Reviews of Beyond Van Gogh Calgary (Museum)

Martin Santo

Fabulous presentation on the life and accomplishments of Vincent Van Gogh. Stunning technology, awe inspiring.

Ian Watt

Excellent concept, but given the large number of people in the venue at any given time, it can’t really be enjoyed to the fullest. I would pay $20 max for this. Also, some of the projectors were out of focus, and the overall resolution of Van Gough’s work could be higher.

Carrie Hyatt

Very intriguing. So much fun. Either just learning or a refresher vincent van gogh was a brilliant artist. And to see in big and in movement was just absolutely beautiful. Awesome experience.

Andrew Sutherland

It was a beautiful experience!

Tia Rempel

I'm sure it was cool, too bad I couldn't attend due to the rescheduling and lack of refunds. They claim you can move your ticket, but they require you to purchase new tickets, show them proof, then they'll refund you. Yeah, no thanks.

Michael Nguyen

A beautiful educational presentation, awe-inspiring imagery, and cutting edge projections and animation make this a must-visit. Come before they close in October! ——— We opted to go for the VIP tickets and we were happy with our choice; we got to skip the entrance line which was actually quite busy on a normal Thursday evening (4:45 pm entry). The VIP package also let us leave with a very nice commemorative tote bag, face mask, and poster. Note that parking on Stampede grounds at the BMO centre costs $15. The experience comprises three “rooms” and starts with an educational section with lit screens proving backstory and a timeline of Van Gogh’s life. The second room, the waterfall room, is a short presentation (up to 10 minutes) to help you adjust to the moving lights and images in the final room. The third room is where the magic occurs; projectors mounted all over the ceiling project wall to wall and on the floor to provide an immersive and breath taking experience. Van Gogh’s art comes to life through an innovative, and stunning presentation showcasing his works, interspersed with quotes and narration that highlights profound moments in his life. The presentation and artwork is animated which helps add to the immersion and really pulls you into the moment. There are several park benches placed in the middle of the third room to allow for viewing, although we found that standing in the middle of the room allowed us to spin around and observe all that was going on. The experience ends with a small gift shop where you can purchase commemorative merchandise. My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the experience, I’m not artistic nor do I believe myself to be very interested in or super appreciative of art, however, I had a fantastic time there. I learned a lot about him and the art was really beautiful; I think how it’s presented allows anyone to appreciate his work. It took us the whole hour to finish the experience. Well worth the money and an amazing way to experience Van Gogh’s works!

Meshell Truong

Definitely want to go again. An experience I'll never forget. You really feel everything he spoke and so much I didn't know about Van Gogh as an artist but mainly as the man behind his art. Loved Van Gogh before but love and appreciate him so much more after this experience.

Larissa Holt

Not worth the price sadly. Seemed like an glorified PowerPoint presentation, not immersive in the slightest. I was expecting so much more and was disappointed. Spent about 30 minutes total in the exhibit. If you want to actually learn about Van Gogh and not have to read a wall of text to do so, I would suggest the movie Loving Vincent.

Laura Puderer

Very underwhelming. For 50$ a ticket, they could have done so much more.

Hedieh Hosseini

Very memorable exhibition! Even children can interact and have fun. So happy that I bought the ticket!

Teresa Theriault

Over all I enjoyed the exhibit, the first part is reading off story boards about different periods of his life. The visuals of his work were done wonderfully. His understanding & love for colour was truly amazing.

Spidey Sense

What a rip off. Thought it would be a nice stroll with beautiful art by a great artist. Nope, just some images projected on a wall with some words, took 20 minutes and accidentally went out of the exhibit thinking there was more, but was greeted by a thanks for coming. Not worth the price, no actual paintings, even if they had reproductions I would have been fine with that. Just a sham. I could download the images and play that on the TV for nothing. What a shame. Whomever came up with this should not be allowed to program an art exhibit. Not immersive, not an experience.

S.A. W

Highly recommend. The price is a little steep and the first and last room were too full for covid guidelines/ safety. The previous groups were not encouraged to move on after the presentation cycled through and it got crowded. Otherwise very fun.

