Museum of Illusions is a unique project and brand that started in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2015 and soon became one of the fastest-growing education and entertainment places out there.
Now there are locations in more than 30 cities around the world. And of course, Dubai couldn’t be out of that list!
The Dubai edition is the biggest one in the world yet, with more than 80 exhibits offering interactive, immersive and fun experiences designed to trick your mind and senses, and flat-out confuse you.
The amusing tricks will teach you about vision, perception, the human brain, and science in the most entertaining way! It makes for a short but intriguing visit that will have you loaded with endorphins by the time you leave.
The Museum of Illusions in Dubai has a location that’s equally or more attractive than the museum itself: the charming neighborhood of Al Seef, a part of the city very worth visiting, with old-time looks, cute alleyways, lots of cafes, shops and restaurants, and a lovely promenade along the historical Dubai Creek area, where the city was born.
And if you’re visiting Al Seef and Dubai in the summer, this can be the perfect break from the heat!
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Before Visiting the Museum of Illusions, Dubai
Museum of Illusions Opening Hours
At the time of writing, the Museum of Illusions is open Monday to Thursday from 10 AM to 10 PM, and Friday to Sunday from 10 AM to 11 PM.
How to get to the Museum of Illusions
The Illusions Museum of Dubai is located in Al Seef, in the historical area of Dubai Creek. You can get there by metro, bus, or taxi.
▶️ Metro: The metro stations closest to the Museum of Illusions are Al Fahidi and BurJuman, both on the Dubai Metro green line. Al Fahidi is 1 km from the museum (a 5-10 minute walk), and BurJuman is 1.8 km from the Museum (around 15 minutes by foot). BurJuman intersects with the red line, which takes you to top attractions like Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, and Dubai Marina.
▶️ Bus: Bus 29 will drop you off about 1 km from the Museum (5-10 min-walk) and you can take it from downtown. However, the metro is faster. If you take the metro and get off at BurJuman, you can take bus F70 right outside the station and it will leave you only 300 meters from the Museum (3-min walk).
▶️ Taxi: Of course, you can always take a taxi, or use an app like Uber or Careem. This is the most expensive option, but it might be the only plausible one if you’re coming from an area of Dubai that doesn’t have a metro station (and you don’t want to spend 2hs on a bus). If you’re far from the museum and there’s not a metro station close by, a taxi will be expensive, so an alternative is asking the driver to drop you off at the nearest metro station and go from there.
Museum of Illusions, Dubai Tickets
This is one of the best things to do in Dubai with kids! With its interactive games and optical illusions, Dubai’s Illusion Museum makes for a very fun visit for all the family. If you’re going with kids, it’s better to get tickets in advance so you don’t have to wait in line.
➤ This Museum of Illusions ticket will give you direct access to the museum and admission to the Smart Playroom. ➥ BOOK IT HERE
What to Expect when Visiting Dubai’s Museum of Illusions
This new museum in Dubai hosts 80+ different exhibits that make up the largest collection of optical illusions in the world. It’s a highly entertaining and educational experience, perfect for the whole family.
The different exhibitions in the museum are designed to trick your mind, confuse your senses, and fuel your imagination, each in its own way.
When you enter, you’ll be led through a series of rooms where nothing is as it seems! You will feel the ground is moving, or go into a room where one of you will look gigantic and another one will look tiny, or visit an anti-gravity room that will make you look upside down.
There are also tons of wooden puzzles and brain teasers to put your skills to the test.
The experiences at the Museum of Illusions make for great Instagram pictures too, and the staff will help you capture the trickiest shots.
This is a very fun experience for the little ones in the family, but really anyone can bring out their playful side and have a great time! It is, however, quite a short visit (not more than 1 hour), so it feels a bit overpriced, but still worth it for the fun and uniqueness of it.
Visit Al Seef after the Museum of Illusions
You can make a stop at the museum part of your visit to Al Seef, along Dubai Creek, where the Museum of Illusions is located and which is an area very worth exploring when in Dubai.
Al Seef is a small area developed as recently as 2017 by Dubai Creek, where the early settlers used to live. Even though the constructions are very new, they were designed to celebrate the area’s proud beginnings as a port and diving hotspot for the pearling industry.
The architecture resembles that of old times and pays tribute to Dubai’s history and Arabian traditions.
It’s a charming area, very pleasant to stroll, both along the creek and on the alleys full of cute shops, restaurants, and boutique hotels. Walking around here is one of my favorite things to do in Dubai at night.
If you’re staying in one of the Al Seef hotels, check with your receptionist if they give out complimentary tickets to the Museum of Illusions.
Tips for Visiting the Museum of Illusions, Dubai
▶ If you’re going with kids, it’s better to pre-book the tickets online so you don’t have to stand in line to get in.
▶ Make your stop at the museum as part of your visit to Al Seef, a charming area to stroll around and enjoy a more historic part of the city.
▶ Make sure your phone and/or camera are charged, as the museum is great to take Insta-worthy pictures!
▶ Take some time to explore the gift shop at the end of the visit to the museum, it has many educational games that can make for great presents.
