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Content Note: We visited the Immersive Van Gogh experience during its Nashville run, and while the exhibit is no longer in Nashville, our experience gives you a look at what this type of immersive art exhibit is like.

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It was summertime when I first started seeing advertisements for the Immersive Van Gogh experience coming to Nashville. I had never heard of anything quite like it, but the idea of stepping inside Van Gogh’s paintings sounded fascinating. I looked up when the exhibit would arrive in Nashville and was happy to see that tickets were already available.

So I bought tickets for December, thinking it would be a fun way to celebrate our anniversary. Then December came-and so did an email telling us the exhibit had been delayed until February.

February came, and another email arrived telling us it had been delayed again, this time until March. By then, I was getting a little grumbly about this whole experience that we hadn’t even experienced yet.

But March finally arrived without another postponement, so we made our way to see what all the fuss was about. And as it turns out, the wait was worth it.

We walked into the building and were immediately surrounded by Van Gogh’s world. A wall of sunflowers greeted us at the entrance, along with a beautiful swirl of pages from Van Gogh’s letters.

It was a pretty good introduction to an experience that would make us look at his artwork—and the artist himself—in a completely different way.

Immersive Van Gogh

1. Entering the Immersive Van Gogh Experience
2. When Van Gogh’s Paintings Came to Life
3. The Best View of Immersive Van Gogh
4. Seeing the Man Behind the Paintings
5. Watching It Twice
6. Experiencing Art When You’re Not Really “Art People”
7. Was the Immersive Van Gogh Experience Worth It?
8. Planning Your Visit to the Immersive Van Gogh Experience
9. FAQ: Immersive Van Gogh Experience

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Entering the Immersive Van Gogh Experience

The first part of the exhibit introduced visitors to Van Gogh and his work through smaller displays before leading into the main gallery.

Van Gogh was an avid letter writer, and nearly 1,000 of his letters have been preserved. Most were written to his younger brother, Theo, who was not only his brother but also one of his greatest supporters and closest friends.

Theo kept the letters Vincent sent him throughout his life, giving us an unusually personal glimpse into the artist’s thoughts, struggles, relationships, and creative process.

We wandered through a small room covered in sunflowers before entering a much larger space. Benches were scattered throughout the room and there were designated areas where visitors could sit on the floor.

At first, we assumed the exhibit would be a series of rooms that we would walk through in order, moving from one installation to the next. We were wrong. Instead, we found ourselves heading upstairs to a balcony overlooking the enormous gallery below.

And that is where the experience really began.

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When Van Gogh’s Paintings Came to Life

Music began playing and suddenly Van Gogh’s artwork started moving across the walls. Paintings that I had seen countless times in books, museums, and photographs were suddenly enormous. Colors stretched across the walls. Images flowed into one another. Details appeared and disappeared as the music changed.

We found a bench and settled in to watch. This was when I finally understood the name of the exhibit and that it really was immersive.

The artwork wasn’t simply hanging on a wall for us to look at. It surrounded us. It moved around us. We could watch the paintings appear on the enormous wall below while other pieces moved across the walls beside us.

From our spot upstairs, we could see the entire gallery at once, which made us feel almost as though we were sitting inside one of Van Gogh’s paintings. And I’m glad we ended up upstairs because I think that completely changed our experience.

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The Best View of Immersive Van Gogh

If you visit an immersive art experience like this, my biggest recommendation is to look for a spot on the upper level if one is available.

From upstairs, we could see the artwork projected across the walls below while also seeing it move along the walls immediately beside us. It created a completely different perspective than sitting on the floor of the main gallery.

There were also several mirrored pillars in the center of the room, and these quickly became one of my favorite parts of the exhibit.

The mirrors broke the artwork into fragments, reflecting pieces of Van Gogh’s paintings in unexpected ways. We spent quite a bit of time taking pictures of the reflections because they made the familiar paintings look completely different.

Sometimes the best photographs weren’t the ones where we tried to capture the entire room. They were the strange little fragments of color and movement reflected back at us.

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Seeing the Man Behind the Paintings

As the artwork moved around the room, the exhibit also told the story of Van Gogh’s life. It is easy to think of Van Gogh simply as the artist behind Starry Night, Sunflowers, and The Bedroom. But his life was much more complicated than the famous paintings we recognize today.

Van Gogh struggled throughout his life with mental illness, poverty, and periods of deep emotional turmoil. He also spent much of his life searching for a place where he felt he belonged.

And despite producing more than 2,000 works of art, including roughly 900 paintings, he received little commercial recognition during his lifetime. Most of the paintings we now consider masterpieces were created during the final years of his life.

Van Gogh died in July 1890 at only 37 years old.

It is difficult to imagine creating so much art while receiving so little recognition for it. Today, of course, Van Gogh is considered one of the most influential artists in the development of modern art.

Seeing the paintings move across the walls made me think about that contrast. These paintings that now seem so familiar and valuable were created by someone whose work was largely overlooked during his own lifetime.

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Watching It Twice

The main presentation lasts about 30 minutes but we decided to stay and watch it a second time. I’m actually glad we did because the second viewing allowed us to notice things we had missed the first time.

The first time through, I was mostly taking in the sheer scale of it. I was watching the colors move, noticing the music, looking at the reflections, and trying to figure out what exactly I was supposed to be experiencing.

The second time, I could relax into it. I started noticing how individual paintings transitioned into one another and how the music changed the feeling of the artwork. I paid more attention to the smaller details rather than simply trying to take in the entire room.