June Read

We enjoyed the waterfall room and let the imagery pour over us. The main hall was like being immersed within the painting. Sometimes a brush stroke or filling in a canvas with a sketch. As if you were being drawn by a giant. Moving, swirling mesmerizing ,

John Miller

We checked out the Beyond Van Gogh exhibit with friends today. It was quite a unique experience and we certainly learned a lot more about Van Gogh's life, struggles, and artistic influences. At least his art now has the recognition it deserves.

Troy Maddaford

Phenomenal experience. Did a fantastic job immersing us in van gogh’s life.

Ashlee Larsen

This was very enjoyable. The staff were friendly and the timed entrances worked well. The animations were very cool. I enjoyed the experience perhaps more than Van Goghs actual art.

Gretel Barcelo

Very cool and great for artsy, fast minds.

Jennifer Litzenberger

If you can find tickets for 50% off might be worthwhile, but likely not worth the $40. Spent about an hour total, but only 30 minutes in the real exhibit room, the first 30 was waiting walking down a maze reading written factoids about Van Gogh. Wish they would ask people to wear masks.

Tim Joseph

Amazing. Spectacular. Very well done. Very informative.

allie easby

gorgeous!!!

Just & Fair Reviews

For those looking for an artistic escape, Calgary's Beyond Van Gogh exhibit is a must-see. It is a one of the kind experience in the Calgary area and so I had to rate it well. The paintings and sketches on display here transport you into the mind of one of history's most celebrated artists, giving you a unique glimpse into his creative process. Whether you're a fan of Van Gogh or not, this exhibit is sure to impress. The Beyond Van Gogh Calgary Art Exhibit is open now and runs until December 31st 2021, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already! This was probably the best date night that I had in 2021 with my partner. That said, I heard exhibits of this type in Amsterdam blow this one away and so I chose 4 stars to demonstrate there is room to improve this experience for Calgarians. The photo taking opportunities could have been improved by more clearly regulating participant numbers within the exhibit timeslots. There is not much to warrant a repeat visit but I would like to go again solo to embrace the atmosphere and meditative experience.

Lindsay Gropp

It's alright. Not sure if we would hit another one.

Josh Cooke

They offered NFTs and I don't support scams

Jarett Rigaux

Worst art exhibit I've ever been to. Started with the usher yelling instructions before going into a small scale exhibit that was crowded and provided only the basic information on van Gogh. If you need flashing lights to enjoy art this is for you. If you want to really go beyond by a book on this master and save yourself the crowds and few bucks.

Ambarene Din

amazing exhibit wish the gift shop had more deals

amanda luong

Not worth the price of admission. Do yourself a favour and just google Van Gogh then cast it on your tv. At least it’s free.

Claudia Weis

I loved it, but hot dang, 52$. I mean they are pumping people through every half an hour. It should be no more than 35$. Nonetheless, I'm glad I went.

Hayley Dawn

When I first walked in I wanted to cry! I am so passionate about art. It was an incredible experience! If you are debating on going, I say stop thinking and go. You won’t regret it!

MARILYN MASSEY

Staff were very accommodating when one of our group was late due to traffic delays. They went out of their way to assure us we would have our entry honoured. The show was above our expectations and we are hoping other artists might be featured in some sort of way if not similar to this. Beautifully presented. Recommend movie Loving Vincent if you liked this presentation.

Jennifer Gies

Beautiful exhibit. Our family really enjoyed the experience. The animation of Van Gogh's artwork was well done and, together with some stories from his life, made for a nicely immersive experience. While our reschedule was understandable, timing wasn't ideal.

Arthur Reed

i thought it would have been a better experience given the hype around it, the first 2 rooms were pointless, especially the second. the third room was beautiful and the only room worth seeing, and you really have to pay 65 dollars given the 15 dollar parking

Jenny Malcolm

Bought tickets in March, was was delayed and rescheduled to a date 6 of us cannot attend. Trying to reschedule is a nightmare. No one will respond. Very poorly organized. I'm sure its amazing but from a customer service perspective it's total scam.

