1. Museum of Illusions

1. Museum of Illusions

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Boston, MA

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Museum of Illusions

3.4 (53 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

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Alicia E.

I really like the location of this place because I feel like fanueil hall definitely does need more. However, I just think it needs to have more rooms because it's not very large so it doesn't take very long to go through and on top of that it's kind of expensive for what it is. The staff there is very friendly and do want to help. However, there's only one of them, so it's kind of hard to get them to take pictures of every single group that comes in. I would probably never go back, but that's just because there isn't anything new win exciting there, but I do think it's worth checking out.

ShaynaLynn ..

Never again . Teachers go free, which is nice considering you are paying $40 a person to walk through a 20 minute hallway of a few experiences and pictures on walls that have "optical illusions" like the ones you see when scrolling online. When we entered the museum, we were told at the counter, to buy our tickets online so we could get a five dollar discount but whether you buy them online or in person you still have to pay a processing fee, which didn't make sense to me at all. We were very disappointed in this museum. I would not recommend it to anyone. Waste of time and money. As other parties were leaving they all seemed annoyed as well saying "okay, now what should we do.." luckily it was a beautiful day so we could walk around and go have lunch. But driving two hours there and two hours home for 20 minute museum was just absolutely ridiculous. Online and videos make it seem a lot more intense and hands on. Also - We parked at the garage that was suggested on the website paid online and had a discount which was great. The parking lot was only a two minute walk.

Darci W.

Gotta say I was pretty disappointed. If I were basing this on my own experience alone, I'd give it 1 star, but it's just not good for solo visitors. It's probably better if you have someone with you and certainly better for kids than adults. There were a few parts that are cool photo ops -- if you're with someone who can take a picture. And there were a couple of features that specifically said they work best with two people. The wall illusions that don't need a partner were mostly lame -- either things I've already seen before or things I didn't get at all. Like do x and notice y. But I did x and never noticed the illusion they were talking about. The kids there seemed really into it, but this is not the place for an adult to pass the time (despite what ChatGPT told me - haha!). They really need to advertise this as a children's attraction and/or maybe offer a discount for solo visitors who can't take advantage of the cool photo op and multi-person parts. If it had been half the price, that would've been fine, but at nearly $40 to walk around for 15-20 minutes...nope.

Anastasia S.

Decided to take day trip into Boston and check out The Museum of Illusions with our 2.5yr old daughter. It was free for her and about $38 per adult so around $76 which we decided to splurge but on pricey side for weekend activity. Located right in Fanuiel Hall Marketplace above The Loft. Easy to get to and Parking right around the corner. Our daughter was in a mood as is any 2.5 yr old after a nap. But my husband and I had fun time. The lighted tunnel was fun until we both got vertigo All and all was nice day to get out would I go back probably not. But just because the cost personally. But fun daytime activity.

Entrance sign
Dana S.

This place was so much fun! There were so many different rooms to visit or things to interact with on the walls. The people who work there did a great job helping with taking pictures for me and my friends (who went through here with me) or giving us help when it was needed. I will definitely come back again to give it another look through.

Pamela M.

The Museum of Illusions in Boston was a fun experience, overall! It's super interactive and has cool exhibits that really mess with your mind, though I still found it underwhelming. We went at 5 PM, and the entrance was $40. We did book in advance. I don't think it would truly matter I don't suspect the place gets packed at once. We had to go up the stairs to get in, so I'm not sure how accessible it is for everyone. That's something to keep in mind. The front desk staff was super friendly and helpful. We were a little late for our reservation, and they didn't mention it at all, which we were honestly worried about. As soon as you walk in, there are a bunch of interactive things that instantly make you question your eyesight. The wildest one was this tunnel that makes you feel like you're spinning but you're actually not. That one made me dizzy, so I probably won't be doing that again! Some displays were out of order, but most of them worked fine. Each illusion had a sample photo to guide you, though a few were still confusing but luckily, the staff was really helpful and even offered to take pictures for us, which was nice. You can get through the whole place pretty quickly -- about half an hour so it's a fun stop if you're already in the area or looking to add something extra to your day. They also have a cute little shop at the end of the trail that was fun to browse. That said, it's not really something I'm dying to go back to. I think kids would probably find it more appealing overall. Parking-wise, I'm sure if you looked for a while you could find street parking, but I always prefer the safe call and book a garage instead. All in all, it was a cool experience. Worth doing once if you're looking for something different.

