The Van Gogh Experience had been in our city for a while, and I didn’t want to miss the chance to see it, so we decided to go on a Sunday morning when there were plenty of tickets. This is a temporary exhibit that travels to different cities, and as of January 2023, a closing date has not been announced.

The Albany, NY location for the Van Gogh Immersive Experience is at the Armory Studios.

Getting there is fairly easy with Google Maps, and it is located in Schenectady near GE and Proctors.

There is a parking lot near the Armory just for the Van Gogh exhibit, but there was also a large parking lot adjacent that was empty on Sunday morning.

We pre-purchased tickets online, and I am not sure that you can buy tickets at the door.  Our regular adult admission was $39.90 per adult.

It was a quick check-in by scanning the QR codes on my phone. 

The ticket attendant gave us some quick pointers and even took our photo in front of a beautiful sunflower wall before we headed in.

The experience is estimated to be 60-75 minutes, and I recommend going when you can take your time and savor the experience. 

The exhibit is appropriate for all ages, and I think teens would enjoy it, but mostly if they have the patience for reading through a lot of signs and taking their time through the exhibits. 

We were offered hot green tea, as Van Gogh was very influenced by Japanese artwork and culture.

The exhibits are a mix of different things, from 3D images to reproductions of art. It was neat to see things like this sculpture of Van Gogh come alive with light projections.

I liked the variety of exhibits and the creativity in showcasing the different aspects of Van Gogh’s life. This vase had video projections of flower paintings, and was an interesting way to see how Van Gogh painted flowers throughout his life.

There are a lot of informational signs, so there is a lot to read along the way.  It was fascinating to learn so much about Van Gogh’s life, from various pieces of art and styles to his mental health, and of course the famous incident where he cut off his own hear.

The Immersive Room was probably my favorite part of the experience.  This large room has 360° digital projections that make you feel like you are part of the art and videos.  We reclined in slingback chairs, watching the display and listening to narration about the life of Van Gogh.  I found this to be very relaxing, and a nice way to wrap up what I had learned about Van Gogh’s life.

Here is a clip from the immersive room:

@anationofmoms Enjoyed the Van Gogh Immersive Experience #vangogh #art #vangoghexhibition #albanyny #schenectadyny #vangoghalbany #capitalregion #vangoghexperience ♬ original sound – anationofmoms

The last thing we did was a coloring project.  There is a room of drafting tables, crayons, and coloring pages to choose from. My daily life can be so hectic, and it was nice to go from the immersive room to sitting and doing some coloring. If you’re passionate about art, explore concept artist internship opportunities to fuel your career as a creator.

Check out the Van Gogh Immersive Experience at https://vangoghexpo.com/

Check out some other Things to Do in Albany, NY.