In the past year or so, we’ve seen so many of these museums pop up, and the Museum of Illusions Nairobi is one of the many lucky cities that got one. Located on Swaminarayan Road, we were able to visit here during a work day because their timings are so awesome (10am to 10pm). The staff were really helpful, and when you buy your tickets, you may be asked to wait. This is because the flow of traffic inside needs to be controlled so that everyone can have the same, awesome experience.
At 1,700 KES ($13), tickets are slightly pricier than a regular museum, but you’ll see why. If you are going as a family or student, they also have specific combos or discounts. You are able to book a ticket through their website, which we would do in most cases. You’ll be able to buy the discounted tickets online too.
Once you enter, there will be attendants to guide you through the entire process and all the stations. In our opinion, it sometimes can make the experience feel a bit artificial, because you are told where to stand or what to do so that you can get the perfect picture. But at the same time, some of the stations do need that because otherwise it would be chaos and confusion haha. Our favourite things to do were probably the optical illusions, such as hanging off a balcony, the chair sitting one where one person looks incredibly tiny and the other a giant (there’s a room that has that effect too), and the head on the platter. I also really loved the different coloured rooms and there was a bridge you could step onto which made you feel like you were tripping because of all the lights and movement, even though you are stationary! I couldn’t walk across the bridge at all haha
Also, as science geeks, both of us absolutely loved how the museum used physics to make things seem like magic. For example, there was one painting whose eyes felt like they were following us no matter where we moved. There was another one that had like a hundred tiny mirrors, and it reminded me of when we were kids and used to make a fake phone with toilet rolls! And then there were also these other stations where you could place a line in any direction and it would still fit perfectly, even though that makes no sense. Best of all, we enjoyed the explanations on the wall!
When you are leaving, there is a gift shop. Usually, we wouldn’t stop but after being so impressed by the museum itself, we decided to have a look around. At the gift shop, you can buy a ton of different things that are fun to play with because they are also different types of illusions, and then you can also get some Nairobi or Kenya souvenirs. Aliasgher got a lovely grey t-shirt with the Nairobi skyline on it, and we couldn’t find his size initially but the staff were super helpful. Compared to other touristy stores, the t-shirt wasn’t too badly priced, either. Of course, if you’d like different kinds of souvenirs, you can always get them at Village Market or the Sarit Centre Market.
Important Information for the Museum of Illusions Nairobi
- Location: Swaminarayan Road
- Timings: 10am to 10pm (confirm on public holidays)
- Ticket prices: A regular ticket is 1700 KES ($13), but there are student and family discounts available
- Where to buy: On their website or in person
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