On June 6, The Museum of Illusions in Zadar opened its (trippy) doors. Like its sister museum of the same name in Zagreb, it’s all about wreaking havoc on the senses. Illusions – optical and otherwise – make visitors doubt their eyes and ears, at this wonderfully unlikely attraction.
Some of the exhibits – a room of distorting mirrors, for instance – recall giddy childhood funfairs. But others will be less familiar: the Vortex tunnel of illusions sounds like something out of a Stanley Kubrick movie, so it’s no surprise that it thoroughly messes with the innocent visitor’s head. Essentially, you attempt to walk through a rotating cylinder, and exit feeling confused, amazed – and queasy.
The Museum of Illusions in Zagreb
But the museum’s psychedelic centrepiece is an Alice in Wonderland-style chair, which messes with the subject’s perception of size and scale. There’s all manner of mind-boggling puzzles and games to delight children and adults alike.
Zagreb's Museum of Illusions opened in July 2015, and the alternative attraction has been a hit with tourists. Zadar's museum is open daily from 9 am to midnight, so you can mess with your mind way into the night after a long day at the beach.