Eric Pauls

Does nothing to enhance the experience of seeing the real thing. It’s not immersive in any way, it’s simply bad projections of the original art. Just because the images are larger does not mean they are better.

Maria S

Beyond Van Gogh was quite an experience. “find things beautiful as much as you can…most people find too little beautiful” If you’re in Calgary, go see Beyond Van Gogh and have fun.

Quinn Desilets

When I arrived I was like “is this all it?”

Karla McNally

If you have the opportunity you must check this out!!! Incredible from start to finish. It moved me to tears.

Yasmin Gamea

It’s a gorgeous spatial experience that’s every Instagrammer’s delight, so much so, that it even got featured in the darling Netflix show, “Emily in Paris”. I wanted badly to see it. Who doesn’t want a slice of the immersive in times like this when exhibitions and art shows are dwindling because of lockdown? Who doesn't want a bit of Emily in their lives? I live and breathe art, and just had to Gogh (mind my pun lol). However, I had a pretty awful experience the first time round, involving my kids, and a fellow visitor making a condescending remark that prompted me to leave. I had the assumption that this was a kid-friendly environment, seeing as the Van Gogh experiences abroad definitely invite everyone of all ages to enjoy the show. I tagged my two under 5s along as I assumed such, and did enquire beforehand if it was okay for them to be themselves. I got a prompt “yes” and I went ahead. I did do my research, and the Van Gogh experiences abroad are very welcoming to all and it seemed like fun for the kids. I left feeling bummed and in fury over the patronizing comment by the fellow visitor. I had my fair share of comments as a mom, but to spend $50+ on it and feel encouraged to leave sucked so bad. I swiftly called in customer service asking for a refund to rectify the awful experience, and was forwarded to Jeannie, the onsite manager. She was absolutely wonderful, accommodating, and ensured me that I can visit whenever I want the second time round to make it better. She is a star, and promptly rescheduled for me to relive the experience again as I didn’t so much as have the chance the first time (having left after 5 mins). Thank you Beyond Van Gogh, and most especially, thank you Jeannie for listening to my concerns and rectifying it!

Erica Jung

Good 1. Something you can spend 30min indoor. Bad 1. Too many people in a session. Cannot see the artworks well. 2. The customer service is bad. 3. Pricy considering the experience 4. 30min line up for 30 min watching.

Brandon Ratz

Fascinating design and creative computing come together in a magical way for this exhibition. I left with a much better understanding of Van Gogh and appreciation for his work. The immersive experience at the end is fascinatingly done, and at points it does feel like you’re standing right inside his painting. It was a bit more than I would have wanted to spend on the show - but for a unique experience it may be well worth it.

Desirae Kavanagh

I went to team lab in Japan, and that was a far more amazing experience. This is more of a $20 experience than a $40 one.

Kaitlyn Myers

Not worth $50 very short. Projections were outdated. Seen better visuals at music festivals. Weak

Durga Kale

Very very entertaining! The music and the flow of projections lingers in your memory. The show hits just the right notes and gives a brief sketch of the artist (Vincent van Gogh) and his art. 100% would recommend. Only downside was the incoming number of people is not moderated. Unfortunately at times it was difficult to keep the distance. I thought with the times entries, only limited number of people are allowed in a given slot of time.

brook p

what a lovely experience!! the background they give you of Van Gogh's life and his art was interesting and a good way to start off the exhibit. the exhibit room itself is GORGEOUS -- i wasn't expecting one big room with a 30 min loop of his projected paintings but i was pleasantly surprised. it wasn't crazy busy when i went & even if it were, i dont think it would have blighted my time at all. such a precious depiction of his art. would recommend (also the cutest lil gift shop I've ever seen!!!)

Adeel Mulla

Beyond words! Didn't really know what to expect and it blew me away. The crew and creatives put such thought and attention into showcasing his work in a different way and it paid off. Definitely worth a viewing.

