Rarely has a trend in the art world caught on as quickly as digital art museums.
While it may not have been the first space dedicated to digital art, when Paris’ Atelier des Lumieres opened in April 2018, the trend caught fire. When I visited in September of that year, everyone from my son’s best friends to the flight attendants on my transcontinental flight recommended a visit to a repurposed steel refinery in the far reaches of the 11th Arrondissement. Images of Gustav Klimt’s gold and jewel-toned paintings floated in a large warehouse-like space and were set to classical music from the era (think Mahler, Wagner, Strauss). It was like nothing I had ever seen.
Six years later, there are now more than 100 permanent digital art museums and traveling exhibitions around the world, scheduled to open in 2025. Some of these dedicated art museums, such as the Atelier des Lumieres, bring famous works of art to life. Some feature original digital art and are more avant-garde, responding to touch and physical presence. And some of the locations, including a former submarine base, are part of the experience.
However, that does not mean that all are created equal. In every truly memorable experience, there are those who feel like they were brought together to take advantage of this opportunity (for example, the digital exhibition of Frida Kahlo that I bought expensive tickets for which turned out to be in a physical garage. on the outskirts of Washington, DC).
How can you distinguish good from others? Get started with these TPG-tested options below.
Bassins des Lumieres, Bordeaux, France
Set in the historic site of a WWII submarine base in Bordeaux, the Bassins des Lumieres lean on its maritime history with large pools of water displaying stunning digital art projections. (Fun fact: It’s five times the size of the Atelier des Lumieres, its sister museum in Paris.) This unique setting enhances the visual experience, with works from masters like those in the current “Vermeer to Van Gogh” exhibit (through Jan. 5) showing and flowing. in the upper areas. It’s a fun combination of art and innovation, and the view of the wall, floor and ceiling of the large space with the accompanying sound is captivating. There are five spaces here with exhibitions, including the great Dutch masters and the kid-friendly “The Little Prince: The Immersive Odyssey” every afternoon until the end of the year.
TPG tip: Culturalspaces, the French foundation behind Bassins and Atelier des Lumieres, has also opened digital art spaces in New York City, Seoul and Amsterdam. Its next opening will be in Hamburg, Germany.
Lume Indianapolis
Let’s face it, not many people hear “cutting arts” and immediately think “Indiana.” But Lume Indianapolis — the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s permanent exhibit at Newfields that covers the entire fourth floor of the museum — is truly special. Lume’s shows are created by Melbourne, Australia company Grande Experiences, which has been creating immersive shows for 15 years. The current exhibit, “Dali Alive,” runs through Jan. 31 and includes three works by the Spanish artist, including melting clocks.
Artehouse, Washington
If you’ve mostly experienced digital art museums that focus on turning famous works of art into 360-degree paintings, Artechouse will turn your idea of an immersive art museum on its head. The emphasis of this museum, which opened in 2017, is on collaboration. Visitors can influence the artwork through motion sensors and other technology-driven features.
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The first time I visited, it made me feel like I was a magician. He moved closer to the wall and seemed to move and move. Move your arms and the pattern on the wall will follow. Elsewhere, I was able to make pots boil and digital devices quickly activate by moving my hands.
Exhibitions here often have current events or a scientific focus: I visited in 2022 during the Cherry Blossom Festival assembly where the walls were covered in pink blossoming branches. Meanwhile, an undersea collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, “Twilight Zone: Hidden Wonders of the Ocean,” is on display through Nov. 19.
TPG tip: The DC location is the first, but Artechouse also has museums in New York City, Houston and Miami.
teamLab Borderless: Mori Building Digital Art Museum, Tokyo
If you spend any time on TikTok or Instagram, teamLab Borderless in Tokyo has probably taken over your feed at some point with its crystal infinity room. Borderless moved to a new home in early 2024 at the modern Mori building in Azabudai Hills. (Tip: The building itself has an amazing observation deck, and it’s free.) The modern skyscraper area is between Roppongi and Toranomon Hills, near Tokyo Tower (about 20 minutes by train from Shibuya).
The entire 110,000-square-foot space is an immersive space where visitors can freely interact with the art, which changes based on your movement. You can explore at your own pace and you don’t need to follow a set path, which makes it feel more relaxed than other digital museum experiences (though make no mistake, this one will be crowded). Tickets are usually sold in advance, especially on weekends; plan to buy tickets about three weeks before your visit.
As works of art continue to adapt and change, no two experiences are the same, so this is a pleasure to revisit. It is a great place for children, and adults, especially the “fish” room where you can create a painting that is part of a digital seascape “swimming” on the walls. Be sure to keep an eye out for En Tea House where your tea “blooms” continuously while it’s in your cup.
TPG tip: If you can’t make it to Tokyo, teamLab will soon open new museums in the German port city of Hamburg and Abu Dhabi.
Related: I booked a family trip to Japan with a tour operator; here I will do it again
teamLab Planets, Tokyo
Also in Tokyo, teamLab Planets, which opened in July 2018, has a very different feel to Borderless. Planets really wants visitors to interact with art on a visual level, and this time, you will walk through a series of places where you encounter objects, including many floors filled with water (yes, they are real, and yes, you will have to walk barefoot in the building). You’ll follow a guided tour here, and many rooms have time limits, but the digital floating flower universe, the upside-down flower garden, the giant sphere room and the infinity crystal universe with lights are all worth a visit.
The planets are located on the man-made entertainment island of Odaiba, which, among other things, has a Statue of Liberty statue, a giant Gundam robot, a science museum and many shopping malls. It’s about a 30-minute train ride between the two teamLab locations, while Planets is about 45 minutes from Shibuya. As with Borderless, you should plan to buy tickets several weeks before you want to visit them.
TPG tip: teamLab also has a number of one-off installations around the world, too. There is a “fish” room at the Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey, which is very affordable and easy to reach from New York City.
Superblue Miami
Superblue Miami, located in the Allapattah neighborhood, feels more like a curated museum than some of the one-subject digital art studies that characterize other focused sites. The space displays large-scale, interactive artworks by contemporary artists, making it a great option for art lovers who are curious about exploring the intersection of technology and creativity.
There are also features from teamLabs here, working with Superblue on the walls of projected flowers that change and move when you touch them, and the dangerous space “Flawless Clouds”, a very visual feeling like walking in a room full of bubbles and smoke. Superblue’s commitment to showcasing emerging artists and new trends means you’re bound to find something here you’ve never seen before.
Outernet, London
More people visited the Outernet, a digital museum in London’s West End, than the British Museum last year, according to The Times. And it’s completely free, which is unique in the world of digital art. Located in the NOW building just south of Tottenham Court Road tube station, Outernet has three different spaces to explore, including a room with a 360-degree immersive screen that combines music and augmented reality and another with wall-sized video games (the world’s largest Tetris game recently launched). . What sets Outernet apart is its focus on combining entertainment and art, often hosting live events and collaborations including upcoming collaborations with both NASA and British artist Hannah Nijsten.
Related: 25 luxury hotels in London
Ars Electronica Center, Linz, Austria
The Ars Electronica Center feels like AI is running the show – and that’s how the digital museum likes it. There’s a futuristic vibe here, with computer-driven displays of robotics, music and neuroscience. However, there is a type of focused display common to other digital art museums, including “Deep Space 8K,” which uses lasers and a resolution of 33 million pixels to create images of everything from the planets of the solar system to Notre Dame. . And if your schedule coincides with the annual Ars Electronica Festival, it’s worth attending (the next one is scheduled for September 3-7, 2025). Past concerts have included Laurie Anderson, electronic dance shows, choreographed wrestling and electronic DJs.
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