Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica

743 reviews
1 hr 30 min · typically 1–2 hours total

Puzzle your perceptions and trick your mind

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  • Museums
  • Experiences

Select the number of participants

Ticket types and quantities
Adult 13–64 years
$38.00$42.22
1
Child 4–12 yearsi
$26.60$29.56
0

Estimated total · $38.00

Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica
Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica
Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica

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Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica
Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica
Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica

Overview

Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica will play tricks on your mind and turn your perceptions on their head. 

This collection of perspective-shifting illusion rooms, intriguing installations and images will leave you spellbound. You’ll soon learn how what you see and what you think you see are two very different things! 

The Illusion rooms play with vision and perception and how the human brain processes these. Try your best to stay upright in the Tilted Room, spin through the Vortex Tunnel, and in the Reversed Room, take an upside-down walk on the ceiling. 

The Installations exhibit is where you can sit at the Clone Table to hang out with your doppelgangers, swap eyes with your friends and even serve your head on a platter for some very memorable photos. Nothing here is quite what it seems! 

The Bouchet chair makes you grow and shrink to hilarious sizes in an instant. 

In the Images exhibit, there are optical illusions that play with your perceptions, like the spinning discs that trick the brain into seeing colors or 3D images in a black and white 2D rotating image. 

Holograms disappear, reappear, and pop out of the frame and plenty of information about the hologram technology for the curious. 

The Museum of Illusions® Santa Monica is a visual, sensory and educational experience that will turn your senses upside down. 

Location

1232 3rd Street Promenade
90401 Santa Monica

Map © OpenStreetMap contributorsOpen in OpenStreetMap

Opening hours

Standard opening hours

Monday – Sunday
10 AM – 6 PM

Last entry
4 PM

Guest reviews

Hanna B.

May 2026

We squeezed it into a packed weekend without stress. Highlights matched what was advertised, easily one of the highlights of our trip.

James H.

May 2025

Straightforward redemption with our pass. Kid-friendly pacing without feeling rushed, we’d echo the hype online.

Emma E.

May 2025

We squeezed it into a packed weekend without stress. Plenty of time to explore afterward, with straightforward entry.

Sofia K.

Feb 2026

Staff made the itinerary feel effortless. Kid-friendly pacing without feeling rushed, with straightforward entry.

Ben Q.

Mar 2025

Straightforward redemption with our pass. we left with clearer context on the venue’s history.

Diego P.

Oct 2025

We squeezed it into a packed weekend without stress. Audio / guide quality was stronger than usual, worth blocking a half-day for.

Elena E.

Feb 2026

Smooth check-in with no surprises. worth blocking a half-day for.

Noah A.

Mar 2025

Easy to combine with other sights. Queues moved faster than expected, and overall it was one of our favorite stops.

Marcus C.

Oct 2025

A calm experience even on a crowded day. Queues moved faster than expected, — glad we prioritized it.

Leo Q.

Mar 2026

We squeezed it into a packed weekend without stress. Audio / guide quality was stronger than usual, would recommend budgeting a little buffer after for souvenirs.

Theo X.

Mar 2026

Great value versus buying tickets separately. Audio / guide quality was stronger than usual, with straightforward entry.

Felix F.

Dec 2025

We squeezed it into a packed weekend without stress. matching what friends told us—but better in person.

James N.

Feb 2025

Clear signage when we arrived. we left with clearer context on the venue’s history.

Aria T.

Oct 2025

More impressive in person than the photos. Highlights matched what was advertised, worth blocking a half-day for.

Theo L.

Mar 2026

The pace worked well with kids. matching what friends told us—but better in person.