Elvira Elizabeth Martinez

So so so expensive

Tammy Johnson

amazing

Katie Cobb

Interesting experience. The waterfall room and immersive experience were very cool, but the first room, where you are slowly herded through to read about Van Gogh's life left something to be desired. You're sort of forced to read each panel, but there isn't really any way to go past anyone ahead of you, so you're at the mercy of the reading speed of everyone ahead of you... Which meant that I often read over panels 3 or 4 times before I could move forward. As I mentioned the waterfall room is super interesting, and the immersion into the oaintinfs in the last room is also great! Another note, DONT park on stampede grounds... Find somewhere that's cheaper than $15, or take transit and walk.

Book Bug53

Was breathtaking, so enjoyable and relaxing. Could have stayed all day!!

Dustin Walrod

Don't even bother wasting your money with this scam. Last night, I finally attended the event after having my dates moved twice since I booked for July. The first room is just like 24 little walls with Van Goghs letters projected on the screen. People stare aimlessly as their brains tire from the boredom. The 2nd room is the "waterfall room", which is basically just a wall with a projected waterfall. Like, what the heck does this even have to do with Van Gogh. The 3rd room you stand there for 30 minutes while the projectors show most of his work and self portraits. Not even a glass of wine or cocktail is provided for sale. Unreal! Then they have the audacity to throw an awful little gift shop in as you walk out of the event, to try and grab more of your cash. What a joke. The event is a sham, and the organizers, as well as BMO Centre should be ashamed.

Rose French

Unable to attend because they have canceled the show. Wasted my money and won't receive a refund. They haven't updated their site so it's very misleading.

Robin Smith

Terribly disappointed. It is clearly a profit making machine with the sole intent to capitalize on the name Van Gogh. The advertising campaign was successful but the experience was regretful. Anyone with respect of this artist would never have created this mess. It was an exploitation of an absolute genius, whose artistic works I have always adored. Very poor, bright lighting and very poor resolution of the imagery thrown around the room. Highly pixelated screens. Van Gogh painted with such incredible attention to detail, such a beautiful palette of incredibly vivid colors and textures. All was lost here. So distasteful and cheaply done. I have been to the actual, Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam which charges €19 (currently equal to $21.54) and those 18 and under are FREE … yet this screensaver lightshow with not one piece of actual, original anything - cost me more than double that. Give me a friggin break.

Kenna Jaques

No notice that the event had been rescheduled. No further contact about when l will receive new tickets and what night is available. I have tried several times to contact someone for information and am getting nowhere. Incredibly unprofessional

A B

They are absolutely absurd as you need a ticket for a baby! If you didn't realize this there is no way that they accommodate and there's nothing you can do.. No refunds no letting in a baby (that is three month old in the stroller / in a carrier) ... Nothing! Customer service is horrible and extremely hard to contact and mostly ignored our questions and we're not helpful at all!

Mark G

Absolutely disappointing! Ridiculously expensive for what it is. Would not recommend it.

Torrie Grimes

The show was very pleasant. The art is spectacular enough but the immersive experience was a great added layer of depth. The staff was very accommodating and the viewing was efficient.

Cristina Pimienta

Love it! Would watch it again.

Sapna Gupta

I had high hopes going into this exhibit… especially given the cost of $50 per person. First of all, it was packed despite the timed entry tickets. The first 2/3 of the exhibit is just reading about Van Gogh on projected slides. The last part is a visit to a giant room in which his art is projected throughout. This part was cool but the entire exhibit itself was anticlimactic. The experience of the exhibit left a lot to be desired. You enter in a line and you have to wait for each and every person in front of you to read every slide; you unfortunately aren’t given the option to pass them if you’re the type of person that likes to view exhibits at a faster pace. Like I said, I had high hopes and after all is said and done, this isn’t one that I’d recommend.

Carlos Sosa

Amazing...just out of this world

Jenn Smith

It was a really enjoyable experience. There were 3 rooms and the last room was really the star of the show. The 1st room didn't have any animation. The 2nd room was fun colors and light patterns set to music. The 3rd room was a very cool immersive experience with seamless transitions between paintings. It was more crowed than I would have liked, especially with Covid19. Overall, it was completely worth it. I would go again.

Mike and Kelly Rasko

Felt very rushed and we were in there like cattle (lineups etc). It was still a fun date night but would not do it again for $52/ person.

Lisa Chu

Horrible customer service.

Lesley W.

