with family/friends, and his struggles than I ever have before. For example, I had no idea he studied the Japanese masters and what influence it had on his work! His story and his art both really came to life in this exhibit. We sadly did not opt for the VR room, as our boys have trouble with VR headsets. I hear it's amazing, though. We did participate in the art room where you can draw or color your own inspired pieces of art with a scanner to digitize and memorialize it when you're done (and you can pin it to the wall or bring it home with you). I really enjoyed this exhibit and would like to come back without my kids so I could linger longer and try the VR room too. read more

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Nice display of information on Vincent, his art, short life and the troubles he endured. The highlight is the imersive portion, in a large room, four wall projection of Van Gogh's art along with serine music. You can sit on chairs, benches, or just lounge on the floor and enjoy the scene. A little overpriced but a nice event. Plenty of parking. read more

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There's an old phrase that I think applies perfectly to this situation- "two is better than one". So what I mean, is this was my second Van Gogh experience, and oh baby! It's crazy to even go to one, but twice?! It was sooo awesome and I would honestly do a third if given the opportunity. This DC experience was something really special, though. It was even better than the other one I went to, and I didn't believe that was possible. There are 3 parts to this one: there's projections where you can walk around and learn more about famous Van Gogh paintings and the mind behind creating them. It's so emotional and stunning and easy to spend a ton of time. The second part is "immersive"- you go into a large presentation room where Van Gogh art is literally shone into the walls, floors and all over. It's mesmerizing, enchanting, another place to easily spend so much time just lounging and enjoying. Lastly, there's the really interactive part where you can walk through giant sized Van Gogh paintings, and then you can color in your own Van Gogh! There's also a VR part that you can pay extra for and put on virtual goggles and learn even more into the mind of Van Gogh. I didn't do it and still absolutely loved the overall experience. read more

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Have you heard of the Van Gogh Immersion Experience? Newly opened currently in Washington, DC. #vangogh #dcblogger #vangoghimmersiveexperience "Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all. Certainly the most popular, greatest painter of all time. The most beloved, his command of colour most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world, no one had ever done it before." ~Dr. Who, Vincent & the Doctor For a few hours, you are transformed and immersed, into the world and art of one of the finest, most celebrated artist of all time. What's mind blowing, is that he was only barely 40 years old, when he left this Earth. This art experience was worth the cost of admission. I'd recommend it. It's a temporary exhibition that has been moving throughout the country, so hurry up and go, before it leaves for the next city. Be kind, be brave and always be a friend to those in need. Travel often, live and eat deliciously. read more

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Very well done exhibit ! Not only do you get a wealth of information about the artist, you get to see certain reproductions of a number of his works. The stages of Vincent's personal life as he suffered & battled for his sanity as it was translated through his paintings may evoke feelings of sadness for the painter. The colorful imagery were visually stunning & stimulating! Especially the last part of the exhibit where it's a kind of total immersion was sooo awesome! I have no other words, it's an experience like no other! My photos & videos don't do it justice. The average time that one goes through the whole exhibit is supposed to be 1 1/2 hours. We stayed over 2 hours. There is also an additional VR experience at the end ( for an additional $5 ) . Just gogh !!! Parking is freeee!!!! read more

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I will say the experience is worth it if you can get a reasonably priced ticket. I did appreciate that the location was easy to find and that there was ample parking. I was also grateful that there was enough spacing, so it never felt too crowded. I had minimal interaction with staff who were polite. However, I will say the building did lack an overall feeling of cleanliness. Overall, it was a cool experience, where I felt like I learned more about the Van Gogh's history, and dove deeper into his style while also having an opportunity to just appreciate his art. read more

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So fun and interactive! This is the next level of visiting an art gallery- here the art literally comes to life. The name could not be more accurate... Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. You really get immersed into the mind and works of Vincent Van Gogh. There are opportunities to hear, see and experience the art come to life with a series of installation pieces, rooms full of stimulation and virtual reality elements. read more

