I spent the last week of summer taking my daughter to different experiences and landmarks around Toronto. We went to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Sugar Beach, Cafes, the Old Spaghetti Factory, St Lawrence Market, and the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. Was it worth it? Keep reading to find out what we thought.
My daughter loves to draw and be creative with her craft supplies. I told her about the famous artist Van Gogh, and his art and life and asked her if she wanted to see his exhibit with Mommy. I showed a framed replica of his Sunflowers that we had hanging on the wall. She immediately said I can do better, I don’t like the colour of the vase. And so we got her paint supplies out and she was off working on her latest work of art. She did come around and wanted to see the exhibit, so I purchased my ticket (kids under 6 are free) and off we went.
What is the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit?
The Immersive Van Gogh exhibit is an art exhibit like no other. As soon as you walk into the room you are transported inside famous Van Gogh art pieces. His art comes to life with movement and is perfectly paired with a curated playlist of classical music.
According to the exhibit’s website, Van Gogh’s artwork comes to life using 600,000 cubic feet of projections, 60,600 frames of video, and 90,000,000 pixels.
Who are the creators of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit?
The Immersive Van Gogh experience was produced by Lighthouse Immersive.
Where is the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit Located?
The exhibit is playing at 1 Yonge Street on the first floor of the Toronto Star building. If driving to the venue, there are 300 spots available at the Toronto Star building, and there are several public parking lots nearby.
If you chose to take public transit, you also have several options. Check out TTC or the Go Transit websites to plan your route.
Not in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)? No worries, the exhibit is also being cast in 22 other cities, including Los Angelos, New York, and Chicago. Unfortunately, at the time of this post, Toronto is the only Canadian city.
How much are the tickets?
At the time I purchased my tickets (Sept 2022), you could purchase walk-thru tickets or tickets that would include a Yoga class while the exhibit ran around you.
Walk-thru Ticket Options
VIP $$$
- Priority access and admission
- Cushion rental
- Limited edition poster
- VIP souvenir laminate
- Flexibility to arrive +/- one hour of your time – subject to public opening hours
Premium $$
- Cushion rental
- Limited edition poster
- Flexibility to arrive +/- one hour of your time – subject to public opening hours
Basic $
- Standard admission
- Strict arrival window of 20 minutes within your scheduled attendance start time.
How long is the show?
The show runs for about 30 minutes, from start to finish. The show is a continuous loop so you can stay and watch it multiple times. This is helpful if you get there part way through a loop. We stayed for 1.5 loops.
After the show, you are strategically guided through the gift shop, which also has a cafe before reaching the exit.
My Experience at the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit & Recommendation
If you enjoy art I highly recommend going to see Immersive Van Gogh. I purchased the VIP ticket and I’m so glad I did. Having the mat to sit on during the show made a big difference. There are a few benches for seating throughout the venue.
My train was delayed by 25 minutes, which in turn made us late for our timeslot, however with the VIP tickets I had no issue entering the venue as my ticket had me covered.
As my daughter and I entered the room we were both immediately swept into a different era and filled with excitement. Our tickets were for the first showing of the day on a Friday, and there were maybe 10 others scattered around the room. We walked around to find a spot for our mats. Once we got settled we sat (quietly) twirled around and took in the artwork that was coming alive around us.
Because we were late, we entered the first showing halfway through. We stayed and watched the show again from the start.
Tips for going with children
When my daughter lost interest (remember she’s 5), she got her phone (my old phone with no data plan :)) out and played her educational games.
The music is loud. I recommend noise-canceling headphones for kids who are bothered by loud noises.
Go during off-peak times. You can call before buying tickets to find the best time to go.
Upcoming Lighthouse Productions
Disney Animation Immersive Experience is the next show coming soon. You can sign up to be the first to know here.
Let’s Chat…
Have you gone to any of the Lighthouse Immersive Experiences? Let me know what you thought in the comments below.
Interest in things to do in Ontario. Check out this page.
