The Museum of Illusions Manchester

You can approach a visit to the Museum of Illusions Manchester in two ways. One – as an educational exploration of the physics, maths and artistic principles behind the optical illusions. Or two – as a chance to get a load of daft selfies of your friends/family in various states of wonder and amusement.

Like most, I did a bit of both on my visit with my husband and 11-year-old daughter, though my takeaway memory is of laughing our heads off in the Vortex Tunnel (it gives you that room-spinning, drunk feeling) rather than a deeper understanding of cognitive neuroscience.

The museum takes you through a series of interactive illusions such as the Cloning Table, Infinity Portal and Reversed Room, with information boards that give you the science behind the mind-bending effects. It takes about an hour to explore them all, and there’s a shop at the end. If you’re looking for something fun and educational to do with kids or teens in Manchester, it’s ideal.