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Really wanted to do this - so much so that I (1) accidentally ordered single tickets and then extra tickets. Came here on a Saturday afternoon. Located in a pop-up former market or big box store, painted all up and ready to roll. Parking could be tight - so I would recommend uber if you can. We were able to get a parking space. Our time slot was 3pm - but I never got a sense that that mattered - it was kind of a checkin and then free for all. You just walked through. The inmersion room with the video type presentation is constantly running so there's no real sense of start and finish. And being a routine/structure type person it was hard to manage. I really liked the 3D displays and life like representations of the paintings - the sound and music was really nice - though I wish the gift shop items had more quality. Would recommend. Also appreciated the coloring part - though I wish I could have taken the Van Gogh crayons as mentioned on the signage. read more

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We took our grandson (3 years old) to see the dinosaurs. He's shown a fascination with them and we thought that this would be something that he would enjoy. It didn't disappoint. He was able to see various dinosaurs, had the chance to ride one (kind of like those animal/car/motorcycle rides outside of a store), and there was a room where the kids could throw dodge balls at the walls to make the water creatures react. Pretty cool exhibit! read more

If you're in any way connected to the art scene or even art culturally aware, you've heard of Vincent Van Gogh. If like myself you're obsessed with his life, artwork and legacy you may find this display underwhelming. Some have been fortunate to see many non-public Van Goghs at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam or through traveling exhibits; this exhibit is not on that scale but does an nice job integrating the guest "into" the exhibits. Definitely wonderful for children, you MUST do the Virtual Reality for $5.00 it's a must! read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was a great experience. I went early, at 9:00 a.m. and I recommend that, as I was easily able to get parking. The line started around 8:45 and the exhibit opened on time. I appreciate the tip to go right to the immersive room, which I did and had it to myself for almost 15 minutes. That's the way to go. I probably spent an hour going through the entire show and enjoyed it. I wish the store had more reasonably priced mounted prints and overall, their items were a bit disappointing. But I highly recommend this show. read more

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While the exhibit did describe van Gogh's life and art, it wasn't as immersive as I wanted it to be. I thought that the projector room was kind of overrated for the price that we were paying. There wasn't anything to interact with. There was one room, but it was lackluster. read more

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We went to a movie at the Alamo on Easter and saw this was next door so came to check it out. While the exhibit was really cool in a lot of ways, I do have a few problems with it. Elephant in the room - they are charging a ton of money for this exhibit. Where does that money go? The artist is long dead. The immersive stuff was pretty cool, and someone had to produce that media, I get it, but there actually aren't any original works to see in the exhibit (my second issue with it). There are screen printings of many of his works and some reproductions of the sets, and then the immersive experience which is a lot of the art blown up onto big walls and swirling around and such. It's neat, but at the prices they charge it's not accessible to the masses, and I would like to see great art be more accessible to the masses. With how much money they are charging just for base admission, charging a surcharge for the "VR experience" seems ridiculous. We didn't bother with it. In a city where we have tons of museums that are free to the public, it's a shame that a traveling roadshow exhibit charges so much money. I love going to museums, and I love art, and I don't mind paying in general, but nearly fifty bucks a person (minimum!) for an exhibit that won't take much more than an hour and where the money isn't actually going to the artist is ridiculous. If I'm going to pay that kind of money I'd like the artist to be the primary beneficiary and that ain't possible here. read more

I had heard about this exhibit for a long time and was really looking forward to going. I was very underwhelmed The exhibit didn't feel "immersive". The 3 D exhibits were similar to a Ripley's believe it or not The price was high Had to pay for parking on a proprietary app and then physically punch your license plate into the iPad at the front desk - "you have to enter the information at both places" Cash grab - poorly executed read more