Alex D.

Amazing, fun and family friendly place to visit. I had a great time and there was some pretty cool stuff in the building.The staff were friendly and helpful with photos and any questions people had.

Colleen E.

Enjoyed my visit with friends yesterday but it was not worth the $40 admission price. The employees were very friendly and offered to take pics. Took about 45 minutes to go through the whole exhibit including stopping for photos. I did appreciate the fact they had hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the exhibit. I was only with adults, I do imagine kids may find it a bit more exciting.

Psychedelic room (drug free though)

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10 months ago

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2 months ago

Fun photo ops but honestly way too expensive for what it was. If you go try to find a Groupon etc

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1 year ago

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11 months ago

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7 months ago

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7 months ago

Was good but for younger kids. Fun illusions but was a little bit expensive for the experience.

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1 year ago

Entertaining but $140 for a family of 4 and it took us about 40 minutes to work our way through.

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

The illusions were very confusing but they also looked very good and worked really well 100% recommend

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Ask the Community - Museum of Illusions

Is the museum of illusion an adult attraction?

I'm not sure what you mean by that. It is G rated for sure. Adults will enjoy it, especially if you'd like to take fun pictures or just learn about illusions. The only people I wouldn't recommend it for are toddlers.

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Review Highlights - Museum of Illusions

Being in Faneuil Hall, it's easy to get to and makes for a perfect addition to a day or evening out in downtown Boston.

Mentioned in 6 reviews

Read more highlights

Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts

4.4
(1k reviews)

During a recent weekend trip to Boston, I reserved an entire day for the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)…read moreand it was the best decision I could have made. If I lived in Boston, I would become a member so that I could visit at will, even if only for few hours at a time. I am particularly interested in the impressionists, and John Singer Sargent, so I kept mostly to the 2nd floor. The museum is well organized, and there are staff floating around to answer any questions (one staffer even offered some tips to reduce the glare when taking a photo of a certain painting). I had checked out of my hotel so I had baggage with me (don't we all)...MFA has a convenient bag check. I also purchased a sizeable book from the bookshop and the staff put it in a box for me to keep it from being damaged during travel. I saw one temporary exhibit that was a nicely curated mix of multimedia art, and I also enjoyed seeing some of the rooms presented in a gallery style so that I could truly appreciate modern display methods. Six hours here went by in a flash, and I will definitely be back to see more of the MFA's vast collection. p.s. The equestrian sport of polo came from Persia?? Loved this fact! I also really enjoyed the time put into the object labels and the stories they told. "The most outrageous series of ferocious daubs that any slanderer of Venice could possibly imagine," a quote from a critic describing Renoir's Grand Canal, Venice, made me snort laugh out loud!

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts features an impressive selection of art from around the world and…read moreacross different periods. We explored the Egyptian, Greek, European, Flemish and Dutch, Asian, Impressionist, and a small Jewish section. The exhibits are wonderful, and the museum is too large to explore in a single day. The gift shop has a nice selection of books, cards, and other typical museum knickknacks. Their Impressionist-themed puzzles were especially interesting. This is a progressive museum that strongly supports respective causes. If that bothers you, you may not enjoy your visit.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

4.3
(801 reviews)

Everything about this museum screams as a must-see when in Boston! The collection varies in era…read morebased on sections of the home. Like most museums but I feel for this one especially, it's important to wear comfy shoes. I had seen amazing photos and videos with the courtyard collection as Isabella Stewart Gardner had a beautiful garden at the center of the building in such a unique way. It's a lovely view from the ground and even from above. It's important to make a reservation ahead of time and pick a window that has decent natural light in my opinion which makes the museum even better of a sight!!

