Museum of Illusions Is a Trippy Addition to the 16th Street Mall

Take a step inside the Museum of Illusions, whose installations are meant to show the science behind perception.

October 16, 2023

Image: blue lights cover a tunnel-shaped room with a bridge in the center

A vortex room allows you to cross over a bridge, but the illusion cast through the tunnel makes visitors feel unsteady. Brandon Johnson

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The Museum of Illusions is now open at 951 16th Street (the former home of Chili's), and despite all the construction work on the 16th Street Mall, it's pulling in a lot of foot traffic. The museum, which provides engaging photo-op experiences and immersive installations meant to show the science behind perception, is anticipating more crowds in the future, with plans for unique community activations, according to museum publicist Claire Hawkins.

On a weekday afternoon, the place was packed, with kids darting from room to room followed by smiling parents, as well as a group of friends who'd traveled to Denver from Germany and decided to make a stop. Helpful museum employees were at each station, helping to explain the illusion and how it works, and taking pictures on request.

Take a peek at the museum's offerings:

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person with short brown hair stands in a striped room with mirrors on the ceiling.

Employee Arik teaches patrons how to use a mirrored installation for photos.

Brandon Johnson

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woman standing on porch of brick building while man is hunched over in a grey sweatshirt

The building these people are "standing" on is actually part of the floor; mirrors reflect the image to the camera to make it appear as though it is the facade of a structure.

Brandon Johnson

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woman in jeans and brown jacket and scarf jumps in green and yellow striped room.

Clone yourself with mirrors in the "clone room."

Brandon Johnson

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people in a room with orange leaves on the ceiling.

This room evokes Yayoi Kusama's famed "infinity rooms," which use mirrors to cast innumerable reflections.

Brandon Johnson

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woman in black leggings in orange room has one hand on hip while lifting the other in the air

In each installation, visitors strike poses.

Brandon Johnson

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The simple trick for the "reverse room" is reversing your photo.

Brandon Johnson

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a dodecahedron sculpture with lights inside.

The Infinity Dodecahedron is one of many interactive sculptures in the museum.

Brandon Johnson

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white and black pentagon patterns overlapping

A peek inside the mirrored dodecahedron gives the illusion of infinite patterns.

Brandon Johnson

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woman hanging off porch of brick townhouse while woman lays to side of door and another in the bottom left corner

More visitors attempt to appear as though they are scaling a building in this installation.

Brandon Johnson

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The eyes of the mural will follow you as you peruse the many puzzles and trippy treasures in the gift shop.

Brandon Johnson

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A couple plays in the gift shop.

Brandon Johnson

Museum of Ilusions is open daily, with tickets sold in twenty-minute increments starting at 10 a.m.; admission is $24 for adults, $20 for children. Find more information and get tickets at moidenver.com.

Emily Ferguson has been the music and culture editor atWestword since November 2021. In her role, Emily writes and edits profiles of local and national musicians, previews of upcoming performances and guides to the best of Denver’s entertainment scene. Her previous work experience includes contributing to the arts sections of the Wall Street Journal, The Spectator and the Free Beacon. While attending the College of Charleston, Emily was a fire performer and worked at music festivals.

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