THIS IS THE POPULAR VORTEX TUNNEL, WHERE VISITORS WALK ACROSS A BRIDGE AND THE TUNNEL SPINS AROUND YOU. | COURTESY MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS

A new museum set to open this fall on Pittsburgh’s North Shore is designed to make visitors question their own perception of reality.  The Museum of Illusions, a chain with locations worldwide, promises to be a visual feast for the senses with more than 60 displays featuring holograms, stereograms and optical illusions.

The highly anticipated fall opening was announced earlier this week by LOL Entertainment CEO Robert Cooper on his LinkedIn account, and it will be the second Museum of Illusions in the state, next to Philadelphia. 

“I’m excited to announce that we will be bringing the Museum of Illusions to Pittsburgh’s North Shore this fall! This will be our second museum in the Keystone State (after Philadelphia), and we couldn’t have found a more vibrant and welcoming city,” he wrote.

In his note, Cooper also thanked Herky Pollock, the CBRE executive vice president who helped broker the deal for the new 8,000-square-foot site in the SAP Pittsburgh building next to the Tom’s Watch Bar on North Shore Drive, and other partners. 

The Museum of Illusions calls itself a one-of-a-kind “edutainment,” where you can “experience the impossible.”

A KALEIDOSCOPE ATTRACTION IN THE GAME ROOM | COURTESY MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS

Although there are more than 40 locations of this museum in 25 countries and four continents — including Budapest, Cairo, Belgrade, Athens, Dublin, Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina. — each location is a little different. The concept is growing fast – it was launched in Zagreb, Croatia just in 2015. 

A few months back, I had the chance to explore the museum in Washington D.C. and it was quite an enjoyable experience. The tour is self-guided, with workers nearby to help explain the science behind the illusions and signs to help you capture the best photos.  To start your adventure, you enter the museum’s central game room where you are challenged by an array of puzzles and brainteasers that will put your coordination and patience to the test. Once you’re done exploring the central room, the experience rooms await. 

One that is sure to challenge your sense of balance is the vortex tunnel. The tunnel appears to be spinning, but it’s actually an optical illusion created by lights and mirrors. As you walk through the tunnel, you’ll feel as though you’re being transported into another dimension. 

THE AUTHOR IN THE REVERSE ROOM IN WASHINGTON D.C. | PHOTO BY SAM CHOLODOFSKY

The reverse room features a scene on the ceiling that, when standing inside, makes you appear upside down in photos. Washington D.C.’s reverse room is the inside of a bus, and Philadelphia’s is an old-school diner.  

Explore the tilted room, where things appear flat but are not quite as they seem. Then, step inside the infinity room, where you’ll be surrounded by full-height mirrors that create a mesmerizing and infinite reflection.

It doesn’t end there — more holograms, illusions, and light shows wait to be explored by you. With this being the newest Museum of Illusions, it’s sure to hold something we haven’t seen before at the other locations.