HOUSTON — The Better Business Bureau is urging consumers to read the fine print before purchasing tickets for immersive exhibits featuring Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork.
At least two traveling exhibits will be in Houston later this year.
At first glance, they look similar.
But there are differences.
Immersive Van Gogh, which is produced by Lighthouse Immersive and Showone Productions, projects large scale images of the Dutch artist’s work across 500,000 cubic feet. On its website, Immersive Van Gogh is described to include, “the Mangeurs de pommes de terre (The Potato Eaters, 1885), the Nuit étoilée (Starry Night, 1889), Les Tournesols (Sunflowers, 1888), and La Chambre à coucher (The Bedroom, 1889), and so much more.” The exhibit is designed by Massimiliano Siccardi.
Immersive Van Gogh will be in Houston from August to October. The exact location has not been disclosed but people can buy tickets. General admission adult tickets range from $39.99 to $49.99 depending on the day and time of day.
Some Houstonians may be familiar with Immersive Van Gogh after watching the Netflix series, Emily in Paris. A scene in one of the episodes is shot in the exhibit.
Renata Lyons says her husband viewed the exhibit while in Amsterdam. “It’s this immersive experience where you feel like you’re traveling inside the paintings,” said Lyons of how Immersive Van Gogh was described to her. So when she saw an ad on Facebook for the digital experience that celebrates the post-impressionist artist, Lyons hurried to buy tickets online. “Oh! This is it! This is the immersive experience.”
But she purchased three $39.90 tickets for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience which is produced by Fever and Exhibition Hub.
On it’s website, Fever describes the immersive exhibit as, “an awe-inspiring journey into the incomparable universe of Van Gogh, one of the greatest artistic geniuses of the 19th century. Explore his life, his work, and his secrets as never before through cutting-edge 360 degree digital projections, a one-of-a-kind VR experience, and a uniquely atmospheric light and sound show.” Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience also offers a separate galleries of Van Gogh’s life, technique and influences.
Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience will be in Houston from October 2021 to January 2022. The exact location has not been disclosed but people can buy tickets. General admission adult tickets are $34.90.
Both experiences include a 360-degree light and sound show. Both experiences allow for COVID-19 safety protocols, including social distancing.
At least four different immersive Van Gogh exhibits will be in the United States this year. And then there’s the Houston Museum of Fine Arts exhibit which features Vincent Van Gogh’s actual artwork. That exhibit is available for viewing until June.
Lyons warns, “check and make sure that what you’re buying is what you want to see.”
The Better Business Bureau confirms its received a number of complaints about Fever from consumers who claim they thought they were purchasing tickets for Immersive Van Gogh. As a result, the BBB released an article with more information about both Van Gogh exhibits, along with advice to take before making any online purchase:
Consumers are urged to read everything carefully, so they are clear as to the tickets they are buying.
Before purchasing any tickets, BBB recommends the following:
Buy only from trusted vendors. Look for the lock symbol in the web address to indicate a secure purchasing system. Do not click through from emails or online ads. Check the vendor with BBB.org to see what information may be available about the seller.
Read the ad and website carefully. Make sure to read the event description carefully and ensure that it is the one you want. Also be sure the event advertised matches the tickets being purchased. Verify the website selling the tickets also matches the event advertised and is an authorized seller for the event you want. Be wary and do more research if you spot confusing marketing claims.
Watch for red flags. For any ticketed event, always check the terms and conditions as well as other posted policies. If refund and cancellation policies or other terms and conditions are not posted on an event producer’s website, that is a red flag. Lack of contact information for the event producer is also cause for concern.
Use payment methods that come with protection. Always use a credit card so there is some recourse if the tickets are not as promised. Debit cards, wire transfer, or cash transactions are risky; if the tickets are not the ones you intended to buy, you will not be able to get your money back.
If you are unsure, verify your tickets. Go to the arena, museum, or art gallery where the event will be held. Present your ticket to “Will Call” (customer service) and they can verify if your ticket is for the correct event.