Excellent experience, loved it! *I do think they need to get more organized with their ticketing, as we had an issue with that, (why is there no associated phone number? That's crazy.) Otherwise, a really excellent experience, and we really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it! A real visual delight, with relaxed and reflective atmosphere. I would go again.

Della L

I initially purchased tickets in March before lockdown. The tickets were cancelled and then automatically rescheduled to a specific date in August which we can’t attend. I contacted them and I was told no refunds after July 1st, but I received no email or notification of this. I emailed them back twice and have not received a response since. This company is unprofessional and they lack customer service. Robbery!

Jeremy Cochrane

So disappointed by this exhibit. Definitely not worth the cost. Projections were somewhat pixelated if you were anywhere but 2 feet from the center of the room. At least the event staff were kind, accommodating and respectful.

Robbie D

Went to the exhibit with my girlfriend and parents, the show was amazing, and I'm looking at purchasing another set of tickets!

cassandra staff missioning coster

This was the best form of art therpy I've ever experienced. I was fascinated by Van Gogh's sadly short life, and completely awesome by his genius and the genius artistry of the one who put it together in such a creative way. I felt like I was in Van Gogh's paintings. They came to life for me. Everyone I saw were enraptured by it. Even children were interacting and having fun, not been disruptive or bored. I left feeling peaceful, thoughtful, reflective and awed.

Sammy B

I was excited for this event expecting more immersion. Having the exhibit in basically one medium-sized room that was overcrowded, plus the kids screaming and people taking pictures in front of everything ruined the immersion. I expected more movement as if it were an art show but it felt crowded and small. None of his works are described the way they would be in a museum. Just flashing imagery of his artwork with no descriptions, dates, etc. Beautiful effects and seamless segways of the artwork done by the team behind the projections. It still felt like it was lacking substance and lacking worth for the price that my ticket was. Didn't learn anything about his paintings but learned a sliver about him as a person. I also can't ignore the fact they denied people of refunds for a postponed show and apparently have poor management according to previous reviews. Customer service is hard enough as it is.. don't make it harder for the employees by throwing them in a room with entitled customers with absolutely no idea what theyre doing.

Dmitriy Kits

Pros: Go after dark! It is seamless transition between city street lights, dark blue sky and the exposition tones and colours. Also, after attending many of the world renown museums and galleries, I think that if you had your one on one moment with the artist, then your personal goal is achieved. Cons: Without music and lengthy citations of the letters between brothers it would've been thin, because making Van Gogh blink on the painting copy or painted waters move - is very dated and uninspiring method of connection with the art. Great music? Yes! It made browse my phone more than ever to find the source. But the biggest concern is the cost if the ticket. Search Vienna Kunsthistorische Museum, Louvre, British Museum of Art, Metropolitan New York, Hermitage St. Petersburg and you will find, that hungry for the profit people, who try to compensate for the lack of chuck wagon sighting, screwed you big time. All of the above venues charge you much much less for watching ORIGINALS. So, thank you for making me think about Vincent Van Gogh! But shame on the greedy dealers who rips of underperforming pockets of Calgarians charging big buck for the fake presentation. Sure, the artist's body rotates somewhere n the ground vigorously trying to cut off his second ear. His spirit is mad! Big time! Why would someone bring here exposition with originals if we pay big buck for the copy?

Matthew Thompson

Overall was very disappointed in the exhibit for the cost. The first portion of the exhibit is just a lot of reading in a slow moving line, Followed up by a crowded room standing in one place for the next part.

Scott Wishart

How sad is it that not only will this company not refund a family the cost of their tickets because of a positive test result forcing them to isolate in order to abide by current regulations, that they are also still selling tickets even though their doors are locked? People showing up in -20 degree weather for an exhibit they are excited to see only to arrive to locked doors and no note. Their voicemail says they are closed due to Covid but are unable to refund tickets. Solid business model; sell tickets to a locked facility and disappear with all of the sales. Not bad. One star is too many.

Sandra Kay

It’s not as interactive as I thought it would be but nevertheless it was a really cool way to enjoy Van Goghs work! I really liked reading about his life’s story and then experiencing the surreal projections of all of his art.

