Van Gogh fever is sweeping across the US. As we emerge into a post-pandemic world, a number of companies are hosting competing immersive Van Gogh exhibitions across cities in the US, giving art-lovers the opportunity to effectively step inside the Dutch artist's paintings with larger-than-life installations.
A trend often credited to an onscreen appearance in Netflix's Emily in Paris, the onslaught of immersive exhibits shows no signs of slowing, as current shows are regularly being extended and even more are slated to open in the coming months. And between the immense popularity of these events and the low costs involved, it’s not hard to see why.
“All of these companies are working from the same source material – the same Starry Night, the same Sunflowers – that is, Van Gogh’s instantly recognizable, incredibly valuable and, above all, freely available intellectual property,” Kriston Capps writes for Bloomberg CityLab. “His work falls in the public domain, so the only costs for using his pictures are licensing fees that producers pay museums or photographers for the use of high-resolution images.”
Despite similar names and subject matter, these exhibitions weren't all created equal –some companies have racked upcomplaints with the Better Business Bureau, for example, while others have earned rave reviews in the press and on social media, so be sure to do your homework before you book. Here's our guide to what's on offer and where and when you can find it.
Van Gogh Alive
Created by Grande Experiences, Van Gogh Alive has gained international notoriety in more than 65 countries so far. The visual spectacle uses ceiling digital projection to present more than 3000 Van Gogh images at enormous scale, filling giant screens, walls, columns, ceilings and even the floor. Synchronized to a powerful classical score, it immerses visitors in the vibrant colors and vivid details that constitute the artist's unique style, while aromas are infused throughout the auditorium so that museum-goers can literally stop and smell the sunflowers.
Asheville, North Carolina
When: November 5, 2021 - March 5, 2022
Where: The Biltmore estate’s event center, Amherst at Deerpark
Tickets: from $106 ($64 for kids 10 to 16, $12 for kids 9 and under), including access to the estate and gardens and free parking and wine tastings; biltmore.com
COVID-19 protocols: Per CDC guidance and county mandate, Masks required indoors for all guests at least 5 years of age, regardless of vaccination status.
Indianapolis
When: July 27, 2021 - May 2022
Where: The Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
Tickets: $25 ($17 for kids 6 to 17); discovernewfields.org
Kansas City
When: October 23 – December 31, 2021
Where: Starlight Theatre
Tickets: $45 ($30 for kids 5 to 18 and students with valid ID); tickets.kcstarlight.com
Immersive Van Gogh
Immersive Van Gogh offers a similar experience. Visitors wander through giant projections that highlight brushstrokes, detail and color from Van Gogh's sunny landscapes, night scenes, portraits and still life paintings. The team behind the exhibition, filmmaker Massimiliano Siccardi and composer Luca Longobardi, are the same creatives who brought the Van Gogh, Starry Night experience to life at Paris’s L’Atelier des Lumières (which featured in Netflix's Emily in Paris). Presented in the US by Lighthouse Immersive, some exhibitions will feature set design from Tony-nominated and Emmy-award winning designer David Korins (Hamilton).
Chicago
When: February 11, 2021 –February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace at Germania Club
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghchicago.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Charlotte, North Carolina
When: June 17, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: Ford building at Camp North End
Tickets: from $40 ($25 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghclt.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Cleveland
When: September 22, 2021 – February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Artspace Cleveland
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghcleveland.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Columbus, Ohio
When: October 28, 2021 –February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace Columbus
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); columbusvangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Dallas
When: June 17, 2021 –January 3, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Dallas
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); dallasvangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Denver
When: September 30, 2021 –February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Immersive Denver
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); denvervangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Detroit
When: February 3 – April 10, 2022
Where: TBA
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); detroitvangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Houston
When: October 14, 2021 – February 6, 2022
Where: 1314 Brittmoore Road
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); houstonvangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Kansas City
When: December 1, 2021 – February 6, 2022
Where: TBA
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); kansascityvangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Las Vegas
When: October 7, 2021 – March 13, 2022
Where: The Shops at Crystals
Tickets: from $60 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghvegas.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Los Angeles
When: August 4, 2021 – February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Immersive Los Angeles
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghla.com
COVID-19 protocols: Per city mandate, guests ages 12 and up are required to present proof of vaccination. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
Minneapolis
When: August 13, 2021 –February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Minneapolis
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghmsp.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Nashville
When: December 9, 2021 – February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace Nashville
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); nashvillevangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
New York
When: June 10, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: Pier 36 NYC
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); tickets.vangoghnyc.com
COVID-19 protocols: Per city mandate, guests ages 12 and up are required to show proof they’ve received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
Orlando
When: November 26, 2021 – January 9, 2022
Where: Orange County Convention Center
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); orlandovangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Phoenix
When: August 26, 2021 –February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Artspace, Scottsdale
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghphx.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Pittsburgh
When: October 21, 2021 –February 6, 2022
Where: Lighthouse Artspace Pittsburgh
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghpittsburgh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
San Antonio
When: November 18, 2021 – February 6, 2021
Where: TBA
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); goghsanantonio.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
San Francisco
When: March 18, 2021 – January 3, 2022
Where: SVN West San Francisco (formerly the Fillmore West)
Tickets: from $40 ($30 for kids 6 to 16); vangoghsf.com
COVID-19 protocols: Per city mandate, guests ages 12 and up are required to show proof of full vaccination to enter. Face coverings are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
Created by Mathieu St-Arnaud, the French-Canadian creative director of Montreal-based Normal Studio, Beyond Van Gogh is a multi-sensory experience that features more than 300 of Van Gogh's iconic works, brought to life with digital projections and music. After stints inMiami, Austin, Detroit, and Orange County, California, the exhibit can be found currently in eight US cities, with more to come in Baltimore, Washington, Reno, Sarasota, Omaha, Charleston and Danbury, Connecticut.