TIP: Skip to the visual show and then cut back to see the historical facts. When they open their doors it's a crowd of people reading the facts and seeing the pieces. It takes time to read as everyone reads at a different pace. Hence, skip that and enjoy the visual price while everyone is reading. Back track to check it out and then head to the engagement section. This will allow to go get a good seat, take picture or videos with no one in the way (no flash on). Read below for a break down of the entire experience. The Van Gogh Immersive Experience was delightful. Although it's nothing compared to the one in Europe, it's definitely a treat that anyone will enjoy. The process: Purchase tickets online which is an easy process with a variety of dates and times available. They book up quick so you have to sign up immediately. It's located in DC at the Rhode Island Center, outside all the city noise so you'll be able to get there quickly by driving to their free parking lot or catch the metro and walk a few blocks. Either way, navigating to get there is breeze. Checking in with your ticket went smooth. A line is formed outside and check in when you get into the building is easy. The exhibit is a self pace walk through. The beginning is full of historical facts and images of Van Gogh's pieces. After you browse the history, you get to the visual illusion part where you can grab a seat on the benches, chairs or bean bags and watch the show. Once that piece is over, you make your way toward the engaging area; coloring. This is a good part for kids or adults that love to color. The page is an outline of Van Gogh to color and crayons are provided. The pages are displayed for viewing. Next you hit a virtual reality section that you can enjoy for an additional $5.00. It was pretty cool hearing the narrator (which I believe is the actor that plays Alfred in Batman) walk you through the virtual reality. It's a ten minute experience and I enjoyed it. Lastly, is the gift shop. There are canvas mock paintings of Van Gogh's starring night and dang it I forget the other piece but they had two different sizes of each. In addition, there were a lot of different things to purchase (mouse pads, mugs, totes, clothing, puzzles, etc.). Customer Service: Great service and the staff ensured the entire process was smooth. Overall it was an awesome thing to do alone or with family or friends. There is a way to purchase VIP tickets however I don't know what the perks are. I believe drinks, refreshments and a lanyard. Note: Some guy was fussing about cutting to the front of the line to get in saying he had VIP tickets while other people that I found to have VIP tickets were waiting in line to get in just like everyone else. At that point, a handful of people were already in the exhibit which he still would have to wait as he walked through for people to make their way through viewing the pieces. So I was conflicted as to why he was huffing and puffing to cut the line when he would still have to wait to see the exhibit. I say this because it is a self pace walk through. Perhaps he had another impression of what the VIP ticket meant but to be fair he arrived after it started (he walked up to demand to get in after a handful of people were in the exhibit/ when I was about to check in - I was maybe 20 people deep in line). Nonetheless, check the details before you buy VIP tickets. Frankly, it may not be worth it. The customer service folks handled it gracefully. I saw him in the exhibit later enjoying himself. : ) read more

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What a beautiful, moving installation. We got there about 15 minutes before opening. The parking lot is cramped and weirdly laid out, but there are ample spots when we went during the week. Our group ordered tickets online and were able to have the barcode scanned for easy entrance. After scanning in, you're invited to walk through the space, view the different exhibits, and read the history. The space is well-organized and flows really well. The information is fascinating and easy to read. I loved the use of light and sculpture. Music also plays a fantastic role in enjoying the art. We watched the entire room transform into live, moving Van Gogh pieces. It was a WOW moment. It really pulls you in and takes you on a ride. After the show, there is a coloring room where guests are invited to color a Van Gogh piece of their own. We also got to experience the VR. If you have it in your budget, please do the VR! It was spectacular. The giftshop was sad but the only way to exit lol. I definitely recommend this as a date or fun hangout. read more

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The exhibit was very nice and I really enjoyed learning about Van Goghs life. I wish the experience was more "immersive" but overall it was nice. read more

Van Gogh - Welcome to the Van Gogh Experience - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I enjoyed this exhibit. I did read before going that the exhibit was "heavy" and I didn't understand what that meant until I went. I do agree that I left feeling very sad as I did not know the extent of Van Gogh's suffering before seeing/ reading in depth about his life. Despite that, I do recommend going. The immersive portion is really cool. They do have free parking, although the lot is quite cramped. The area is a little sketch, but safe during the day. They did require masks & people were compliant. Overall, it was a neat experience. read more

