We gave our brains a big workout at the new Museum of Illusions – now open in Toronto along Front Street near Jarvis.
My guys in TOw and I had a sneak peek of the 80-plus exhibits –rooms, installations, holograms, images, puzzles and games – that tricked our minds, made us smile and most importantly made us think.
The illusions are playful, interactive and offered tons of fun photo opps, like standing upside down on the ceiling in the Rotated Room, weirding us out with the Chair Illusion and serving the Kid in TOw’s Head on a Platter. My guys especially loved the Vortex Tunnel and testing out their poker face(s) at the Clone Table.
Each exhibit demonstrates how the world isn’t always what we perceive – there are labels with instructions and explanations for each illusion (English and in French) and the staff was really helpful in getting us (read: over stimulated kids) to stop and understand what we were seeing and experiencing.
After a few rounds of exploring the different spaces, we ended up spending the most time in the playroom with the games and puzzles. (These ‘brain teasers’ are also all on sale at the front of the Museum.)
My kind of mind games!
TRIP TIPS:
Getting there: The Museum of Illusions is located on the north side of Front St. E, just east of Jarvis. On transit, take the King streetcar and walk a block south. Driving, paid street parking along Front St.
Low-down: The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The space isn’t huge – around 5,000-square-feet of rooms and installations all on the main floor. You can probably spend an hour (or much more – depending on how engaged your kids are in understanding how the illusions work.) Admission is $23.50 + HST for adults; $19.50 + HST for kids or $78.50 + HST for families (two adults and two kids 16 and under). Group visits and birthday parties (with illusionist) are also available.
In the hood: Young Peoples’ Theatre is across the street. Nearby, you’ll find St. Lawrence Market, the Distillery District and the Hockey Hall of Fame. Nearest greenspaces are Berczy Park (with the cool dog fountain) and David Crombie Park and playground.
DETAILS:
www.museumofillusions.ca
132 Front Street East
Toronto, ON M5A 1E2
Tel: 416-889-2285
Email: hello@museumofillusions.ca
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