Museum der Illusionen

How do you make your friends think you can fly? How do you reduce your height to the size of a kitchen stool? How do you serve your head on a plate separate from your body? How do you walk on the ceiling? If you think none of this is possible, a visit to Hamburg's Museum of Illusion will prove you wrong!

Hamburg has an amazing museum that takes visitors into a world of optical illusions. The Museum der Illusionen is a paradise for lovers of science, magic tricks and optical illusions. The installations seem to come to life for an hour (about the time it takes to see the locations) and transfer you to a fantasy world where anything can happen.

Tourists don't just explore the exhibit — they are fully involved in a fascinating game process. An interactive museum with a new and modern concept allows visitors to interact with the exhibits — they can touch them and be photographed with them. The ability to freely touch and photograph exhibits is a key feature of this museum.

You can test your vestibular system by walking through the swirling Vortex Tunnel, learn about the laws of physics in the Ames Room, create a kaleidoscope with your own image and do many other exciting things with the unique exhibits in the Museum of Illusion. It's a great place to use your imagination, test your wits, learn about physics and just have fun with your friends.

Filled with holograms, optical illusions and unusual rooms, the Museum of Illusions is an unforgettable experience for children and adults alike.  And after their visit, visitors to the Museum of Illusions take home vivid photos that deserve a place of honour in their family photo album or social media feed.

Despite the small size of the museum, there are seven zones, each of which is both a play area and a great backdrop for photographs. All the locations are different, but they all have one thing in common — they can't help but interest visitors and leave them indifferent.

So what will visitors find in the Museum of Illusions?

1. A Room of Symmetry. This fantastic room hypnotises visitors with its symmetrical reflections. It's a unique place to take pictures — it's such an unusual view of the place.
2. RGB. Visitors will witness the amazing effect of images appearing and disappearing. At first glance it looks like magic, but this is due to the concept of additive colour mixing.
3. The Vortex Tunnel. This area is a challenge for the most adventurous as you walk across a narrow bridge while the rest of the world literally spins around you at incredible speed. It's easy to lose your head in this optical illusion.
4. The Crooked Room. This room makes you forget all the known laws of physics and literally knocks you off your feet. It seems impossible, but visitors don't know whether they're standing on a sloping or straight surface.
5. The Ames Room. It is an irregularly shaped room designed in the first half of the twentieth century, in 1946, by the American ophthalmologist Albert Ames.

Remember when Alice in Wonderland shrank to microscopic size and then grew like a giant? In Ames' room, visitors experience something similar, as space is distorted so that the person standing in the far corner appears incredibly small, while the tourist in the foreground grows considerably taller.

The three-dimensional optical illusion is so convincing that a person walking slowly from one corner to the other will 'shrink' or 'grow' in front of their eyes.

6. The Upside Down Room. Bring your camera because you will learn how to stand on your head, walk on your hands and float in the air. And you'll even get photographic proof. With the help of the scenery, you can take pictures "in flight" or upside down.

7. Infinite Space. A mirrored room creates the illusion of infinite space and multiple worlds, as no walls or other spatial boundaries are visible.

Important: The Vortex Tunnel and Crooked Room are not suitable for people with epilepsy or balance problems. If you suffer from motion sickness, seasickness or dizziness, it is best to avoid these areas.

The museum has a gift shop where you can buy board games, kaleidoscopes, optical illusion crafts, stationery, clothing and other items bearing the Museum of Illusion logo.

You can celebrate a birthday or hold any other event at the museum, whether it's a product launch, a corporate party or a photo shoot. Entertaining and educational parties are sure to be memorable for both the birthday boy or girl and their guests. The Museum also offers educational games and souvenirs for visitors of all ages, which will be a great reminder of an exclusive holiday at the Museum of Illusion.

The museum collaborates with the nearby Vapiano restaurant. After an interesting tour and photo session with the exhibits, guests can go out for lunch.

The museum staff speaks both English and German. All descriptions of the exhibits are also available in these two languages.

If you have come alone and there is no one to take your picture, the museum staff will be happy to help you capture the optical tricks on your smartphone or camera. They'll even show you what angle, distance and height you need to take your photo from to get the 3D effect.

• Please arrive at the time stated on your ticket. If you arrive late, you will still be able to enter the museum, but your tour will be shorter as each group is limited to 1 hour in the hall.
• If you are visiting the Museum of Illusion, make sure your smartphone or camera is charged, as all the installations make great photo opportunities.
• We recommend that you visit the museum with children aged 5-6+: children under 5 won't be very interested, as the interactive exhibits are designed for older children.
• The museum does not have its own parking, but you can leave your car in the nearby multi-storey and underground car parks.
• Leave your pets at home, as they are not allowed in the exhibition hall.
• It is advisable to eat before your visit, as the museum rules prohibit bringing food and eating in the exhibition hall.
• It is best to reserve tickets in advance, as this is the only absolute guarantee of admission.
• Tickets are not personalised, so one person can book tickets for several visitors. After payment, you should receive a digital ticket in an email. If you don't receive it for a long time, check your spam folder: your ticket may have gone there.
• If you are planning to celebrate a birthday or other special occasion at the museum, you should book the date at least 14 days in advance. You can request a reservation on the website by filling in a small form.It is not necessary to print out a ticket to show to the attendant at the entrance, as a digital version of the document is also accepted. Simply show the ticket on your smartphone, tablet or other device.
• There are no group visits to the Museum of Illusions on weekends, public holidays or bank holidays