Going into this venture, I had no idea that Gardner was such close friends with John Singer…read moreSargent. He is one of my favorite artists so walking into this and being surprised by his work was a real thrill. She displayed his work in such a way that you really could see she appreciated him as a friend and also an artist. I will say...Gardner was really a collector...some of her pieces that she decided to hang are maybe a little questionable of their quality, but balanced by some truly brilliant pieces, it all works out in the end. This museum, like The Frick in Manhattan, is really quite special being that the setting is the home of the person who put all of these pieces on the walls themselves. To be able to walk through the grounds and see the rooms as the previous owner saw them is just surreal. I would say out of everything to see in this beautiful city, this is a must-do. Go see a game at Fenway, go get a lobster roll...sure, those are obvious spots to hit as a tourist, but this needs to be on your list of probably top 5 things to do while visiting Boston.

Museum of Science

Museum of Science

4.1
(872 reviews)

I had a great time here at the Boston Museum of science. It was very big and there was so much…read morehands-on stuff to do with kids of all ages. They have a little food court inside of this museum and there is a parking garage that connects right to the museum as well. There is definitely a wide variety of things to learn and see here. I feel like just one day at the museum was not even enough. They do offer memberships and I can see why lol. This museum is definitely a place kids will want to go back to. One of my favorite parts of the museum was the brain area where they have a human brain and someone that explains all about it. I just thought it was pretty cool that they had a human brain on display. They even had exhibits that I did not get to see, simply because there was just not enough time in one day like I said. Highly recommend for a rainy day activity or a fun play date!

Free IMAX movie every first Sunday of the month?? At the Omni theater at the museum of science??…read moreSign me up!! And that's what we did! We watch Super Dogs - it wasn't our first choice but the Space one was already all booked out so we chose this and it was awesome! Some of the cinematography was absolutely breathtaking- they filmed this in different parts of the world and got incredible footage - likely by drone filming. They showed different dogs and their stories. Overall it was a great movie. We could sit where we wanted - no assigned seats for this show. Initially we sat high up and these seats are at a steep incline so we decided to move further down. Staff was friendly and helpful. The museum interior is nice and has these color coded wings. There is a cafe too although we've never tried it. Parking - this time we parked in the museum garage itself to save time and it was $18 for up to 2 hours which was sufficient for us as the movie was only about 90 minutes. We have in the past managed to find some street meter parking nearby and walk a bit was great too. There are restrooms on the upper floor too which was convenient. Overall a good experience! Great place to go for everyone in the family.

Museum of Bad Art

Museum of Bad Art

4.2
(59 reviews)

This is a cute concept, and since this is the reason I dropped by, I'll review this highlight…read moreinstead of the Dorchester Brewery. It is more like a collection of art around the brewery, but the signs are funny and it's interesting to note paintings that were donated vs. found in a thrift store vs. found in the garbage. It ranges from funny proportions to some truly bizarre. It's a great activity to giggle at with friends or make up fun commentary on a date. It's a fun little concept, free, and open late, so it's a funs stop in. The brewery features a full bar, arcade and board games and BBQ food as well. The owner even showed us an old cigarette dispensing machine now filled with chocolate packs. There's a lot going on and it is apparent a lot of thought and creativity went into the space. It's certainly not like a traditional "museum" but sometimes you need to see some bad art to really appreciate some good art elsewhere. You'll end up laughing at something.

Okay, so museum may not be the exact right word. This is kind of like a gallery in a brewery. I had…read moreseen an ad for this place on Instagram, and filed it away in my brain. I pulled it out of the file and went to see bad art. We walked in and the guy at the bar was very nice and pointed out the "route" of the paintings. The art was so fun--some worse than others. I really did understand what some of what the artists were thinking, and in other cases I just laughed and scratched my head It's small and we weren't there more than 20 minutes, but it was fun. Btw--it's free!!!

