WNDR Museum is Bostons most Interactive and Immersive attraction yet! Five Stars!
If you happened upon the 4 letters WNDR you might think it’s a radio station’s call letter. Then you might ask yourself who still listens to traditional radio anymore? Perhaps your curiosity will get the better of you and you’ll decide to explore this unassuming store front located in Downtown Boston only a few steps from the common. Should you take the plunge and enter the WNDR Museum you will find that the letters stand for WONDER. And what do you find inside the WNDR Museum you may wonder. Well, some wonderful things.
And what are these wonders? What we see at WNDR are numerous immersive art exhibits each crafted by a unique artist. No two are alike and each has a distinct look, feel and dare I say it – touch! Yes, unlike many traditional museums that scold you with signs that tell you not to touch things, WNDR has signs encouraging you to touch the art! This is for a very good reason. You affect the art, and the art affects you.
The growing trend today is towards immersive and interactive entertainment. We have multiple generations that have grown up with video games so much that traditional “lean back and watch” experiences just don’t cut it anymore. To really get the crowds shouting “wow”, you need to give them a game to play, a story to jump into and in this case, art that you can be a part of. It is no wonder (no pun intended) that WNDR delivers an immersive and interactive art experience. It is a fast-growing form of entertainment that is here to stay.
Among the exhibits at WNDR you will find walls and floors that react to your presence. You can wave, stomp or jump to create your own images and projections. Some walls you can touch while others can sense your presence. This is a place to play around and make whatever unique scenes you possibly can either with yourself or with others. Your greatest guide here is your imagination. More on that later.
As mentioned, many exhibits aren’t just a feast for the eyes. Many also incorporate sounds as well. One unique attraction has guests searching for sounds in a room full of wires. While another lets you conduct your own symphony. And not just any symphony, but one that incorporates lights, sounds and images to create a truly fun and engaging experience.
Some museums might boast a Van Gogh or even a Rembrandt. WNDR has its own well-known master on display. Cult artist Yayoi Kusama, known for working with fellow contemporary Andy Warhol, was an icon of the 60s hippy movement in the New York Art scene. Over her lifetime she has created paintings, sculptures and performance pieces. She also created immersive exhibits. Her work “Let’s Survive Together” is currently on display. This is a must-see attraction not just at this museum and not just in Boston. It must see period! Words alone do not describe what a room full of mirrors and orbs feels like. It’s like walking through an MC Escher painting in real life!
This museum was reminiscent of the 80s ImageWorks at Journey into Imagination at EPCOT in Walt Disney World. Children of the 80s and 90s will remember it well as you could interact with numerous exhibits that produced lights and sounds. Alas, such exhibits became a lost art as years passed by. The brilliance of the WNDR museum is that this art has been resurrected and is better than ever! You cannot say the exhibits are nothing new. Rather, they are fresh takes for a new generation.
WNDR is fun for all ages. Kids will love to play in what is a giant interactive playground. At the same time, this is a museum for adults as well. There are many nuanced and intricate aspects of the installations that an art historian or a pretentious aficionado of contemporary eclectica would be impressed by. At the same time, there is enough whimsy and vigor to keep any casual art fans’ attention.
WNDR Boston is located right in Downtown Boston. It is walking distance from numerous subways stops and other historical attractions. They also offer discounted parking nearby. There is no excuse not to take the trip. They even have a lounge that serves adult beverages and a small store for shopping. Bring friends, bring family, but most of all, bring a sense of awe and wonder to the WNDR museum.
For more information visit – https://wndrmuseum.com/
Please check out our video review – https://youtu.be/HsJ4NrySe8o