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I could have stayed here all night. I absolutely loved this place. It was beautiful, relaxing, and just a great vibe. Take your time and enjoy it. Read, learn, and just emerge yourself into this beautiful art and life of Van Gogh. I'd go again if the tickets weren't so hard to get. My daughter and husband absolutely loved it as well. read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Van Gogh experience is really neat. You can immerse yourself in some amazing art. I wish the exhibit was a bit larger. We spent about 40 minutes here and were going for something more. There is plenty of parking the adjacent lot. read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Pretty cool experience, there is parking available so that was nice. A very digital experience and I love the display of his work and the documentary. There is a room in the exhibit where you can sit and it goes through his work projected on the walls and it's a very pretty and bright experience. I'm by no means anything of an art expert but I did enjoy the experience and learning about Vincent Van Gogh. read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Amazing experience and you feel like you really get to know Van Gogh himself. Several of the paintings were brought to life into a 3-D space and you literally immerse yourself in the life of the artist through his paintings, timelines, and the animations that really bring his pieces to life. It was really interesting to learn about his life but also heartbreaking to read about his struggles and hard times. The grand finale is in a large room where you literally melt into and become one with his paintings. Allow plenty of time to immerse yourself into the experience. Afterwards, there is an optional virtual reality demo for an extra fee and some art creation activities. Highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of Van Gogh, impressionism, or just wants to experience something creative and unique. read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wow, what an amazing experience. I would recommend this to any one. Especially those that are art fanatics. The exhibit starts with history about Van Goghs life, his works of art, where his inspiration came from, and his tortured history with mental illness and epilepsy. I learned so much about the is famous artist. Then the immersive experience was art itself. Whoever created this digital show of Van Goghs major works of art did a fabulous job. The time and effort that went in to making his art and words come to life. The tickets are about $50 for adults and $37 for military. I didn't really appreciate the $5 per ticket processing fee from "Fever" the company that sells the tickets nor the VR costing an additional $5 rather than being included. Otherwise I thought it was worth the price. Parking is free for 2 hours as they validate. Highly recommend trying this out, it is a unique experience. read more

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If you can go, then do so. Well worth it. Pay the little extra for the virtual experience. Plan on a little over an hour. Take your time and read the displays before entering the large room containing the main event. In particular, read the last display before the entrance into the main event. It will explain what you are about to see. Take children. They can walk around and enjoy the displays that spill onto the floor. A wonderful way to allow them to engage with art. If visiting the D.C. Van Gogh, on Rhode Island, turn right just before the McDonalds and head up the hill about 25 yards. There is plenty of free and safe regular and handicap parking in a lot in front of the event. read more

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Just went to the amazing Van Gogh Immersive Experience on Rhode Island Ave., NE, Washington, DC, and it exceeded any expectations I had. I had seen a few advertisements on the internet and I became curious about the exhibit. Well, let me begin by saying I had not been in that part of NE DC in ages, and it has changed and is changing. The exhibit is in a strange-looking non-descript warehouse, but parking is free and plentiful right in front of the building. Once inside, you pretty much have to figure out what to do next and where to go. So, you basically don't know if you are in the introduction to the exhibit, or this IS the exhibit. You kinda walk around various Van Gogh paintings, and read descriptions about him and the art pieces. Being a Van Gogh fan, I enjoyed learning more about the artist. When you see the gigantic vase (spoiler alert!) you are mesmerized at "how they did that." There are a variety of spaces with real decor from his paintings, but done in clever ways (too hard to explain here). As described by others, the final, huge space is simply amazing. Moving images from Van Gogh and his paintings change continually, and splatter every wall and the floor. The music, which seems classical is intense. It truly is an immersion experience. I skipped the final virtual reality room, which costs a few dollars more. I'll save it for next time. The only "bummer" was when we were told to leave around 9:15 pm before we had seen the entire video. I was lead to believe we would have 2 hours, from 8 to 10 and there was no explanation for being escorted out early. In conclusion, the Van Gogh Immersion Experience is unique and very well done. Someone had a great deal of vision and creativity to assemble this event. It was not only entertaining, but very educational as well. read more

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Honestly the location is the biggest drawback for this but boy oh boy once you get into the surrounded projection room it is amazing. Sat in there for almost an hour. Was beautiful and took you back to the days of visiting the planetarium but instead of stars it was Van Gogh's works brought to life. Highly recommend even though tickets are quite high. read more

Van Gogh - Just a taste - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Overall, I won't attach many photos because I think you should go for the experience rather than see it first through photos. This experience was definitely a good one. For starters, you walk in and immediately are brought into a room to check in and then take a photo at the photo booth with a green screen of a Van Gogh painting. Unfortunately for us, the booth decided to go out of order right before we got to use it. I think that would've been the best souvenir from the place, but we didn't even get a chance to try it (this is one of the reasons for a star deduction). After you walk through paintings and some 3D painting experiences with history bulletins attached, then you are brought into the immersion room. The immersion room is an overall great experience and I wouldn't change anything except maybe more of the comfortable chairs and low sitting bean bags to suit everyone. After the immersion, you get to color in famous paintings with crayon and post them on the wall for all to see. It's actually a really cool experience to see a bunch of adults coloring and getting into it. Another reason for deduction is that it says on the wall you are supposed to get your own individual pack of crayons that adds on as a souvenir - but instead they had big containers for everyone to use and hand sanitizer for cleanliness. That's another reason for one-star deduction because it felt like another souvenir / fun extra was just not available for everyone which is frustrating. After that is the VR experience. I decided to chuck out the extra $5 and do the experience - which in all honesty was really cool and I think should have been included for everyone at the base price of $50, rather than extra money or apart of the VIP package. It's 10 minutes and just a "walk through" of a typical day through Van Gogh's eyes. The gift shop is exactly what you would expect it to be - typical museum-type souvenirs plastered with the most famous Van Gogh paintings. Overall, great experience but this particular night lacked a couple experiences that I wish we got to partake in. Also, pretty much everyone was good about keeping their masks on except to take some photos. read more

