Bucharest has a vibrant new addition to its arts and culture scene – the Mina Museum, an expansive space dedicated entirely to immersive art.

Opened at the end of August 2023, Mina Museum is the first immersive art museum in Bucharest and offers a fusion of technology, creativity, and sensory experiences.

In this article, I am telling you everything you need to know about the Mina Museum in Bucharest. From what is immersive art to what you can expect visiting this museum – based on my experience (visiting the museum with my son – I will tell you why my husband wasn’t able to come with us), exhibitions, location, schedule, etc. everything is covered.

Included in this article about visiting the MINA Museum of Immersive New Art in Bucharest are:

• What is immersive art? And what to expect when visiting an immersive art museum!
• Who It’s For
• When you SHOULDN’T visit an immersive art museum (who it’s not for)
• The Exhibitions we saw: Gustav Klimt and Underwater World
• Mina Museum Bucharest Hours and Tickets
• My experience – more tips and things to know about the immersive art museum in Bucharest. What I liked and what I disliked
• Conclusion – Will I go to another immersive museum or exhibition?

Everything you need to know about visiting the MINA Museum of Immersive Art in Bucharest

Let the show… I mean, article, begin 🙂

What is immersive art? And what to expect when visiting an immersive art museum!

What is immersive art?

Immersive art uses technology like projections, sensors, and virtual/augmented reality to create art environments that visitors can physically enter and interact with. The goal is total sensory engagement that blurs the line between art and reality.

Leave assumptions at the door

Don’t expect a typical passive, hands-off museum experience. Immersive art museums encourage you to touch, feel, play, and even walk through many of the installations. Let your curiosity run wild! Some just offer you the chance to be part of a painter’s works of art – thus transporting you in time, space, and style.

Come with an open mind

These experiential exhibits are meant to delight, surprise, and challenge your perspective. You may walk through surreal dreamscapes, warp your sense of distance and size, or even manipulate elements with gestures. Approach with flexibility.

Exploration is encouraged

Wander freely and at your own pace. Lingering, observing details, and experiencing installations from multiple vantage points are part of the adventure. Curiosity is rewarded!

Interaction ranges from passive to active

Some installations simply need to be observed, while others require active participation (like VR and gesture-controlled exhibits). Feel empowered to interact to the level you’re comfortable.

Photography rules vary

Some exhibits permit photos/videos, while others prohibit recording to control the distribution of proprietary digital art. Check and respect each installation’s rules.

Ticketing and Reservations

Due to their popularity, immersive art museums often require advance ticketing and reservations. It’s a good idea to check the museum’s website and book your tickets in advance to secure your spot.

Dress comfortably

You may be standing, sitting, walking, climbing, or crawling… wear flexible, easy clothes and shoes to fully engage. Layers help too for any temperature-controlled spaces.

Feed your senses, feed your curiosity

Above all, shed inhibitions. Touch, listen, see, feel. Play, experience, wander. An immersive art museum offers a liberating world limited only by your imagination.

Visiting a museum of immersive art promises to be an unforgettable journey into the realms of creativity and innovation. It’s an opportunity to break free from the confines of traditional art appreciation and engage with art in a whole new way, where you’re not just a spectator but an active participant in the artistic process.

Who It’s For

An immersive art museum can appeal to a wide range of visitors but is especially enjoyable for:

The Curious and Adventurous

Those who love discovering new experiences and are not afraid to dive in fully will love the exploratory nature and hands-on exhibits. It sparks curiosity and learning through interaction.

Art/Design Enthusiasts

The innovative fusions of art, science, and technology at immersive museums fascinate those appreciative of contemporary art and digital creativity. It’s a glimpse of the artistic future.

Thrill Seekers

If you love immersing yourself in fantasy worlds, new dimensions, and interactive stories, this delivers an artistic adrenaline rush unlike any other museum.

Families and Kids

The experiential exhibits provide fun, shared adventures for children and parents. Kids can touch, feel, and wander freely in this engaging environment. Or, if they cannot touch, the exhibitions do not take long, the paintings come alive and you are part of the landscape – the constant movement lures them and keeps them paying attention.

Tech Early Adopters

Those eager to try cutting-edge tech like VR, AR, 3D mapping, and more will be excited by the pioneering digital installations. It’s a playground for tech lovers.

