New York City Events

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Incredible immersive experiences to do in NYC right now

From art exhibits to theatrical events, these experiences promise to transport you to new realities.

As much as New Yorkers love their city, they want to be transported to another space and time — at least that's the trend museums, companies and artists are capitalizing on. Immersive exhibits, events and experiences are popping up all over NYC these days.

From theatrical experiences to trippy digital art taking over massive spaces, there's no shortage of ways to be immersed in a different reality. With so many ways to be immersed, we decided it was high time to round up all the cool, immersive events, exhibits and experiences happening in NYC now and coming up soon so you won't miss the chance to experience something new and potentially mind-blowing.

"Chagall, Paris-New York" at Hall des Lumières

Painter Marc Chagall's lusciously vibrant works of art come to life in a new immersive experience at Hall des Lumières. Titled "Chagall, Paris-New York," the exhibition explores the prolific painter who defied labels. His works are projected in a larger-than-life scale, taking over walls, ceilings and even the floor of the ornate bank-turned-exhibition hall located in Lower Manhattan. “Chagall, Paris-New York” is now on view through 2024 with adult tickets starting at $30. In addition to his painting, Chagall also embraced theater, costumes, sculpture, ceramics, stained glass, mosaics and collage as part of his multidisciplinary palette. The immersive exhibition highlights all of these art forms, with the stained-glass work as an especially dazzling display. His fantastic mythical creatures, circus characters and fable stories dance across the resplendent walls. To accompany "Chagall, Paris-New York," Hall des Lumières is also presenting "Kandinsky, The Odyssey of Abstraction" as well as "Infinite Horizons," an artistic journey through landscape co-created by HKI-Hellohikimori."

Balloon Museum

Following successful runs in Madrid, Milan, Paris and Rome, the Balloon Museum has officially taken over Pier 36 in The Seaport this fall. Set in and outside of the 80,000-square-foot space, the new cultural destination has unveiled new exhibit titled “Let’s Fly,” scheduled to run through January 14, 2024. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the installation, touching and feeling the various pieces exhibited. In terms of actual pieces, you can expect a 4,000-square-foot ball pit, inflatable lava lamps and the sorts of infinity rooms that you'll itch to post about on Instagram.

"The Liminal" at Hero in Rockefeller Center

Walk through a tunnel of lights to enter Hero, the newest immersive experience in NYC. Beneath Rockefeller Center in what used to be a post office, this quiet place will transport you far away from midtown Manhattan. Also on deck: a sonic sculpture by Aaron Taylor Kuftner called "Gamelatron Bidadari" that will force you to stare it at for long periods of time while trying to figure out how, exactly, a drum can play itself. The premiere exhibition, called "The Liminal" is scheduled to remain on view through December 31. It offers an immersive show of sounds and lights comprised of a number of different installations, each one visually striking yet entirely soothing in its own way.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Muggles, take note: You won’t need to travel through Platform 9¾ to get to Hogwarts. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is right here in New York City for a limited time.The touring show, “Harry Potter: The Exhibition,” is now open in Herald Square, and it’s going transport you. Through the use of dramatic lighting, set design, interactive technology and even scent, the exhibit will make you feel like you are actually there—in Hagrid’s hut, in potions class, dining in the Great Hall, learning how to fight the dark arts, fighting the Battle of Hogwarts and more. Tickets are on sale now through January 7, 2024 and start at $29 for adults.

INTER_

The energy in INTER_ feels more like a meditation retreat than a typical gallery—and that’s by design. The experiential, multi-sensory museum in Soho invites visitors into a heightened state of contemplative awareness through a sound bath, light installations and aspects of meditation all combined with interactive digital art.

AirOtic Soiree

AirOtic Soiree is bringing the heat to Hell's Kitchen with a 21+ cabaret-style performance showcasing incredible aerial acrobatics in a titillating, sensual style. The show takes audiences through an intense story of love, passion, sexuality and eroticism through an immersive circus and cabaret experience including extravagant costumes, seductive choreography and circus artistry. During the show, dine on dinner and decadent dessert towers curated by celebrity chef Saul Montiel. Before and after the performance, cocktails will be available for purchase. See it at HK Hall, a historic venue with striking decor in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, with performances through 2023.

Sleep No More

A multitude of searing sights crowd the spectator's gaze at the bedazzling and uncanny theater installation Sleep No More at The McKittrick Hotel. Your sense of space and depth—already compromised by the half mask that audience members must don—is further blurred as you wend through more than 90 discrete spaces, ranging from a cloistral chapel to a vast ballroom floor. An experiential, Choose Your Own Adventure project such as this depends on the pluck and instincts of the spectator. You can follow the mute dancers from one floor to the next or wander aimlessly through empty spaces.

Coming soon: An immersive Trolls experience

The CAMP flagship store on 5th Avenue will soon pay homage to new film Trolls Band Together, scheduled to drop in theaters on November 4. The 4,500 square-foot store will transform into a rainbow-colored extravaganza complete with live music, dancing, glitter and more. Trolls x CAMP will officially open on November 17 but tickets to the immersive experience are already available for purchase right here. Visitors will get to sing and dance to classic pop songs and new tracks—including *NSYNC's much-anticipated latest drop!—snap selfies with Branch and Poppy; spend some time at Mr. Dinkles' Sparkle Spa; play inside Bergen Town, the awesome Troll Tree and Vacay Island's pool noddle jungle gym and—wait for it!—slide through a Troll hair-filled tunnel that they are aptly referring to as a trunnel.