Beyond Monet invites visitors to experience the French impressionist’s work through immersive projection, sound, and storytelling.
This new immersive experience comes off the back of the hugely popular Beyond Van Gogh, which came to Liverpool for the first time last summer, attracting 60,000 visitors.
This year Beyond Van Gogh returns alongside Beyond Monet (running on different days), which is getting it’s European debut right here in Liverpool. If you visited Beyond Van Gogh, then you’ll pretty much know what to expect from the Monet experience too, although both attractions feature a special ‘exit room’ this year. More on that later.
Much like Beyond Van Gogh, before you’re swept away by the art itself, the introductory room offers a grounding sense of context — who Monet was, how he saw the world, and why he changed the course of art history. You come to understand Monet’s philosophy: his obsession with capturing light, fleeting moments, and emotion through colour. That understanding deepens everything that follows.
From there, you wander into the Infinity Room – the heart of the exhibition – where iconic paintings like Poppies, Impression: Sunrise, and his mesmerising Water Lilies swirl across the walls and floor in an immersive 360° display. But what Beyond Monet does so well is go beyond the greatest hits. It curates a vast collection — over 400 artworks — and weaves them together thematically, not chronologically, to tell a richer story. You begin to see how his style developed, how light and movement became his language, and how radical he truly was.
A gentle, cinematic score accompanies the visuals, alongside the chirping of birds and subtle scents that further transport you to the gardens of Giverny. Visitors are free to roam, sit, and absorb — there’s no prescribed path or pace. It’s meditative, moving, and refreshingly unhurried.
After the Infinity Room there’s one final immersive element to Beyond Monet: the Exit Room. The bright and beautiful Waterlily Alley takes visitors into Monet’s beloved gardens at Giverny, where they can stroll across a recreated version of the iconic green bridge, surrounded by shimmering lily ponds and arches of cascading flowers.
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There are understandable criticisms of immersive art exhibitions — they can risk oversimplifying complex works or veer into the territory of Instagram-friendly spectacle. But there’s also no denying their unique value. No museum in the world could ever bring together this many Monet works in one place. That’s where the immersive format shines: offering a rare, panoramic dive into a life’s work.
One of the real strengths of an exhibition like this is how fun and accessible it is. It’s a great way to engage people who might not usually be into art — whether they’re visiting with kids or just curious to try something different. And for those who take a few minutes to read the information in the introductory room, there’s a real chance it could spark a deeper interest in Monet, or even the wider world of art.
You’ll probably know pretty quickly whether this kind of immersive art event is your cup of tea or not. But there’s no denying its appeal. These exhibitions offer a chance to connect with art in a way that feels open and approachable.
Beyond Monet and Beyond Van Gogh
Running until 15 August 2025
Exhibition Centre Liverpool
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