When you SHOULDN’T visit an immersive art museum (who it’s not for)

Immersive art museums may not suit those who:

Prefer Traditional Galleries

If you love classic art museums with organized collections and quiet observation, the chaotic interactivity may feel overwhelming.

In an immersive art museum, images keep moving – so you really DO NOT have time to REALLY enjoy all the paintings, see the details – or even see all the projections on the walls, as it is a 360-degree experience and you cannot look everywhere at the same time.

Have Motion Sickness

The mix of VR, projections, and audio effects could exacerbate conditions like vertigo or nausea. Susceptible visitors should take precautions.

Here I will add that this is quite serious! My husband has motion sickness and, while he is able to fly (has to sit at the window and take a motion sickness pill), when I showed him images from this exhibition (posted online prior to our visit) he said he wouldn’t be able to join us.

My son, who doesn’t have motion sickness, ended up feeling a bit sick after this exhibition.

Keep in mind that everything takes place inside a room with NO WINDOWS (ours had some walls covered in mirrors too.)

Also, keep in mind that the exhibition means CONSTANT MOVEMENT!

Dislike Technology

With many exhibits relying on digital tech, this is not the place for the tech-averse. Stick to traditional art spaces instead.

Have Accessibility Needs

Immersive multi-media exhibits may present challenges for those with vision, hearing, or mobility limitations. Check individual accessibility.

Want Passive Observation

If you prefer a calm, hands-off appreciation of art, the expectations to interact and explore may feel outside your comfort zone.

The Exhibitions we saw: Gustav Klimt and Underwater World

Mina Museum in Bucharest launched with two exhibitions: Gustav Klimt – The Immersive Show and Underwater World – An Immersive Water Journey. Let me tell you a few words about each one first.

Both shows are created by Romanians – so these are not seen somewhere else (at the moment).

Gustav Klimt – The Immersive Show

Gustav Klimt – The Immersive Show brings over 60 of the artist’s most renowned works to life in stunning detail.

Wander through digitally animated landscapes populated by Klimt’s subjects like The Kiss, Lady with Fan, and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, transporting you to 1900s Vienna.

Immerse yourself in the evolution of Klimt’s distinctive Art Nouveau style as you weave through the Golden Phase and discover the inspiration behind his ornate motifs and use of gold leaf.

Combining art and technology, this visually striking exhibit lets you connect with Klimt’s oeuvre and makes you part if the artist’s universe.

Underwater World – An Immersive Water Journey

As schools of fish swim across floors and walls, the exhibit builds awareness about biodiversity, conservation, and our role in cultivating a sustainable future.

Covering an astonishing 71% of the planet’s surface, water connects continents, shapes landscapes, and nurtures diverse ecosystems.

Dive deep into the enchanting realm beneath the waves as you embark on a captivating voyage through the Danube Delta, the Black Sea, and the profound depths of the ocean.

This educational and visually captivating exhibition unveils the remarkable biodiversity thriving beneath the surface.

Mina Museum Bucharest Hours and Tickets

If you are used to museums opening at 10 AM, you need to know that this museum has a different schedule.

Location

George Constantinescu 2-4 Street

Hours

• Wednesday – Saturday: 12 PM– 11 PM
• Sunday: 12 PM – 10 PM
• *Immersive exhibits restricted to ages 10+ after 7 PM

Closed:

• Mondays and Tuesdays
• September 20, September 23-29, November 22. For other dates, please check the official site (now only available in Romanian, but easily to be translated online).

Tickets

Available online only based on limited capacity. Not sold on-site if sold out.

Price: 50 RON (around 10 USD or EUR)

A ticket includes access to both shows.

Kids Exhibits (Opening September 2023):

Specialized children’s exhibits opening September 2023. Tickets will be announced online prior to opening.

My experience – more tips and things to know about the immersive art museum in Bucharest. What I liked and what I disliked

While I am recommending you to buy tickets in advance, I admit that we bought them there. We were lucky though – as there were MANY people.

The first show was delayed for around 30 minutes – due to a video projector issue. For us it was not a problem – Eric played some games on the phone and we were not in a hurry, for other people it was an issue (some foreigners had to be somewhere else soon).

We were among the first 5 people who entered the room. This means that Eric was able to find a free pillow on the floor and to sit on it.