Harvard Museum of Natural History

Harvard Museum of Natural History

4.4
(256 reviews)

Calling all the cool nerds we recently visited the Natural History Museum, and it was a great…read moreplace to spend a rainy afternoon! There's a ton to see and learn! Some of our favorite areas were the dinosaur (of course), the glass flower exhibit, the rocks... who knew the earth could produce such beautiful ROCKS ?!? We also loved walking through and seeing the various life size animals- giraffes are REALLY TALL, people This museum is the perfect size to walk through and take your time, and still be able to cover everything in 2-3 hours. It's perfect for kids and adults, and easy to get to by taking the red line. We got our tickets on Groupon for a great price, so we highly recommend checking for discount tickets if you're interested in visiting. Lentz_explore CLANDESTINO montreal, canada Love tequila? Looking for a speakeasy while in Montreal? We've got you covered! Clandestino is a tequila bar hidden beneath the hopping restaurant upstairs. Head through the hidden door, into a hallway and down some very dark stairs and you'll find yourself an intimate spot for some tequila cocktails. We both loved our drinks. CL got a couple but his favorite was the Ocho which had cacao and mole, to make for a "damn good" cocktail. I had the Passion Amarga, which was also delicious. We loved the vibe, it felt like being in a friends living room, with the furniture and the music was at a perfect level. The service was wonderful. The staff really helped us with picking out the perfect cocktails. Stop in here if you are in the area, you won't be disappointed! Lentz_explore

What a treat it was to be able to see this in my lifetime and to spend some time on the grounds of…read moreHarvard University. So much in this museum I don't think you could possible see the whole place in one day. We spent 4-5 hours here and may have seen 50%. I so wish I lived closer so I could take it all in over several visits. The mineral and rocks area especially drew lots of my attention and I spent way too much time there and slowed us down a good bit. It's was so freaking cool though! Giant wads of gold and precious metals everywhere. Things I have never seen. Wonderful things! Also.... They have dinosaurs and so many cool things. Glass flowers, ancient artifacts, rare finds from around the world all housed in the historic University of Harvard campus. Check out my pics. I even have one where I am the last link in the evolutionary chain, LOL. Totally worth a trip here if you can. So many wonderful things to see!! '26 - 29

The Mapparium

The Mapparium

4.5
(21 reviews)

Came here by myself when I helped my daughter move into her college dorm 5 years ago, now today…read morebrought my husband, brother and sister-in-law, because a cool unique historical glass give of the world as known in 1935. When I came by myself, I spent over an hour reading all the exhibits and information about the history of Christian Science. Pretty interesting. Today we just did the 20 minute tour of the mapparium and appreciated the artistry, engineering, acoustics, and historicity of the globe as well as the two timepieces hanging in the main atrium. All the staff were very welcoming. Brad and Steve did a great job giving us the tour. They have gorgeous tile work even in the restrooms, and speak with pride about the every aspect of the design of the building. They offer a coat room so that you can safely store your bags and water bottles to avoid any chance of dropping anything inside the mapparium. Glad to come back again with family. Very memorable.

They recently renovated this spot and opened back up not too long ago, which is when I initially…read moreintended on going. But, better late than never. They have different prices for different age groups and students. The lady up front was very kind and helpful - we even bonded on being alumni of the same high school and she gave a brief overview of the experience. They did have a complimentary coat/bag check which we took full advantage of. I am not sure how spaced apart the sessions are but we waited only about 10 minutes to go on the next one. We walked into the room with the glass globe, where we were advised to stay quiet since conversations travel very easily. A sound track was playing in the background while interacting with the map. We stayed in there for about 15 minutes. I was caught taking a video, but people were taking pictures / using their phone after the show, so I am unsure if videos are prohibited or I just took it out too soon. After exiting the room, they have a couple stands with information, as well as a wall where you can take a card and write an answer to the question. My question was, " what do you have hope for" or something along those lines. It's a very cool experience, but it did feel quick.

Museum of Illusions - museums - Updated July 2026

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