Birmingham, Alabama
When: November 17, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex
Tickets: from $37 ($22 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghbirmingham.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks encouraged.
Buffalo, New York
When: August 20 –November 28, 2021
Where: Eastern Hills Mall
Tickets: from $43 ($28 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghbuffalo.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Milwaukee
When: July 9, 2021 – January 9, 2022
Where: Wisconsin Center
Tickets: from $43 ($28 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghmilwaukee.com
COVID-19 protocols: Non-vaccinated guests are required to wear masks.
Portland, Oregon
When: November 19, 2021 – January 9, 2022
Where: Oregon Convention Center
Tickets: from $37 ($25 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghportland.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required.
Salt Lake City
When: October 8, 2021 – December 31, 2021
Where: Atmosphere Studios
Tickets: from $37 ($25 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghsaltlake.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks recommended.
San Diego
When: January 14 – March 6, 2022
Where: Wyland Center at Del Mar Fairgrounds
Tickets: from $43 ($28 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghsandiego.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
San Jose, California
When: September 24, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: South Hall, San Jose McEnery Convention Center
Tickets: from $37 ($25 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghsanjose.com
COVID-19 protocols: Per city mandate, guests ages 12 and up are required to show proof of vaccination to enter. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
St. Louis
When: October 1, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: Saint Louis Galleria
Tickets: from $37 ($25 for kids 5 to 15); vangoghstlouis.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required.
Imagine Van Gogh
Imagine Van Gogh exhibition holds the honor of being what organizers claim is the first. Back in 1977, French photographer Albert Plécy transformed an underground quarry in the south of France into an immersive venue called Carrières de Lumières. In 2001, Annabelle Mauger joined the team and created "the first" Van Gogh immersive exhibition alongside Julien Baron, which toured the world, most notably in Halle de La Villette in Paris. Now it's heading to the US, with 200 of Van Gogh's paintings presented in multimedia floor-to-ceiling installations, with music from Mozart and Bach. Separate galleries showcase more of the artist's work.
Boston
When: December 21, 2021 – February 20, 2022
Where: SoWa Power Station
Tickets: from $40 ($35 for kids 6 to 10); boston.imagine-vangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Tacoma/Seattle
When: December 18, 2021 to January 30, 2022
Where: Tacoma Armory
Tickets: from $41 ($36 for kids 4 to 10); tacoma.imagine-vangogh.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
Like the other exhibitions, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience features giant digital installations of the artist's most iconic work, accompanied by powerful soundtracks. What's more, this exhibition features a virtual-reality component, which takes visitors on a journey through "a day in the life of the artist" via virtual-reality headset.
Atlanta
When: May 19th, 2021 – January 3, 2022
Where: Historic Pullman Yards
Tickets: from $32 ($19 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Boston
When: October 6, 2021 – February 20, 2022
Where: Strand Theatre
Tickets: from $36 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Dallas
When: August 2021 – February 28, 2022
Where: Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Park)
Tickets: from $35 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Houston
When: September 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: Marq'e Entertainment Center
Tickets: from $35 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
Las Vegas
When: April 2021 – TBA
Where: Area15
Tickets: from $35 ($19 for kids 12 and up); area15.com
Miami
When: June 16, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Where: Olympia Theater
Tickets: from $35 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
New York
When: June 2021 – January 1, 2022
Where: Skylight on Vesey
Tickets: from $36 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Per city mandate, guests ages 12 and up are required to show proof they’ve received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
Philadelphia
When: September 2021 – February 28, 2022
Where: The Tower Theatre
Tickets: from $36 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: All guests are required to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hours in advance. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
Seattle
When: October 20, 2021 – January 30, 2022
Where: 1750 Occidental Avenue South
Tickets: from $36 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: All guests are required to show proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID PCR or antigen test taken no more than 72 hours in advance. Masks are also required, regardless of vaccination status.
Washington
When: August 2021 – January 26, 2022
Where: Rhode Island Center
Tickets: from $36 ($20 for kids 4 to 12); feverup.com
COVID-19 protocols: Masks required, regardless of vaccination status.
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This article was first published Oct 7, 2020 and updated Nov 8, 2021.
