Last month, we revisited the success of “La Palette de Van Gogh” at the Orsay Museum, with over 40,000 visitors in four months. The successful implementation of the VR experience, seamlessly integrated into the special exhibition about the artist, was made possible through close collaboration between the teams at the Orsay Museum (Public Services, Digital Innovation, Communication, and Sponsorship) and Unframed Collection. Before the publication of the audience study conducted on this occasion, let’s take a qualitative and quantitative look back at a model of museum-based virtual reality distribution adapted to the context.

Contributors to this article, for the Orsay Museum:

• Guillaume Blanc, Director of Public Services
• Florence Midy, Deputy Director of Public Services
• Thomas Porreca, Head of Marketing
• Elyse Charvin, Data and Visitor Experience Manager

The Public Services Department works on the challenges of mediation and education within the museum, including signage, ticketing, accessibility to artworks (particularly for people with disabilities), and organizing events around the artworks and exhibitions.

Reflections on the Lessons Learned and Actions Taken Surrounding the Exhibition

“La Palette de Van Gogh” was the first VR work presented to the public at the Orsay Museum. For the teams, it was a new discussion to initiate around an innovative setup to accurately determine how to collect data. This is also the case with the ongoing exhibition “An Evening with the Impressionists. Paris 1874,” which began in March 2024, featuring a larger visitor capacity and a different setup (free roaming). However, the final quantitative and qualitative analysis aligns with studies previously conducted around more traditional exhibitions.

The investment of museums in digital experiences is not new. However, digital technology should offer a different perspective on the artworks. In this context, the VR chapter of the Van Gogh exhibition is interesting because it serves as an introduction to the exhibited paintings and the artist’s universe. It reveals his technique, sensitivity, and a part of his intimacy. The two exhibitions complement each other, which is beneficial for the public. Using other sensitive tools to help visitors better understand Van Gogh in the last months of his life is a tremendous opportunity. There is a shared emotion between the virtual reality experience and the exhibition (notably thanks to the narration referencing the letters exchanged between the artist and his brother).

“La Palette de Van Gogh” was highlighted by the museum teams as a complementary content to the overall exhibition, as the experience is short (10 minutes). A package was offered to visitors, allowing them to explore both the traditional exhibition (showcasing the artist’s paintings) and the accompanying VR experience. This was a complementary mediation proposal that was also sold separately, directly on-site at the museum, for visitors who discovered the offering during their visit (30% of entries).

For the Orsay Museum, there is a logical approach towards technological innovation at the heart of its major exhibitions. The subject related to Van Gogh indeed provides a perfect context to discuss his significant artistic advancements, bridging the 19th century, rich with technical revolutions in the arts and painting, and the 21st century, where new formats are emerging. A museum remains a place in tune with social and technical evolutions and aims to host such initiatives.

The opportunity to explore new ways of communicating about exhibitions

“La Palette de Van Gogh” received the same promotion as the classic exhibition on the online ticketing side, with the option of a combined purchase for interested visitors. For the Public Services team within the museum, there was significant learning regarding the management of tighter time slots and visitor limits, as well as communication about the VR format. In terms of communication and promotion, the actions taken were relatively traditional but with some adjustments. The augmented or AI activations around the Van Gogh exhibition, including the VR component, incorporated a very “web3” ambition, bringing new target audiences and keywords. This is not about a revolution, but about integrating a new vocabulary into communication strategies.

A dedicated newsletter, longer than usual, was written about “La Palette de Van Gogh.” For sponsored online publications on social media, it was necessary to work with new contacts and new messages. The museum’s Press department also focused on innovation and new technologies, resulting in a substantial press review on this point. It was a genuine exercise in reaching out to new journalists and media outlets who became interested in the museum’s activities through the lens of virtual reality.

The PR agency of HTC Vive Arts (co-producer of the work and sponsor of the exhibition) also played an important role in reaching out to international press and digital sector influencers.

