Inside Monet: a virtual reality journey into the work of Claude Monet

What is it like to step inside a Monet painting, wrapped in the light of a sunrise over the harbour or the red of a field of poppies? That is the question behind Inside Monet, the virtual reality experience by WAY Experience that turns the work of the Impressionist master into a place to walk through. It debuts in Milan, in the spaces beside the Arco della Pace.

This is not a simple exhibition: it is an outdoor tour of about 75 minutes, led by a storyteller, alternating live narration with virtual reality stops. The meeting point is the Cascina Nascosta, at the entrance to Parco Sempione, next to a branded bike where the tour begins. Once you put on the headset, the landscape around you dissolves and recomposes itself inside Monet's paintings.

Five stops inside Impressionism

The journey moves through five of the painter's most famous works, recreated in 360-degree immersion:

• Impression, Sunrise (Le Havre, 1872), the painting that gave the entire movement its name
• Poppies (1875)
• The Promenade, with the woman and the parasol (1875)
• Haystacks (1890-1891)
• The water lily pond at Giverny (1899)

Each stop lets you observe, from within, the rendering of colour and light that made Monet unmistakable, moving from looking to being present.

"We want to give back impossible worlds," says Pier Francesco Jelmoni, co-founder of WAY Experience: the aim is to bring Impressionism to life through a direct emotional connection with the painter's vision.

Practical information

Each session welcomes up to 37 people, with several departures throughout the day. Tickets cost 25 euros, reduced to 20 euros for under-16s. Visits are open to the public from 15 April 2023, meeting at the Arco della Pace.

Inside Monet has since continued to travel across Italy: you can find out where to experience it today on our experiences page.