Olympia Theater — Attraction in Miami

This review isn't about the theater itself, but about the Van Gogh experience currently occupying it.

I'm at such a loss as to why so many people have consistently raved about this experience. We missed opportunities to see this when it was in Atlanta and Seattle, and finally caught it today in Miami but while I wish I could say, "third time's the charm," the reality is that I wish we'd missed this entirely because it was incredibly underwhelming. First, you weave through a couple of rooms where you read a whole lot of biographical information on Van Gogh, nothing that most of you won't know or won't find on Wikipedia. There's a partial replica of his bedroom in Arles where you can take photos to post on Instagram or whatever, but the main event is a 35-minute "screensaver," for lack of a better term, (like you'd find on your old Windows 95 computer).

Basically, you go into this big room, sit in a chair, and watch as Van Gogh's paintings are projected onto screens that wrap around the room. Cool ... for a couple of minutes, and then the effect wears off. There's a 2017 movie called "Loving Vincent" (highly recommended) that's all about Van Gogh and is animated in the style of a Van Gogh painting. Basically, this exhibit was trying to be that, but fell miserably short.

But that wasn't the worst of it ... We paid the extra $5 each for the VR experience, and the attendant fastened our headsets to our heads and then quickly left without enquiring about the fit or anything. My headset was much too tight with my glasses on, and I was fighting trying to readjust it so that I wouldn't miss anything. Meanwhile, my wife's video was blurry the entire time. When you consider that two tickets to the exhibit including the VR experience cost over $100, you leave feeling like you've been completely scammed. You can visit many of the world's best museums, some of them for free, and come away having had an infinitely better experience at a much lower price...

I am enjoying fever events the last couple of months. I'm so happy I've found the app! If you like to explore your city then fever is a must have. Today I went to the Van Gogh immersion experience downtown Miami at the historic Olympia theater. It was fabulous! The interactive exhibits we're pretty cool. I didn't know much about Vincent but this art museum did the work of me getting aquatinted with this fellow. I don't know where else is these exhibition is taking place but if you're in Florida it's must see. My favorite space in the entire exhibit is the large room as your last stop before the VR experience, because it tells a story of Vincent through his own written words/words he told others and his paintings really came to life. The VR experience was a very close second favorite exhibit. It's on the second floor and the seats are spaced so you do not have to sit near others if social distancing is important to you like it is to me. I was fully immersed into the automated reality while the Google's were on me and loved everything I saw!!!! Maybe I can choose the the scene when I am in the forest and seeings the cypress trees. The narrator's voice was as if he was Vincent and that he liked to walk in the forest. The regular tickets are around 16.20 but when I bought the VIP adult tickets I paid around sixty something, it seems the price varies per day and time going. My tickets allowed for me to get a free start night poster and the VR experience without paying out of pocket. I did buy a face mask to support the Olympia theater and the exhibit. I came via public transportation so I don't know about...

First you drive around for half an hour try to find a parking on Satarday night. How come a theater dont have a designated parking even if it's not free? The theater is pretty but old (floor and seats needed renovation like yesterday) and very narrow, so climb to the top is very steep and there are no tv screens to see the stage closer. All employees who works at the top and appoint you to the seat are absolutely lost and definitely not the brightest bulbs out there. It's like it's their first day on the job. The show was supposed to start at 7.30 but by that time theater was half empty (although it was Tom Segura sold out show), people start coming in around 8. Employees running around with flash lights trying to figure out where to seat people. Like really, how hard is to remember sections? What is wrong with this people? Show started at 8.10, at 8.45 people still were walking around looking for seats. It's absolutly unexcelatable. Its disrespectful for the performer and should be strictly inforced. Show at 7.30 and if u not there by 8, then too bad, you are not going in. Also who the hell sells pop corn on the comedy shows? U trying to listen to jokes and how you supposed to do with smb chewing pop corn next you. So disrespectful towards performer. That being said, I will never go back to that Olympia theater and dont advise...