Van Gogh Alive PH: Is it Worth Visiting with Kids? (Manila, Philippines)

Will kids enjoy Van Gogh Alive? The short answer: it depends!

What is Van Gogh Alive

Van Gogh Alive is described as “a multi-sensory exhibition experience,” according to the official website.

The exhibit has been presented in over 50 cities around the world and it’s latest run is right here in Manila at One Bonifacio High Street, from October 26-December 8, 2019.

Worldwide Reception

Photos and selfies from Van Gogh Alive exhibits hound Instagram but reception worldwide has been mixed. If you Google “Van Gogh Alive reviews”, you’ll find one star reviews saying it’s overrated and overpriced. You’ll also find a lot of disappointed reviewers saying it wasn’t worth paying to see Van Gogh’s paintings simply projected on screens.

Reading these reviews, I didn’t expect much and even reconsidered buying tickets. But Van Gogh is my all-time favorite artist (I have more Van Gogh books on my personal collection than I can count haha!) and so I thought, screw the negative reviews. I wanna experience (and judge it) for myself! And I’m bringing my son with me.

And oh, am I glad that we did!

What to Expect

#1: Yes, the paintings really are just projected on the screens

That’s the simplest way to put it. But it’s not just that. The paintings come alive with wonderfully done animation. And you get to enjoy it with a beautiful classical score in the background.

Young kids may find it magical seeing the stars at Starry Night twinkle!

#2: It can get crowded: Find a spot and sit!

Upon entering the exhibit, you might get overwhelmed with the number of people in the room and you’ll probably panic trying to make sure you get a good spot! But don’t worry. Once people settle down, everybody sits on the floor or at the benches provided.

For kids, I recommend getting a less crowded spot; maybe somewhere in the corners because I’m pretty sure they won’t be sitting still for the duration of the presentation. They’ll wanna roam around and you don’t want them to block the screens too much for others.

#3: You’ll Learn (a Little Bit!) About Van Gogh’s Life Story

The exhibit gives brief anecdotes about certain moments from Van Gogh’s life. The stories are projected on the screen and there are no voice overs. So if your kids can’t read yet, you’ll have to read it to them (softly though, so as not to disturb others, ok?)

#4: You can take photos, but find a spot where you won’t disturb others!

No doubt a lot of people come here for the photos and a lot more can’t help with the selfies. Some people get annoyed about that but I honestly don’t mind. In fact, I encouraged my son and said “yes!” to him whenever he asked if I could take his photo with certain paintings. It’s his way of making the experience his and I respect that.

But of course, we also have to respect others! So to get the photos, we would find secluded areas where there are not a lot of people and take our photos there. We also made our shots brief! And then we go back to sitting on the floor and enjoying the experience.

#5: There’s an installation of the painting “The Bedroom in Arles”

One of the nicest features of the exhibit is this actual installation of Van Gogh’s painting “The Bedroom in Arles.” It was definitely surreal to be “inside” a Van Gogh painting! Hehe.

Luke enjoyed it too and wanted to linger, but there was a 30 second limit and as expected, a lot of people were lining up to also get their photos taken. Hehe.

My 4 Year Old’s Experience

Because I’ve always been a Van Gogh fan, Luke has been exposed to his works and is familiar with a lot of the paintings. So he was very enthusiastic about the exhibit.

I know it sounds a little nerdy (hehe) but Luke was eagerly anticipating seeing some of the paintings he was familiar with  (“Mommy, when will Starry Night appear?” “Mommy, this was his last painting before he died, right?” “Daddy, that’s the painting I was telling you about; the time he cut off his ear!!”)

He was also the one who insisted that he wear his Van Gogh inspired outfit, complete with a paintbrush as part of his props! You can tell, my son really enjoyed and so for me, it was worth going!

But at the same time, I also know for a fact that if I had brought him here a year earlier when he was only 3, he might not have the same appreciation. If your kids are not yet familiar with Van Gogh’s work, they might not be able to appreciate the exhibit as much. Which brings me to this:

Tip: Introduce Van Gogh Before Going

I really believe that art is for everyone, even the little ones! So whether they are familiar with Van Gogh or not, I still encourage you to consider going. But it would really help if you introduce Van Gogh to them beforehand.

Prepare them for the visit by reading up on Van Gogh and his works together. The Van Gogh books by Laurence Anholt and James Mayhew are good starting points.

You can also show them photos of the paintings. Start with Starry Night, Cafe Terrace at Night, The Sunflowers, Van Gogh’s self portraits and of course, his paintings of his Bedroom in Arles for greater appreciation of the exhibit.

Enjoy! Let me know how it goes for you and your kids!

Visit the official website to get tickets.

(NOTE: THIS POST IS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE LAST NOVEMBER 2019.)