Shrink Yourself (or Someone Else) at the Museum of Illusions in Charlotte, NC

Exhibits at Charlotte’s Museum of Illusions

The Museum of Illusions features over 60 interactive exhibits that blend entertainment with education. Notable exhibits include the Vortex Tunnel, which challenges balance and spatial awareness, and the Ames Room, where visitors appear to change size based on their position.

In the vortex tunnel will stand on a stationary bridge while the tunnel rotates around you. Almost instantly you feel like you are falling and twisting. You’ll grab the rail of the bridge to keep from falling and begin to walk like you’re on the deck of a ship in rough water.

In the Ames Room, the floor is at an extreme angle. Move to one corner and you appear very small, move to another and you’ve become a giant. Watch the video above to check out both the tunnel and the Ames Room.

Our favorite, however, was the Beuchet Chair. It’s not actually a chair at all, but the seat of a chair on the floor, with legs of varying heights in front. Standing at a specific angle, the person sitting on the seat looks very small, as the legs blend into the image to make the chair look like a normal chair. If a person stands beside them, they look very large. This illusion works because it plays with perspective to challenge the way we perceive size and proportion.

We used the illusion to make a “tiny Mom” picture we all thought was hilarious.

Who Will Enjoy the Museum of Illusions?

Kids and adults of all ages will enjoy the Museum of Illusions. There are interactive games and brain teasers that will engage children and adults. It’s quite a hands-on experience, and several of the exhibits are designed to get you some really cool photos. That was the part that my teens enjoyed the most.

Location and Accessibility

Situated at 601 S. Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte, the museum is easily accessible to both locals and tourists. Tickets are priced at $25-28 for adults, $21-24 for children, and $23-26 for seniors. Weekdays are cheaper.

There is not a specific parking area for the museum, but a parking garage is located right beside the museum. It was very easy access for us. Do note that the garage is on the expensive side. It cost us $18 to park for about 2 hours.

Our Parent Review: Is the Museum of Illusions Worth it?

Are you looking for a Museum of Illusions review? Well, we really enjoyed all the exhibits at the museum. My kids had fun, and they are not always easy to impress. The museum is fairly small, but it still packs in quite a few fun illusions. To make the most of your visit, don’t miss the illusions and their explanations along the walls. There’s a lot more to see beyond the main insta-worthy photo illusions.

We are a rather frugal family, so the price point did feel a little high to us. When you have a larger family, $28 per ticket adds up quickly. Still, it was a fun family outing that we all really enjoyed. I would highly recommend visiting at less crowded times to see everything. We visited on a day off of school and there were quite a few younger kids running around which made it a little difficult at times to get photos and see the illusions clearly. Patience wins though! Everyone still had a great time.

Museum of Illusions Website
Open daily at 10 am. Closes at 9 pm, except on Friday and Saturday they close at 10 pm.

Got teens? Find more for them to do in Charlotte! Here’s our Guide to Things for Teens to Do.