I didn’t know what wall would have the best pieces so we chose to stay closer to the left wall.

Well, poor choice. The main elements of the show were shown on the right wall (and the adjacent side walls).

The room is rectangular – not square.

Obviously, we discovered the best wall DURING the show.

As a side note, on your ticket, there is a time frame allocated. When you buy, you select a time interval. At the museum you see announcements – and they are online too – that you should try to stay ONLY in your interval (so that the room doesn’t get too crowded.)

Now, we started the first view later – as mentioned, due to the technical issue.

After 30 minutes, I didn’t see many people leave. We stayed for the second time at Klimt’s art show – this time choosing a better viewing point.

Well, that didn’t really make much difference.

Why?

Because there were loud small children (and bigger ones) – There were announcements stating that:

• It is forbidden to bring drinks in the room – glasses, bottles;
• You should respect the time interval according to your tickets;
• Please keep quiet inside the immersive space;
• Children under 12 years need to be supervised.

The children were playing, running, laughing, screaming – and getting close to the walls – touching them.

Actually, during this second half, staff members had to enter the room at least 3 times (that I saw) during 15 minutes (Klimt Exhibition) talking to children to get away from the walls. 

The children would go away for 30 seconds and then get back – parents weren’t asking them to go back near them.

I guess that is why after 7 PM the kids need to be older to be allowed inside (10+).

Obviously, there were many kids ok – both older – 10-24 years – and smaller. Actually, close to us there was a dad with his son – must have been 3-4 years old. He kept the child in his arms and tried to explain – in a lower voice – details about the paintings and what the kid saw.

You need to know that there is no information about what you are seeing except from the title at the beginning and credits, at the end.

No information about Klimt, no information about water – fish, species, marine life, or what type of waters you are seeing.

This was a bit disappointing for me – as I didn’t show my son videos about Kimt’s masterpieces and I had to tell him there as much information as I could…

In the evening, we look at a short documentary about him and his works – so that my son would be able to tell others what he saw (because no, naked women and yellow paintings is not enough).

I think that the names of the paintings and 2-3 words could have been included – text or in the audio – as there is music accompanying the video display.

And yes, I know that immersive art shows aren’t really educational, but experiential – but somehow I missed a bit of information.

In the Underwater World, the video effects were of more impact, I’d say. The floor was lit almost all the time – and there were fishes swimming next to you.

If you sat facing the left wall, you would be under the impression that people come TOWARD you. It was an excellent sensation for me – No, I didn’t get dizzy.

But Eric was a bit sensitive and, even though we both experienced the same sensation at the beach, here it made him rather sick.

Again, for me it was awesome – but for him… it meant that we didn’t stay to watch the underwater show a second time. He couldn’t.

Conclusion

Will I go to another immersive museum or exhibition?

I saw many vides online about immersive art museums and exhibitions across the globe. And so I was really excited to hear about the opening of an immersive art museum in Bucharest.

I immediately decided to visit it.

The price is higher than other museums in Romania – but I wasn’t expecting it to be cheap. 50 RON is almost 10 EUR or USD.

I am glad that they have a clear procedure and only a limited number of people are allowed in each interval inside the museum.

I was also glad to find out that the shows are created by Romanians and yes, the selection of paintings is great, as are the transitions between them.

Chapeau bas! from this oint of view!

The underwater world exhibition is not bad either – again, I loved the effect generated by the movement.

Obviously, the paintings are shown only a few seconds – and sometimes there were paintings I would have wanted to see on all the walls. You can’t rotate constantly – that will really make you dizzy.

Do I recommend such an immersive art show? Will I go to another one?

I have to say that I do not regret going. For all art lovers, going to an immersive art show can be an interesting experience. I would recommend anyone to go at least once in their life to such an immersive art exhibition (given that you do not have motion sickness).

As I said above, I liked some parts and disliked others when visiting the Mina Museum – Museum of Immersive Art in Bucharest.

I experienced first hand such an exhibition and it wasn’t all that bad.

But some parts – mentioned above – made me say that when the next exhibitions are announced, I won’t go.

Yes, at the moment (at least), I do not plan on going again to an immersive art show. I seem to prefer traditional museums more:)

It was an experience I am glad I had the chance to have, but I am not keen to do it again.