New Museum of Illusions opens in Santa Monica with 80 mind-bending exhibits

A new attraction on the Third Street Promenade is turning heads — and perspectives — as the Museum of Illusions officially opens its doors in Santa Monica.

The immersive space spans 12,000 square feet and features more than 80 interactive exhibits designed to challenge visitors’ sense of reality through optical illusions, visual tricks and hands-on science.

Organizers described the museum as a mind-bending playground where art, psychology and physics come together “to make your brain question what your eyes see.”

Two happy customers enjoy the Reversed Room in the new Museum of Illusions in Santa Monica. November 2025. (Museum of Illusions)

Some of the most popular rooms include the Ames Room, which uses angled walls and a distorted camera view to make one person appear giant while another looks tiny, and the Vortex Tunnel, a spinning bridge that makes visitors feel as if the world around them is tilting. Another fan favorite, the Reversed Room, lets guests appear to hang upside down in a Hollywood-inspired bowling alley scene — a nod to Santa Monica’s cinematic roots.

“This room is actually shaped like a trapezoid, but your depth perception and the camera make it look cubic,” said Krystal Casteneda, general manager of the Museum of Illusions Santa Monica. “It’s great for kids — they can finally be taller than their parents for once.”

KTLA’s Erin Myers (left) poses with general museum manager Krystal Casteneda (right) at the Ames Room exhibit in the new Museum of Illusions in Santa Monica. November 2025. (KTLA)

Beyond its photo-worthy illusions, the museum is also accredited by STEM.org, adding an educational layer that blends science and art for field trips, family outings and corporate events.

“It’s great for families, great for couples, great for anyone from five to 95,” Casteneda told KTLA’s Erin Myers. “We want everyone to have fun, learn something new and walk away with great memories — and pictures to prove it.”

The Museum of Illusions Santa Monica is open seven days a week. Tickets are available online or at the door if the venue is not at full capacity.