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An immersive optical illusions museum will open in London next month

The Paradox Museum is coming to Knightsbridge this July

India Lawrence
Written by
India Lawrence
Contributing writer
A tunnel with polka dots at the Paradox Museum
Photograph: Paradox Museum
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Just when you thought London couldn’t get any more immersive experiences, one more has just dropped. The Paradox Museum, a global chain of galleries dedicated to optical illusions, will open in Knightsbridge this July. Packed with Instagram opportunities, the new experience joins the likes of the Balloon Museum, the immersive sound art exhibition on the Strand and those galleries that project a famous artist’s artwork on the wall (find out what we thought of immersive Klimt here). 

So what exactly is a Paradox Museum? As vague as it sounds, the new gallery will have over 50 interactive exhibits and 25 immersive rooms. According to the museum, you’ll be able to ‘defy the odds of gravity in reverse rooms, unravel the mysteries of the paradoxical sofa, step inside a giant kaleidoscope and navigate the intricate twists of the mirror maze’. It’s giving Willy Wonka’s factory. 

Of course, the 90-minute experience is packed with photo opportunities, because if you don’t ‘Gram it, did it really happen?

Founded in 2022, there are Paradox Museums all over the world, with outposts in Paris, Miami, Stockholm, Berlin, Barcelona, Las Vegas, New Jersey, Shanghai, Limasso and now London. 

But it hasn’t been totally smooth sailing for the opening of the optical illusions gallery. When it was first announced, residents of Knightsbridge – one of London’s most affluent areas – objected to the plans to open the museum opposite Harrods, claiming it could detract from the atmosphere at the world famous department store. However, officials quickly stamped out the complaints, saying the museum was ‘appropriate for the area’. 

If you fancy checking out the Paradox Museum for yourself, tickets are available to book online here now. Don’t get lost!

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