In reality, galleries usually display paintings in a protective manner, partly to delay the damage to the original artwork and ensure the long-term preservation of the artwork. On the other hand, it also hinders visitors’ deep appreciation and learning of the artwork. In the face of this challenge, our research aims to provide users with immersive viewing and entertainment, as well as interactive gaming experiences with artwork, through the use of virtual reality technology. So the paper proposes PaintingScapeVR, which is based on a virtual gallery and reproduces the three-dimensional scenes corresponding to different paintings. Visitors can freely explore in this virtual environment and gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and artistic value of artworks through interaction with them. Our results indicate that the reproduction of 3D scenes and gamified interactive design can not only significantly enhance visitors’ appreciation of painting art, but also leave a deeper learning impression. This immersive experience stimulates visitors’ desire to appreciate and explore, prompting them to actively delve into the background and techniques of art works, thereby enhancing their artistic appreciation abilities. At the same time, this work also demonstrates its potential in enhancing visitors’ understanding of painting works, allowing more people to explore the joy of painting and art.