Get whisked away to a magical kingdom at ARTECHOUSE’s newest exhibit Imaginary World of The Nutcracker. ARTECHOUSE continues to amaze and bring a pure sense of joy to those who visit their exhibits. This installation features the Nutcracker as well as other holiday characters that even the youngest of visitors will recognize.
Before you visit, I recommend that you download the ARTECHOUSE app via iTunes or Google Play. You certainly don’t need to have the app, but it definitely enhances your visit. My teen daughter and I had a lot of fun playing around with the app while at the exhibit.
When you walk into the exhibit, you’ll first visit the main gallery floor where you’ll be immersed in a floor to ceiling interactive installation that makes you feel like you’re in the set of The Nutcracker. Kids (and yes, adults) will have a grand time figuring out what elements of the exhibit are interactive and if you’ve installed the app, there’s even more surprises in store for you. See if you can find The Nutcracker and then do a little dance with him.
There are two other rooms, which were actually my favorite. The first, Ice Neon, at its core made me feel happy. Not that I wasn’t already having a good time, this room brought me a sense of inner calm and relaxation. Created by Noirflux, visitors can manipulate hues of blue and white plus snowflakes around the floor and into a triangle on the wall. Use your hands and your feet and see what designs you can come up with.
Are you wishing for some snow in your life? Well, since we don’t have the real thing (yet), head into the second room, Snow Chase, where beautiful blue and white snowflakes dot the ground and depending on how you interact with them, move about the floor.
Finally, in the back room of the exhibit, there’s a beautiful holiday scene complete with simple, yet elegant trees and a dining table that you can interact with. For this room, the app is a must as the Augmented Reality activations from ARTECHOUSE are present throughout the tablescape. You could even make it a game of “I Spy” with your children.
In addition to the exhibit, there’s a bar that is open weekends during the day as well as all evenings. ARTECHOUSE has created several new themed cocktails and drinks — all with an augmented reality piece to them. Drinks are sold separately and only guests 21 and over can enjoy these creations.
Imaginary World of The Nutcracker is well worth a visit this holiday season, so we recommend that you purchase your tickets for what surely will be a sell out exhibit. Make it a family adventure or even *gasp* a date night!
Additional Information
- Imaginary World of The Nutcracker runs until January 7, 2018. The exhibit is open to all ages during the daytime from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then evening admission is for 21+ and is from 5:30 to 10:30/11:30 p.m.
- Purchase tickets online. Daytime admission is $15 for adults, $12 for students, seniors (65+) and military ID holders and $9 for children 12 and under. Evening admission is $15 for adults (21+). Drinks are sold separately.
- Note that strollers are not allowed on the gallery floor — you can leave them in the lobby.
- There are various parking garages available as well as limited street parking. We found street parking fairly easily when we visited at 4:30 p.m.
