Museum of Illusions Chicago
4.7(3,487)4.7 out of 5 stars, 3487 reviews Chicago, IL
About Museum of Illusions Chicago
The Museum of Illusions Chicago offers a highly interactive and photo-centric experience, making it a unique family entertainment option. Its core value lies in engaging optical illusions and the exceptionally helpful staff who actively enhance visits by assisting with photography and posing, ensuring memorable family pictures.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families seeking a fun, interactive, and photo-opportunity-rich indoor activity, especially on a rainy day.Groups of friends or families looking for a unique place to take memorable and shareable pictures.Visitors who appreciate highly helpful and friendly staff interaction.Those looking for an engaging experience that is relatively short, lasting about 1 to 1.5 hours.Families with younger children, due to the dedicated 'games area'.
Why families love it
- Incredibly fun, intuitive, and engaging interactive illusions suitable for a broad audience.
- Abundant opportunities for unique and memorable family photos, with staff actively assisting in taking pictures and suggesting poses.
- Staff (e.g., Savien, Noah, Syd) are consistently described as incredibly nice, helpful, friendly, and courteous.
- A good indoor activity option, specifically mentioned as perfect for a rainy day.
- The experience is not energy-draining and provides a relaxing yet interesting walk-through.
- Includes a 'games area for the little ones to get their brain engines going'.
Insider tips
- **Book Online in Advance:** To avoid 'sold out' situations and potential delays, consider purchasing tickets online to secure a time slot.
- **Interact with Staff:** Actively seek out and interact with the friendly staff, as they are a key resource for getting the best photos and understanding exhibits.
- **Come Prepared for Photos:** Bring a fully charged camera or smartphone, as there are 'lots of picture spots'.
- **Visit with Company:** It's recommended not to 'come alone here, it’s fun for friends and family' to maximize the photo opportunities and shared experience.
- **Plan for Short Visit:** The experience typically takes 'not more than an hour and a half', making it a good option for shorter outings.
Good to know before you go
- Arriving during perceived peak times (e.g., late morning on a Friday) without pre-booking, as the venue can be 'sold out' or experience significant waits.
- If you expect a very extensive, multi-hour museum experience, as some feel 'there wasn’t a lot to it'.
- Visiting alone if your primary goal is to have many photos of yourself at the exhibits, unless you plan to rely solely on staff assistance.
- The museum can be 'sold out' and require waiting, as experienced by a visitor arriving at 11 am on a Friday.
- Popular illusions can feel rushed due to crowds and people waiting, leading to a less relaxed experience.
- Crowds
- Can be 'sold out' and require guests to return later, as experienced on a Friday morning.
- Value
- Tickets are easily purchased; 'only cards accepted no cash'. Visitors can use 'Go City All inclusive pass'. The value is derived from an 'incredibly fun and intuitive' experience with ample photo opportunities, lasting around 1 to 1.5 hours, and enhanced by helpful staff.
- Accessibility
- The museum is noted to be 'only 1 floor', which may be a beneficial characteristic for some mobility needs, but no specific accessibility accommodations (e.g., ramps, elevators, sensory hours) are mentioned.
- Safety
- No specific safety features or measures (e.g., staff monitoring, first aid, secure entry/exit) are mentioned in the reviews.
What parents say
"I arrived around 11am on Friday morning with my son and sister using using Go City All inclusive pass. We were told it was sold out and to come back at 12:20pm We came back at 12:15pm. It seemed busier than it was the first time. For the popular illusions, we kinda felt rushed due to people waiting and wanting to be considerate. Also, with a lot of people present, they were in the way of some of the photos, even though it wasn’t intentional. I’ve been to a couple of these illusions museums in other cities. For the most part, the illusions were the same. They did have a few that were different"
2 weeks ago
"The museum was a great experience. Incredibly fun and intuitive. There was a lot of opportunities for pictures. The staff was incredibly nice and helped with taking pictures and giving advice for the best experience. The staff worker Savien especially was helpful and very courteous!!! 10/10 experience, I recommend!!! If I had one hour left on earth, this is the place to be!!!"
in the last week
"Super cool museum! Not a long walk to go through the whole thing and very engaging. It is not energy draining but actually very interesting. The employees were super helpful and friendly and offer to take pictures while helping you pose with the exhibits. I got tickets online but there was no line and plenty of open time slots. The whole experience would take not more than an hour and a half. There is a gift shop with interesting illusion games at the exit and a games area for the little ones to get their brain engines going. Very cool place! Definitely recommend to visit"
2 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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