Stepping out of your own head and into the mind of a world renowned artist is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, currently located in Raleigh, NC, is an event that all art-lovers should add to their bucket list. 

This pop-up exhibit is hidden behind the Dick´s building on Glenwood Avenue. Fortunately, the building is hard to miss, being completely painted in Van Gogh’s signature cobalt blue. Additionally, parking is simple, and there are plenty of empty spaces. 

The Van Gogh Exhibition consists of a variety of things that allow visitors to truly be engulfed in the creative mind of Van Gogh. This includes 20,000 square feet of a spectacular display of 3D lights, a complementary sound setup, virtual reality, and a coloring room. 

Upon entering the building, one of the first things that people notice is the zen, classical music playing. High quality speakers are set up around the entire exhibit, so the music seamlessly flows from room to room. The employees at the front desk will ask visitors to scan their QR code, which are sent to them when tickets are bought. 

The first room that visitors walk into will have a sculpture of Van Gogh´s head, with light projected onto it. The projection is constantly changing, and it includes a variety of special effects. For example, the light made it look like the sculpture turned into stone and crumbled down. Besides the visual aspect, the whole exhibit features information about Van Gogh’s history, with both readings and audio.

After walking through a series of rooms showcasing some of Van Gogh’s best paintings, guests will come across a real-life setup of one of Van Gogh’s most renowned paintings, Bedroom in Arles. In contrast to the rest of the exhibition, this display did not use lights, and, instead, was re-created using props and paint. Visitors are able to, quite literally, step into this painting and walk around.                               

After making their way through a few more displays, visitors will finally enter the largest room in the building, which offers a 360 degree light show. Surrounded on all sides by scenes such as Starry Night and La Pistache Cafe, visitors can take a seat and enjoy the mesmerizing show of art, consisting of music, audio, and projections that cover all of the walls and floor. 

Following the time spent relaxing and enjoying the show, visitors will exit the main room and enter an area designated for coloring. While this area is entertainable to all ages, it is targeted towards the younger audience. There are a variety of coloring sheets available, and when the artwork is completed, it can be showcased on a projection screen in the center of the room. 

Concluding the Van Gogh Exhibition, visitors have the opportunity to indulge in a 10 minute virtual reality experience. The VR activity can be bought with the initial purchase of the ticket, or purchased for $5 at the exhibit. The interactive experience takes visitors through “A Day in the Life of an Artist,” which walks through Van Gogh’s inspiration and journey to eight of his most iconic works. 

Concluding the Van Gogh Exhibition, visitors have the opportunity to indulge in a 10 minute virtual reality experience. The VR activity can be bought with the initial purchase of the ticket, or purchased for $5 at the exhibit. The interactive experience takes visitors through “A Day in the Life of an Artist,” which walks through Van Gogh’s inspiration and journey to eight of his most iconic works.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, allows all people to get to know an artist in a way that has never been done before. This awe-inspiring journey exposes the world to the life and mind of an artist who shaped history. Through digital art, music, virtual reality, and more, the Van Gogh Exhibition will remain unforgettable in the minds of those who visit.