Van Gogh - Art Galleries Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a quick, and fun experience if you are looking for something to do. Van Gogh The Immersive Experience has been to many cities and I would say if you have the opportunity & are interested in his life and art you should check it out! Tickets are on the more expensive side in my opinion. It is about 20-30 minutes of sitting in a room watching changing projections on the walls of art which is cool. Great for art lovers and fun pictures / selfies. read more

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This is a really nice exhibit that truly feels immersive and like you're stepping into a painting. I learned a lot about Van Gogh and his life, and I left feeling refreshed and inspired. The virtual reality portion was absolutely mind-blowing. You have to pay an extra $5 to use the virtual reality headset unless you have a VIP pass, but it's definitely worth it and it was my favorite part of the experience. That being said, I did think the tickets were quite overpriced. I bought my tickets several months in advance for $49, and I didn't think the experience was really worth that much, especially considering all of the other much larger exhibits and museums you can visit in DC for a fraction of the cost (or for free). I know that a lot of work went into making this exhibit so I understand why they have to charge a bit more, but it's definitely a big splurge for the relatively small size of the exhibit and short experience (~1 to 1.5 hours). read more

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Perhaps, one of the best family outings we've had all summer. The Van Gogh Immersive Experience is an incredible fusion of visual/audio/and narrative. I think we could have spent two hours, alone, in the immersive hall. We did not upgrade to the virtual reality experience, but no regrets. The kids learned a lot about Van Gogh's tragic life, and enjoyed perspective on his most famous works. read more

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This is a very cool exhibit and a good way to spend about 90 minutes immersing yourself into the works of Vincent Van Gogh. I am not exactly a fine art aficionado - thought I suppose I do appreciate art when I can understand it LOL! Coming into this exhibit, I knew just a little about Vinnie - he was not very good with a straight razor, something about a starry night and he seemed to be associated with absinth a great deal. This exhibit was perfect for anyone on any level of art appreciation. (I learned Vince was into sunflowers and wheat fields too... and he perhaps needed glasses because how he viewed a night sky was amazing LOL) The highlights of the exhibit come at the end - after you walk thru displays of his artwork and learn alot about him from videos, etc. The immersion room is amazing to sit back and enjoy how the designers piece together his art works into a 360 degree experience. The optional VR experience is about 10-12 minutes and definitely worth it. read more

Completely understand the idea of having children attend this art installation and learn about Van Gogh, as well as that this is promoted as an "Active" experience. That said, pretty much all the children under 10 were running around, rolling around, screaming and yelling like they were at a playground, and the ones that weren't looked bored out of their minds and waiting to go. Hard to be "immersed" when you are an adult attempting to experience the...well..."experience". And yes, I have children, but also know this was disruptive and not the intent of "active" part of the show. Perhaps there should be "children" and "adult only" hours? That way parents who want to attend with their children can do so, but allows others to enjoy a more formal experience as well. In the meantime, if you want to enjoy without a lot of children would suggest attending on a day when they are in school, not the weekend. read more