It is essential to promote the creation of genuine content, validated by the museum’s scientific team and with artistic added value, that enables engaging dialogue with visitors. Digital technology should not be a gimmick, but a vector for learning and emotion in the approach to artworks.

On the public side: a very high occupancy rate

The Orsay Museum usually receives very positive feedback from the public, but the satisfaction rate for the VR component is excellent. This is an important criterion because the challenge here is to attract a new audience, bring them in, and allow them to discover the museum and its collections. This is part of its public service mission. In this regard, it has been successful, with a satisfaction rate of 98% and a genuine recognition of the Orsay Museum as a legitimate place to offer innovation and immersive experiences for young audiences and families. In fact, 94% of those questioned find that the Orsay Museum is legitimate in offering immersive experiences.

The real innovation in terms of operation was in the scheduled attendance slots organized for “La Palette de Van Gogh”: 12 slots every 20 minutes. The capacity, which was very different from other events at the Orsay Museum, required significant preparatory work and great on-site responsiveness to ensure the comfort of welcoming visitors and managing the transitions to the VR headsets. There was a high occupancy rate for the VR component, complementing the record-breaking exhibition for the Orsay Museum. Managing visitor flow was therefore a crucial issue, as everything was organized in the same location (and VR spectators had priority access to the exhibition – a real advantage when there was a queue).

To anticipate “no-shows” or last-minute cancellations, a welcome kiosk was set up at the entrance to the space offering the virtual reality experience. This allowed for direct ticket sales for the immersive part (nearly 30% of the tickets sold!), preventing the public from having to return to the museum entrance. The planned capacity also left a few seats available in some slots, which could be offered for last-minute sales, an option that was impossible to sell online. Through the collaboration between the VR teams, online ticketing, entrance ticketing, and this desk at the immersive space, occupancy was maximized and public comfort was enhanced.

This innovative arrangement for a museum institution met the needs for very precise visitor flow management to properly welcome the public. Implementing virtual reality at the entrance of the exhibition also required managing queues, which were adjusted after the launch to meet the needs of both spaces. For instance, the Orsay Museum allocated an annex gallery to provide space for waiting visitors, promoting good coexistence between the two areas. However, the offer was coherent: the VR experience was located right next to the traditional exhibition, allowing for effective joint management without being relegated to the background.

Renewing Audiences through New Technologies

The traditional audience of the Orsay Museum, which is older and family-oriented, can be interested in new artistic offerings – notably virtual reality, and “La Palette” confirms this.

The appeal of innovation to the over-55s is an interesting factor for cultural institutions to develop. We can see that all audiences can embrace these immersive and technological offerings: on “La Palette de Van Gogh” 30% of visitors of the Musée d’Orsay were discovering VR for the first time!

The Orsay Museum has over 35,000 members, with a high average age, and contrary to popular belief, this audience base demands innovation and new offerings. The Orsay Museum already takes “side steps” in its programming, with live performance sessions and other animation proposals in the venue. This provides concrete indications for continuing such actions in an institution like the Orsay Museum and retaining these new visitors. Artworks are for everyone, and digital technology is now an important lever for opening such discussions. Additionally, the Orsay Museum is a member of the Pass Culture (a national initiative aimed at promoting access to culture for 15-18-year-olds). Offering unique content in a national museum is an asset for attracting young audiences—beyond the classicism of traditional exhibitions. “La Palette de Van Gogh” and “The Impressionists” are part of this movement.

Virtual reality is part of the integrated offerings in the museum’s activities, providing a different perspective for each major exhibition. It is essential that the addition of innovative mediations is part of a coherent editorial line for the public to embrace it. Through its new proposals, the Orsay Museum is acclimating its audience to new media devices. And successfully: over 20% of the “La Palette de Van Gogh” audience came solely based on word-of-mouth (via family, friends…), and more than 10% of the experience’s audience came expressly for the VR!