Haystacks and lilies come alive in immersive Monet show heading to Jacksonville in March

Haystacks and water lilies are heading to Jacksonville this spring when "Beyond Monet: The Immersive Experience" opens in a downtown venue.

The show, which features the works of French Impressionist painter Claude Monet, will open March 15 in the NoCo Center, a former First Baptist Church auditorium at 712 N. Hogan St. in downtown Jacksonville. It's the same venue that housed "Beyond Van Gogh" and "Beyond King Tut" shows over the past two years.

The Monet show uses projection technology to bring more than 400 of Monet's most famous paintings to life, including his famed Water Lilies series.

Guests will walk through an introduction hall to learn about Monet's past. The main feature of the show will be the Infinity Room, where hidden projectors will cast moving images of his famous works on the walls, floors and visitors in a 35-minute loop. The show features an original score and took more than 10,000 man-hours to compile. It's produced by the Paquin Group, the same firm that created the Van Gogh and King Tut shows.

"When you stand inside 'Beyond Monet,' you truly feel like you are part of Monet's passionate quest for the effervescent beauty of the world," said curator and art historian Fanny Curtat. "Experiences like these create fresh and original perspectives, allowing us to form new relationships with notable masterpieces in dynamic and fascinating ways."

There will also be encore showings of "Beyond Van Gogh," as a stand-alone show and as a combination with the Monet show.

The show is scheduled to run through June 16, but both the Van Gogh and King Tut shows were extended during their Jacksonville runs.

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. Prices start at $33.99 for adults and $21.99 for children. Promotions will be announced later for groups, seniors and military. Tickets will be sold on a timed basis, but visitors will be allowed to spend as much time inside as they like once they've entered.

.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 'Beyond Monet' immersive art show coming to Jacksonville in March