We took sister in law and her husband last night to the Van Gogh Expo in DC. It was OK. Logistics: The exhibit is off of Rhode Island Avenue NE. We drove and there is free parking. I drove right up to a front row spot, but otherwise the lot looked crowded if not full. Exhibit: The exhibit has six components, listed in order: 1) Historical review of life and career highlights with a dash of context. They have a nice short film on Starry Night and two installations with projections of Van Gogh's art onto objects (a bust of him and a vase). There are also several displays with biographical information and posters of paintings he worked on during the referenced periods. The reproductions were low quality posters so you are only looking at broad themes in the art. I thought the biographical information could have been organized and presented much better. It was crowded so it was slow going moving through this part of the exhibit and there were several choke points where the crowd got stuck. 2) Immersive video room with psychedelic visuals. The historical component is intended to prepare you for the immersive portion, which is a large room with videos projected on the walls and floor. Van Gogh's art was either projected or included in the projections. Best portions of the display were when his art was put in motion. Wasn't entirely clear to me that the stages of Van Gogh's career were depicted in the video, but brother in law said he understood the connections. This part was cool. They lingered a bit too long on each collection of images and as mentioned, the portions where his paintings were animated were the best parts, but overall this was good. 3) Coloring room with crayons and sheets with line drawings. None of us wanted to color. Would be fun with kids. 4) Virtual Reality up sell hallway with virtual reality headsets and seats ($5 additional charge when I was there). Didn't do this. Felt like I got the immersion experience in the video room. You have to walk through this space to continue the exhibit tour. 5) Portrait hallway at the end is pretty weak. Shows his self portraits on low quality posters. Would have been nice to have the dates of the pieces more accessible. 6) Gift shop was ok. Didn't buy anything and prices looked steep. Whatever. Opinion: I thought the experience was over priced and was disappointed by the missed opportunity to better educate the viewer. Yes, the video on Starry Night was good and the informational posters were ok, but the art posters were of such low quality that it diminished the experience. Would have been better with higher quality art reproductions you could closely examine and better historical information that left you with a clear understanding of the periods of Van Gogh's life and how those periods are expressed in his art. Request: Security told people to wear masks but the guys taking tickets inside the exhibit weren't wearing masks and people were walking through the exhibit without masks. There were a good number of older folks there. That segment of society is far more vulnerable to covid than younger segments. If you are young then please wear a mask to protect the older folks, if not for your own protection. read more

If this experience cost $25 I would say it was fantastic. And, if you are really into digital experiences, it's definitely worth it. One member of our group loved it so much, she went to see it twice. For myself, I think $55 was too much to pay for it. I'd have been happier going to a regular museum and seeing Van Gogh's paintings. However, it was interesting to learn more about Van Gogh and to have a first "virtual reality" experience. I also liked that they had an area where people can sit and color. It was not too difficult to park there, there is a parking lot in front. If you want to go somewhere nearby to eat afterwards, I'd recommend Busboys and Poets, 1/2 mile away. read more

My friend and I took the MARC train in from Baltimore to check out the Van Gogh Immersive Experience a couple of weeks ago, and I thought it was a really cool experience. We got the VIP access tickets so that we could experience it all. There were several parts to the experience. The first two or three rooms were smaller and had projections of several of Van Gogh's paintings, as well as a lot of biographical and historical information. I learned a lot in those rooms! The next large room was where the 360 degree show took place. This room is where Van Gogh's paintings became very immersive and active, moving and changing while music played around you. The room had a few chairs and some blankets (almost like picnics on the floor). The next room had the virtual reality experience (which is included with the VIP access or you can add it on to your standard access ticket). It was my first time doing anything with VR, and I thought it was really cool but I did get a little motion sick (not too bad, and I'm prone to it). The VR took you through the French countryside, where Van Gogh lived, so you can experience what the place might have looked like to him at the time. Then a last small area had projections or prints of Van Gogh's self-portraits and then there was a small gift shop. The website said to expect to spend 60 to 75 minutes there, but since we read everything and did the VR, I think we were there longer (2 hours?). It was something I would only do once, but it was a really cool experience. I learned a lot about Van Gogh, and I enjoyed experiencing art in this very different way. Worth checking out if you're interested in art, Van Gogh, VR, or immersive experiences. read more

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Went here on a Saturday and it did not disappoint! Plenty of staff who abided by the Covid-19 policies. The immersive experience was amazing and detailed most of his life's works. This was appropriate for people of all ages given the type of art and manner in which it was displayed. They had hot tea waiting just inside the main entrance since it was quite cold outside which is a wonderful touch to their patrons. The gift shop was a little overpriced but had lots of options for people of all ages to add to their home, wardrobe, etc. We didn't feel rushed at all and there was lots of space for everyone to maneuver around the exhibits. All in all, a great experience that is worth the price of admission! read more

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