Yes, there are now quite a lot of immersive experiences to capture one's imagination, from Meow Wolf's surreal otherworlds in Vegas, to the touching-encouraged interactive exhibits at WNDR (with locations in Boston and Chicago), to the wildly colorful and delectably delightful rooms of the Museum of Ice Cream - which debuted in New York's SoHo in 2019, and has now spread to Chicago, Miami, Boston and even Singapore.

Yet each of those is still grounded in the present. Which is why we can't say enough about 'Tonight With the Impressionists', which debuted at Paris' iconic Musee d'Orsay in 2024, before shortly after making its way to New York City. A collaborative production between the venerable Parisian museum and Eclipso - a buzzy virtual reality producer - it uses innovative headset devices to "virtually" transport visitors to the Paris of the 19th Century, which, yes - was quite awhile before the onset of the internet and social media.

Enjoying a successful run at the Eclipso Center at 555 West 57th St. (just blocks from Tiffany and Central Park), the exhibit specifically visits the French capital in 1874, which was when the work of the Impressionist painters first began to gain recognition. Incredibly, considering the universal esteem in which the renowned artistic movement is now held, the initial reaction of both the public and the critical establishment was actually one of scorn and disdain.

In fact, critics were rather merciless, referring to the artworks on display as "unfinished," and "cat scratchings" made by "lunatics" - even going as far as to insist that Impressionism had "declared war on beauty".

'Tonight With the Impressionists', then, is a delightful reminder of how utterly wrong they were. But far from just an opportunity to view the paintings of Monet, Renoir, Degas and Berthe Morisot in their original context, the experience offers the chance to stroll the picturesque streets of the Paris of the late 19th Century, not only well before everyone was simultaneously walking and staring down at their smartphones, but also before there were even cars clogging up the roads.

The imagery is absolutely breathtaking, with the chance to behold Paris' majestic Haussmann-era architecture when it was still very new - following Emperor Napoleon 111's order to modernize the city. At that time, much of its medieval history was torn down to make way for the grand boulevards that now characterize the City of Light.

And let's face it, the chance to actually be in attendance at that truly world-changing inaugural Impressionist exhibit is something truly no one could have ever imagined going back and experiencing.

Luckily, for those who are unable to visit in person, there's a fascinating behind-the-scenes video in French, with English subtitles - which offers a captivating insider peek at the technical magic that went into making 'Tonight With the Impressionists'.