There has rarely been a trend in the art world that has caught on as quickly as immersive digital art museums.
Although it may not be the first permanent space dedicated to digital art, while Paris’ Atelier des Lumieres Opened in April 2018, this trend caught fire. When I visited in September of that year, everyone from my son’s twin friends to the flight attendants on my transcontinental flight recommended visiting the recycled steel refinery in the far reaches of the 11th arrondissement. Images of Gustav Klimt’s gold and jewel-toned paintings floated through the vast warehouse-like space and were choreographed to classical music of the same era (think Mahler, Wagner, Strauss). It was like nothing I had ever seen.
Six years later, more than now 100 permanent digital art museums and traveling exhibitions Worldwide, with more scheduled to open in 2025. Some of these immersive art museums, such as the Atelier des Lumières, bring famous works of art to life. Others have original digital art and are more avant-garde, responding to touch and physical presence. And several locations, including a former submarine base, are part of the experience.
However, that doesn’t mean they are all created equal. For every truly memorable experience, there are some who feel they’ve been thrown together just to cash in on the trend (though, I bought expensive tickets to a Frida Kahlo digital exhibit that turned out to be in a literal garage. Outside Washington, DC). .
How to tell the best from the rest? Get started with these TPG-verified options below.
Basin des Lumières, Bordeaux, France
Set in a historic WWII submarine base in Bordeaux, Bassins des Lumières Leaning into its aquatic history with a large pool of water reflecting stunning digital art projections. (Fun fact: It’s five times the size of its sister museum, the Atelier des Lumières in Paris.) This unique setting enhances the visual experience with works by masters like those on current display.Vermeer to Van Gogh” (Until January 5) reflects and ripples across the surface. It’s a fun mix of art and innovation, and the wall, floor and ceiling projections in the large space with accompanying audio are mesmerizing. Here are five spaces. Great Dutch Exhibitions including masters and child-friendlyThe Little Prince: The Immersive Odyssey“Every afternoon until the end of the year.
TPG Tip: Places of CultureThe French foundation behind Bassins and Atelier des Lumieres has also opened digital art spaces in New York City, Seoul and Amsterdam. Its next opening will be in Hamburg, Germany.
Lume Indianapolis
Let’s face it, not many people hear “cutting-edge art” and immediately think “Indiana.” Also Lume Indianapolis – a permanent fixture of Indianapolis Museum of Art in Newfields Containing the entire fourth floor of the museum – is truly special. Lume’s exhibits are created by Melbourne, Australia-based company Grande Experience, which has been creating immersive shows for 15 years. Current performance, “Dali Alive,” runs through Jan. 31 and features the Spanish artist’s trippy works, including Melting Clocks.
Artekhouse, Washington, DC
If you’ve mostly experienced digital art museums that focus on transforming famous works of art into 360-degree paintings, Artekhouse Will flip your imagination of an immersive art museum on its head. Opened in 2017, the museum emphasizes interactivity. Visitors can influence the artwork through motion sensors and other tech-based elements.
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The first time I visited I really felt like I was a magician. Get close to the wall and it starts shifting and moving. Move your hands and the pattern on the wall will follow. In another area, I was able to virtually boil the pots and have the digital machines spring into action with the wave of my hand.
Exhibits here often focus on current events or science: I visited during a Cherry Blossom Festival tie-in in 2022 when the walls were covered in virtual blooming pink branches. Currently, an under-the-sea collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, “The Twilight Zone: Hidden Wonders of the SeaOn display until November 19.
TPG Tip: The DC location is the original, but Artekhouse also has museums in New York City, Houston, and Miami.
TeamLab Borderless: Mori Building Digital Art Museum, Tokyo
If you spend any time on TikTok or Instagram, TeamLab Borderless Tokyo has probably taken over your feed at some point with its sparkling crystal infinity room. Borderless relocated to a new home in the modern Mori Building in Azabudai Hills in early 2024. (Tip: The building itself has a fabulous, and free, observation deck.) The modern skyscraper neighborhood is between Roppongi and Toranomon Hills, close to Tokyo Tower (about 20 minutes by train from Shibuya).