Victoria Klassen

Omg amazing experience! Really delving into the depths of an amazing artist and making it a wicked experience! Absolutely surreal and loved it!

Leslie D

Loved it. A bit crowded but other then that no complaints. It was a great experience!

Matt

Would be great for 1/3 of the price.

Kim Kelly

Beautifully done. I learned so much about Vincent and I felt immersed in the art presentations. We were there about 1.5 hours as it was self-paced and people moved about freely. I hope there is another art show like this. Most enjoyable.

Sarafinakaine

What a stunning and beautiful event. They did a wonderful job of bringing his art to life & finding a way to engage people of all ages. I'm hoping to see something interactively similar with other artists in the future

Lana

Very immersive experience!

CLINT JIANG

Love it

protestthepromqueen

So I went to this exhibit I am a huge van gogh fan and have been most of my life. I didnt feel the first 2 exhibits made sense the first one is not set up palatable the information is scattered and random with mostly philosophical meanings put in by someone else. The second has zero to do with anything van gogh. The third is worth the trip I will say that it was amazing seeing the paintings some I had never seen and with them moving around the room flowing into each other it was worth going how ever I have a warning. The gift shop is set up absolutely terribly the staff there pay no attention and offer no help I spent 30mns trying to find 2 guys shirts in the 2 paintings they offer and thought i was got them as I kinda found a mens spot or it said men's. After purchasing these and a few other things I went home it was a week before I tried the second shirt, turns out its girls and after contacting them without buying another full ticket to the exhibit I have no way to exchange or even buy a guys shirt this was very disappointing considering the artist the style of exhibition and the company running it, kinda made the whole thing feel like a shady money grab exhibit. Glad I went and got atleast one shirt but theres my warning and info on the exhibition!

Emily Wilton

Absolutely horrible customer service. They do not reply to customers. Complete waste of money.

Vicky Klassen

The immersive room was so perfectly illustrated with the music, notations and sequenced scene changes. So impressive

Walter C. Tersmette

The Van Gogh Experience exceeded my expectations - thank you for bringing this to Calgary. Bring on Monet and DaVinci!

Karman Tittemore

I am not an art aficionado but still really liked the experience. We originally had tickets for June but they were rescheduled. I would’ve preferred to pick the date, but the date they picked worked for us anyway. You line up outside the exhibit just before your time slot. Once you’ve entered, the beginning portion was slow to move as there were screens with text on Van Gogh’s life. They make it seem they want you to stay in a lineup, but other guests were taking their time with reading so we did end up passing a few groups originally ahead of us. When you enter the main room, Van Gogh’s paintings are projected on all the walls and floor, with movement in the pieces and coordinated with the music. Photos are encouraged but they ask you to keep flash off. We spent about 50 minutes inside in total. It was quite crowded when we went, so if time allows it I would avoid the weekend and book a random mid day weekday time if possible. People were generally well behaved but I will agree that all the selfies and photos happening around me did kind of take away from the experience but that’s not the fault of the exhibit. Despite all the negative reviews of management and disorganization, I didn’t notice any of this and thought the staff did well and were quite organized. It’s a bit pricy for a one hour experience, but a good one nonetheless.

les ham

I bought tickets so long ago but at the time was under the impression that there would be real Van Gogh paintings there. I was disappointed but went anyways, reminding myself to keep an open mind. The first part was interesting but nothing that I didn’t already know.I am not sure what the purpose of the second part was - could have done without it. The third part was a Kay but I really disliked the movements that they added to his paintings, like portrait eyes blinking. I thought this was a little disrespectful to the artist as his work has spoken for itself for many, many years without high tech touches. I was surprised that masks weren’t mandatory for this event as there were quite a few people in close proximity. I left early because there were so many people without masks.

Elyshia Pilon

Loved the concept. Perfectly curated music. Great from beginning to end!

Bear Rat

We all really loved this! No doubt the last room is the most enchanting but I really think it depends on your expectations. It's about an hour to wander through and the first part is more reading. If you know that going in, I thought it was quite magical.

Julian Lacombe

Great experience but horrible customer service.