If you have the time, I would definitely recommend staying for a second showing. You don’t have to watch it from the same place, either. Moving around the room gives you a completely different perspective.

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Experiencing Art When You’re Not Really “Art People”

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the whole experience was how much we enjoyed it as we are not exactly art museum people.

I enjoy learning about different periods of art and how they influenced one another, but my knowledge of art history and technique is pretty limited. And my husband is far more comfortable talking about physics than painting.

So neither of us walked into the exhibit expecting some great artistic revelation. But that may actually be why the experience worked so well for us.

Standing in front of a painting in a traditional museum can sometimes leave me wondering what I’m supposed to notice. Am I supposed to understand the technique? The symbolism? The historical context? What makes this particular painting important?

The immersive experience approached art differently- it gave us the opportunity to simply experience it. The music, movement, colors, scale, and changing images created an emotional response before I had time to think about whether I understood the art correctly.

And somewhere along the way, I found myself wanting to know more about Van Gogh and his paintings. That seems like a pretty good measure of an experience.

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Was the Immersive Van Gogh Experience Worth It?

Considering how grumbly I had become after the exhibit was postponed twice, it makes me laugh a little to admit how much I enjoyed it. The wait was frustrating. But once we finally walked through those doors and saw Van Gogh’s artwork filling the room, all of that disappeared.

The experience gave us a new way to look at artwork that we thought we already knew. More than anything, I loved that it made art feel approachable. I don’t need to know everything about Van Gogh to stand in the middle of a room surrounded by his work and appreciate the colors, movement, music, and emotion.

And while I can imagine that someone who is an artist or who has studied Van Gogh extensively would experience the exhibit in an entirely different way, I think there is something wonderful about an experience that can bring people into art from so many different starting points.

For us, the Immersive Van Gogh experience was a reminder that sometimes you don’t have to understand everything about something to let yourself be moved by it. And after all those delays, I’m really glad we finally got the chance.

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Planning Your Visit to the Immersive Van Gogh Experience

If you’re considering visiting an immersive art exhibit, there are a few things worth knowing before you go.

Give Yourself Time to Sit

This isn’t an exhibit that you simply walk through and check off a list of paintings. The main presentation is designed to be watched while sitting or standing in the gallery. Give yourself enough time to actually stop and experience it rather than rushing through.

Look for an Upper Level Spot

If the venue has an upper level or balcony, I highly recommend checking it out. We loved being able to see the artwork projected across the walls below us while also experiencing the projections immediately around us.

Stay for a Second Showing

The main presentation is short enough that you can easily stay for another showing if the schedule allows. We watched it twice and enjoyed the second viewing even more than the first.

Expect Crowds

Immersive exhibits are popular, and the gallery can feel very different depending on how many people are there. If you prefer a quieter experience, look for less busy showtimes when purchasing tickets.

Bring Your Camera

There are plenty of opportunities for interesting photographs, particularly around the mirrored pillars and other reflective installations. Just remember that you’re there to experience the exhibit too. Some of my favorite moments happened after I put my camera down and simply watched.

Know Before You Go

• Allow time to sit and watch: The main presentation is an experience rather than a traditional walk-through exhibit.
• Look up: Some of the best views are from the upper level, where you can see the projections from multiple angles.
• Stay for another showing: If time allows, the experience can be even better the second time.
• Check the current exhibit information: Immersive Van Gogh experiences can vary by city and venue, so check the current details before purchasing tickets.
• Wear comfortable clothes: You may spend quite a bit of time sitting or standing.
• Bring your camera: The combination of moving artwork, mirrors, and dramatic lighting creates some fun photo opportunities.

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FAQ: Immersive Van Gogh Experience

• Is the Immersive Van Gogh Experience worth visiting?

I think so, especially if you enjoy art, unusual experiences, or simply want to see familiar artwork presented in a completely different way. We aren’t particularly knowledgeable about art, but we both really enjoyed the experience.

• How long does the Immersive Van Gogh Experience take?

The main presentation lasts about 30 minutes, although you’ll want to allow additional time to explore the other parts of the exhibit and find a place to sit.

• Can you watch the Immersive Van Gogh presentation more than once?

Yes. We stayed for a second showing and actually enjoyed it even more because we could pay attention to details we missed the first time.

• Where is the best place to sit?

If an upper-level viewing area is available, I recommend trying to find a spot there. We loved being able to see the artwork projected across the walls below us as well as the walls surrounding us.

• Is the Immersive Van Gogh Experience good for people who aren’t art experts?

Absolutely. In fact, I think that was one of the things we enjoyed most. The experience doesn’t require you to understand art history or artistic technique to appreciate the colors, music, movement, and storytelling.

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Sometimes the experiences we almost give up on end up being the ones we remember most. After months of waiting and two postponements, I was pretty convinced that the Immersive Van Gogh experience was going to be more trouble than it was worth.

Instead, we walked into a room filled with color and music and watched paintings we had seen countless times come alive around us. We may not be art experts, but for those 30 minutes we didn’t need to be. We just sat there and let ourselves be immersed.

And maybe that’s the best part of travel and experiences in general. Sometimes you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get. You just show up, sit down, look around—and discover that you’ve found something unexpectedly wonderful.

Thanks for coming along on this visit to the Immersive Van Gogh in Nashville. May you find art, beauty, and movement in beautiful spaces.

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