The entire 110,000-square-foot space is an immersive environment where visitors can freely interact with the art, which evolves based on your movements. You can explore at your own pace and don’t have to follow a set route, which makes it feel slightly more relaxed than some other digital museum experiences (though make no mistake, this one will be crowded). Tickets are usually sold out in advance, especially on weekends; Plan to purchase tickets three weeks in advance of your visit.
The artwork is constantly adapting and transforming, so no two experiences are the same, so this is a fun one to revisit. It’s a great place for kids, as well as adults, especially the “fish” room where you can create a drawing that becomes part of a digitized seascape “swimming” around the walls. Be sure to keep an eye out for the NT Tea House where your tea “blooms” continuously while it’s in your cup.
TPG Tip: If you can’t make it to Tokyo, TeamLab is opening a new museum soon in the German port city. Hamburg and in Abu Dhabi.
Related: I booked a family trip to Japan with a tour operator; Here’s why I would do it again
TeamLab Planets, Tokyo
Even in Tokyo, TeamLab Planetswhich opened in July 2018, has a different feel from Borderless. Planets really wants visitors to engage with the art on a physical level, and for this, you’ll walk through a series of environments where you come into contact with objects, including several water-filled floors (yes, it’s real, and yes, you have to walk through the building barefoot). You’ll follow a guided path here, and many rooms have time limits, but the digital floating universe of flowers, the interactive upside-down flower garden, the giant round room and the infinity crystal universe with lights are worth a visit.
Planets is located on Odaiba’s man-made entertainment island, which features, among other things, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, a giant Gundam robot, a science museum, and several shopping malls. It’s about a 30-minute train ride between the two TeamLab locations, and Planets is about 45 minutes from Shibuya. As with Borderless, you should plan to buy tickets several weeks before you want to visit.
TPG Tip: TeamLab also has dozens of single installations worldwide. There is a “fish” room Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey, which is extremely cheap and easy to reach from New York City.
SuperBlue Miami
SuperBlue MiamiLocated in the Allapattah neighborhood, it feels more like a curated museum than the single-subject digital art experiences that define other immersive sites. The space showcases large-scale, interactive artworks by contemporary artists, making it a must for art lovers eager to explore the intersection of technology and creativity.
There are also elements from TeamLabs, which partnered with SuperBlue on an interactive projected flower wall that changes and moves when you touch it, and the viral “massless clouds” space, a more visceral experience like walking through a room filled with bubbles and Superblue’s commitment to showcasing up-and-coming artists and innovative practices means you’re sure to find something here like you’ve never seen before.
Outernet, London
More people visited OuternetA digital museum in London’s West End, according to the British Museum last year The Times. It’s also completely free, which is unique in the digital art world. Located in the Now Building, south of Tottenham Court Road tube station, Outernet consists of three separate spaces to explore, including a room with 360-degree immersive screens that include music and augmented reality, and another with wall-sized interactive video games. have The biggest Tetris game in the world has just debuted). What makes Outernet unique is its focus on mixing entertainment with art, frequently hosting live events and collaborations, including upcoming events with both NASA and British artist Hannah Nijsten.
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Ars Electronica Center, Linz, Austria
Ars Electronica Center Something like AI is running the show — and that’s how the Digital Museum likes it. It has a futuristic atmosphere with computer-driven displays of robotics, music and neuroscience. However, immersive types of displays are common in other digital art museums, including “Deep Space 8K“, which uses high-def lasers and 33 million pixel resolution to create images of everything from the planets of the solar system to Notre Dame. And if your schedule coincides with the annual Ars Electronica FestivalIt is worth attending (the next one is scheduled for September 3-7, 2025). Past performances have included Laurie Anderson, the Electromagnetic Dance Show, choreographed wrestling and an electronica DJ.
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