There are some really cool experiences in musems, historic sites, entertainment venues, etc. But I've still never found anything that comes anywhere close to rivaling what nature can do. A mountain, a canyon or a beach are still more spectacular to me.
Here in Kansas City, “Haunted Houses” are a thing every Halloween and have been for decades. They’re easier to stage on limited budgets than the spectacular palaces described here, but limited budgets don’t mean limited creativity, and some can be “immersive experiences” in every sense of the word. All you need is a creepy old house, a bunch of teenagers who aspire to act in horror movies, and a good liability waiver. And a WHOLE BUNCH of fake blood.
I wanted to mention haunted houses for Halloween because you are right -- they are very much an immersive experienced. But I had to draw the line somewhere!
The phrase “selfie upon selfie” says so much. That and the acknowledgment of our difficulty differentiating fact from fiction. What a world we’re living in.
I love that definition, "amazement park." Tellingly, as I live in Central Florida, most residents here refer to places like Disney World and Universal as "the attractions," not "theme parks." And we know exactly what the reference means!
Your comments about the cabinets of curiosity reminded me of a trip I took to Russia in 2008 (back when Russia was much more fun). In Saint Petersburg, I visited an old ethnographic museum called Kunstkamera, whose 60s-style dioramas were works of art. But the best part of the museum was visiting the actual cabinet of curiosities that belonged to Peter the Great. I still have the Trip Journal up (warning! Not for the squeamish). It was terrible... and absolutely fascinating. http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-408029
This made me think of the Van Gogh exhibit, which I first saw in Paris and then in Seattle. The first time around it seemed relatively novel and cool (this was about six-ish years ago) but by the time it got to Seattle it felt solely built for social media. Which made it feel wayyy too gimmicky and hollow.
I thought the same thing about the exhibit in Bangkok. At first I thought, oh, wow, this sounds great! Then the more I looked into it the more skeptical I felt.
Great history lesson, thanks! And then, of course, there is the migration to the screen with shows like Westworld, where we can vicariously experience a fictional immersive experience. My son and his girlfriend are visiting New York this weekend and sending me loads of pictures. The Times Square photos made me think of NYC as a huge, mind-blowing theme park. My son agreed. Life imitates art imitates life. Round and round we go.
I've been to the Denver Meow Wolf and I did enjoy it simply because I become a little kid when I'm in places like that, lol. But, I agree, it did become boring after a while, I think because I just didn't get the story. My husband has been to the one in Las Vegas with the supermarket theme and that was bigger and grander because, well... Vegas. My absolute most favorite immersive experience was years ago when my husband took me to NYC for my birthday and we went to Sleep No More, which was an interactive play based on Hamlet. It took place in an old 3 or 4 story building that the theater company took over and transformed into a whole set. You're given masks at the beginning and you're not allowed to talk as you are free to explore the entire building and follow along with the actors through various scenes. It was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced and I wish we had gone back a second time. Sadly, they had their last run this year, but I hear the company has created a new experience in the same building. Definitely go to one if you ever get the chance!
So I looked it up to see what the new production is called and I realized I got some details wrong. It's an adaptation of Macbeth not Hamlet, fuzzy memory, lol. The venue is called The McKittrick Hotel and they're officially closing Sleep No More on January 5th. Here is a link https://mckittrickhotel.com/events/sleep-no-more/#/?qty=1 if you'd like to see what else they're doing. The new production is called Life and Trust and is set in the Financial District. But yeah, I definitely recommend this type of immersive experience if you have the chance to do one!
There are some really cool experiences in musems, historic sites, entertainment venues, etc. But I've still never found anything that comes anywhere close to rivaling what nature can do. A mountain, a canyon or a beach are still more spectacular to me.
Can’t disagree with any of that.
Here in Kansas City, “Haunted Houses” are a thing every Halloween and have been for decades. They’re easier to stage on limited budgets than the spectacular palaces described here, but limited budgets don’t mean limited creativity, and some can be “immersive experiences” in every sense of the word. All you need is a creepy old house, a bunch of teenagers who aspire to act in horror movies, and a good liability waiver. And a WHOLE BUNCH of fake blood.
I wanted to mention haunted houses for Halloween because you are right -- they are very much an immersive experienced. But I had to draw the line somewhere!
Thanks for the immersion into the history of immersive experiences. Quite enjoyable.
🤣🤣🤣
The phrase “selfie upon selfie” says so much. That and the acknowledgment of our difficulty differentiating fact from fiction. What a world we’re living in.
Great post! I much enjoyed this through-line.
Thanks, Holly!
I love that definition, "amazement park." Tellingly, as I live in Central Florida, most residents here refer to places like Disney World and Universal as "the attractions," not "theme parks." And we know exactly what the reference means!
It's a clever term. I wish Wake the Tiger was a more amazing attraction! LOL
Your comments about the cabinets of curiosity reminded me of a trip I took to Russia in 2008 (back when Russia was much more fun). In Saint Petersburg, I visited an old ethnographic museum called Kunstkamera, whose 60s-style dioramas were works of art. But the best part of the museum was visiting the actual cabinet of curiosities that belonged to Peter the Great. I still have the Trip Journal up (warning! Not for the squeamish). It was terrible... and absolutely fascinating. http://www.mytripjournal.com/travel-408029
Fantastic!
This made me think of the Van Gogh exhibit, which I first saw in Paris and then in Seattle. The first time around it seemed relatively novel and cool (this was about six-ish years ago) but by the time it got to Seattle it felt solely built for social media. Which made it feel wayyy too gimmicky and hollow.
I thought the same thing about the exhibit in Bangkok. At first I thought, oh, wow, this sounds great! Then the more I looked into it the more skeptical I felt.
Great history lesson, thanks! And then, of course, there is the migration to the screen with shows like Westworld, where we can vicariously experience a fictional immersive experience. My son and his girlfriend are visiting New York this weekend and sending me loads of pictures. The Times Square photos made me think of NYC as a huge, mind-blowing theme park. My son agreed. Life imitates art imitates life. Round and round we go.
Round and round is right! And thank you!
p.s. I’ve been to Disneyland exactly once and hated it. I don’t enjoy immersive experiences. Nature is much better.
I've been to the Denver Meow Wolf and I did enjoy it simply because I become a little kid when I'm in places like that, lol. But, I agree, it did become boring after a while, I think because I just didn't get the story. My husband has been to the one in Las Vegas with the supermarket theme and that was bigger and grander because, well... Vegas. My absolute most favorite immersive experience was years ago when my husband took me to NYC for my birthday and we went to Sleep No More, which was an interactive play based on Hamlet. It took place in an old 3 or 4 story building that the theater company took over and transformed into a whole set. You're given masks at the beginning and you're not allowed to talk as you are free to explore the entire building and follow along with the actors through various scenes. It was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced and I wish we had gone back a second time. Sadly, they had their last run this year, but I hear the company has created a new experience in the same building. Definitely go to one if you ever get the chance!
Now THAT sounds intriguing!
So I looked it up to see what the new production is called and I realized I got some details wrong. It's an adaptation of Macbeth not Hamlet, fuzzy memory, lol. The venue is called The McKittrick Hotel and they're officially closing Sleep No More on January 5th. Here is a link https://mckittrickhotel.com/events/sleep-no-more/#/?qty=1 if you'd like to see what else they're doing. The new production is called Life and Trust and is set in the Financial District. But yeah, I definitely recommend this type of immersive experience if you have the chance to do one!
Seattle’s Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. 🙂
https://www.yeoldecuriosityshop.com/
How did I love in Seattle for thirty years and never hear of this!
We've been there!