Europe's largest Museum of Illusions opening shortly in Brussels

Europe’s largest museum dedicated to optical illusions will open its doors on 1 July at the Théâtre de la Gaîté in Brussels.

Museum of llusions Brussels, filling 700 square metres near Place de la Monnaie, presents itself as an interactive learning experience for children and adults.

Through riddles and puzzles, visitors can learn more about vision, perception and the human brain, discovering why reality does not always correspond to what the mind interprets through the senses.

There’s a large gulf between perception and reality, says the museum, which points out that “human imagination is extremely adept at throwing us curveball after curveball”.

“The museum exhibits are a constant reminder for visitors that their perception can just as easily be an illusionary deception, as they learn that taking a different approach to the way they look at the world enables them to experience that world in a very different way,” it continues.

Although installations are photo-friendly and visitors are encouraged to take and share pictures, the museum aims to tackle the issue raised on social media of making snap assumptions about people.

"It’s always a good idea to double check to make sure your perception is right. Chances are someone else sees things you are not seeing. And that other person’s perspective may be even more valuable than your own experience,” says museum director Didier Cicak.

The museum already exists in dozens of cities, including Athens, Zagreb, New York, Paris, Shanghai and Rome.

This article was updated on 19 June following a new press release from the museum