London


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="771" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112702625-1024x771.jpg" alt="Museum of Illusions " class="wp-image-21811" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112702625-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112702625-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112702625-768x578.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112702625.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>A brand new interactive tourist attraction on Tottenham Court Road, or is it&#8230;? Joke. <a href="https://moilondon.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum of Illusions</a> really does exist and it&#8217;s slap bang in the middle of London. Cut from the same cloth as the capital&#8217;s existing mind-bending museums like Twist and Paradox, though this brand&#8217;s been around for longer &#8211; there&#8217;s already one in Manchester plus more than 70 world-wide. In short, they know a thing or two about the art of illusion. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-vibe">WHAT&#8217;S THE VIBE? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="771" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_115525963.MP_-771x1024.jpg" alt="Museum of Illusions " class="wp-image-21810" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_115525963.MP_-771x1024.jpg 771w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_115525963.MP_-226x300.jpg 226w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_115525963.MP_-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_115525963.MP_-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_115525963.MP_.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" /></figure>



<p>Futuristic-yet-fun. It was less bright, noisy and in-your-face than I&#8217;d expected, which was a big bonus when trying to get round with my kids (Sol, 11, and Sonny, 15). I was also surprised how many couples and groups of friends we saw &#8211; I assumed it would be packed full of families over half term. Wrong! Clearly illusions are attractive to all ages. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-good-were-the-illusions">HOW GOOD WERE THE ILLUSIONS?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="771" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_114839326-771x1024.jpg" alt="Museum of illusions " class="wp-image-21800" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_114839326-771x1024.jpg 771w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_114839326-226x300.jpg 226w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_114839326-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_114839326-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_114839326.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" /></figure>



<p>It took us around 80 minutes to get around the whole thing, though it should be noted we did spend more time than strictly necessary on a few exhibits, most notably the life-sized pin art board which we spent ages pushing our bodies into for &#8216;hilarious&#8217; results, then pushing the pins back in for another go. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="771" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112810629-1024x771.jpg" alt="Sol at the Museum of Illusions " class="wp-image-21799" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112810629-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112810629-300x226.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112810629-768x578.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_112810629.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Multiple Sol </figcaption></figure>



<p>To be honest, we were hooked from the start thanks to a kaleidoscope which two people can look into and see their reflection divide into endless triangles.  A friendly guide showed me how to capture it in style (put the flash on), and from there we were off: look, laugh, take photo, repeat. </p>



<p>Their favourite section? The Dark Area, with a multi-coloured shadow wall, never-ending hexagon, seemingly fast-moving objects (that were actually a trick of the light) and a rotating vortex tunnel that made you feel like you were going to fall over &#8211; it actually made me feel a bit nauseous so I had to step out (they loved it). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="771" height="1024" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_113759373-771x1024.jpg" alt="Museum of Illusions " class="wp-image-21801" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_113759373-771x1024.jpg 771w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_113759373-226x300.jpg 226w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_113759373-768x1020.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_113759373-1157x1536.jpg 1157w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2026/06/PXL_20260530_113759373.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 771px) 100vw, 771px" /></figure>



<p>As you&#8217;d expect, the Museum of Illusions has mirror tricks galore. An infinity room where you see your reflection all around? Tick. A table where someone&#8217;s head appears to be served on a plate? Tick. A mock up of Number Ten Downing Street which you can appear to climb up? Tick. Like us in the infinity room, the mirror tricks are endless. </p>



<p>It isn&#8217;t educational in a Science Museum way, however it&#8217;s got all the key components to make you stop and think every so often, such as the Müller-Lyer illusion &#8211; you remember, the one where  two vertical lines of equal length are placed on horizontal lines spreading out and appear to be different sizes&#8230;</p>



<p>The last room is for brain games where we lingered a while, tapping the correct buttons for colour word matches (green written in red, you get the idea) and a sliding block puzzle that apparently takes 79 moves to complete (we&#8217;ll never know because we gave up). </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-verdict">VERDICT </h2>



<p>The Museum of Illusions is perfect for the social media era. Images of the kids hanging horizontally from a lamppost or dangling from a window ledge caused a lot of giggles and went down well on Instagram. However it does have more depth than that and there were enough interesting exhibits to keep them intrigued and off YouTube shorts and TikTok for 80 minutes, which is a win. Unfortunately the gift shop at the end is full of stuff kids love (we left with a rubber ball that answers your questions when you squeeze it), so avoid if you don&#8217;t want to part with more cash. </p>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Inquisitive kids who love being able to touch all the exhibits and get involved. Mine laughed most of the way around, at the experiences, each other and me. It&#8217;s not Tate Modern, but then it&#8217;s not pretending to be. </p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> If your idea of a good museum is look don&#8217;t touch, make your way (quietly) to the V&amp;A. The friendly guides did have to show me how to make a couple of the illusions work on my phone, so if you&#8217;re not tech-savvy do ask for assistance to make the most of it. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-go-there">Go there! </h2>



<p>Tickets, £19.20; family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) £77.  <em><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Museum+of+Illusions+-+London/@51.5173596,-0.1316388,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x48761bd7714c2eb1:0x2e65f547b13db7f6!8m2!3d51.5173596!4d-0.1316388!16s%2Fg%2F11z6njr9r9!5m2!1e4!1e1?entry=ttu&amp;g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Museum of Illusions</a>, 5-17 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 1BJ. </em></p>



<p><em>By Amanda Statham </em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



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<li><a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/june-guide/">June guide to London&nbsp;</a></li>



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Review: Museum of Illusions, central London

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