In artwork appreciation activities, visiting physical exhibitions in art museums is often limited by time, distance and cost. Thus, conventional teaching is mostly conducted through textbooks, presentation slides or videos. However, by presenting artwork appreciation through a lecture, it is difficult for students to feel the beauty of artworks, and they can hardly develop accurate appreciation knowledge and critical thinking. To tackle this problem, this study proposed an experiential learning‐based spherical video‐based virtual reality (EL‐SVVR) learning approach based on the experiential learning theory to guide students to browse world‐famous artworks and experience the features of artwork creation. This study developed an EL‐SVVR learning system and adopted a quasi‐experimental design to determine whether the EL‐SVVR learning approach improved students' performance in artwork appreciation in comparison with the conventional teaching approach. A total of 45 university students from two classes who participated in an elective art course were recruited in the study. One class was assigned to be the experimental group and adopted the EL‐SVVR learning approach, while the other class was assigned to be the control group and adopted the conventional technology‐supported learning (CTL) approach. The results showed that in comparison with the CTL approach, the EL‐SVVR learning approach enhanced students' learning achievement, learning motivation, self‐efficacy, critical thinking and performance in digital painting creation during artwork appreciation. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic Spherical video‐based virtual reality (SVVR) situates students in a simulated environment that enables them to have deep experience regarding the learning contexts. SVVR has great potential in promoting students' learning performance by providing them situational contexts. What this paper adds An SVVR‐based experiential learning approach is proposed to facilitate students' artwork creation. In addition to promoting students' learning outcomes, the EL‐SVVR learning approach could better facilitate students' learning achievement, learning motivation, critical thinking, self‐efficacy, and performance in painting creation. Implications for practice and/or policy SVVR is a potential technology for implementing experiential learning activities; in particular, in improving students' creative thinking for artwork creation. It is potentially worth trying to apply the SVVR technology to other courses related to artwork creation to promote learners' learning performances and perceptions. It is worth promoting the SVVR approach in school settings since it is a low‐tech and low‐cost solution with potentially positive impacts on students' learning outcomes.