This was fun! But I think it takes a bit of willingness to surrender to the experience to really enjoy it. The main exhibit is a large square room with digital art projected on the floor and three walls so visitors are surrounded by swirling color and images along with surround sound. Smaller rooms on either side of the large room have touch screens and interactive exhibits.
The four of us (we were visiting my sister and brother-in-law) all liked the experience but being in the room with the motion made Tony dizzy so he watched it from one of the doorways. The Artechouse shows change every month and other shows may not be as interesting as the one we saw - a collaboration with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Twilight Zone: Hidden Wonders of the Ocean. The projected images follow the migration of sea creatures and microscopic organisms as they move to the surface of the ocean at night, and down to deeper waters in the daytime. The show loops through every 24 minutes. Knowing that the images are actually living creatures enhances the experience. The additional exhibits give visitors the opportunity to explore further. Many of the creatures use bioluminescence to produce their own light so one of the exhibits features a low dome that changes as visitors circle around it.
One of the reasons we enjoyed the experience was the fact that few people were there. I think it would have been very different had the room been crowded.
The Artechouse is accessible. The exhibit room is accessed by a lift, operated by a member of the staff.
The Artechouse is located south of the mall in a non-tourist area surrounded by official government buildings. There isn't any on-street parking on Maryland Ave but when zooming in on Google Earth I noticed that the south side of C Street SW had empty spaces so we took a chance that this was a common occurrence. We lucked out and found a space! There is also an accessible space on 13th Street SW. Some of the accessible spaces in DC have red topped meters that are a foot or so lower than other meters. Parking is limited to two hours. The sidewalks and curb cuts are in good condition. Artechouse 38.88404, -77.02912
Wow, this is something really different. While I believe I would enjoy the experience, I might get dizzy (like Tony), but I'd be willing to give it a try. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteHe was fine as long as he was standing on the moving images. It was cool!
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