Scottsdale, Arizona.

First, a quick note: We are traveling for the rest of the month, so internet access is likely to be sparse. If I am slow to respond to comments, it’s due to my lack of connectivity. More on that journey in the months to come.

Scottsdale has many other interesting attractions besides the golf courses and pickleball courts. Indeed, if you’re visiting the Phoenix metro in the summer, you may be looking for an indoor venue to spend some free time. The Arizona Boardwalk features a host of attractions in a multi-level mall just off Arizona Loop 101 at Via de Ventura, several with cool refreshments available. I am sharing some images from our visit to the Museum of Illusions for this post.

Several weeks ago, I featured one of the museum’s illusions in a Cellpic Sunday post here. At that time, I promised more illusions we found there. The museum is an excellent place for people of all ages to visit. It is a fun and educational experience that will leave you wondering what is real and what is not.

Almost every exhibit in the museum has indicators on the floor for people to stand and for someone else to hold the camera. In the image above, one wall of the illusion is a mirror. That’s all I’m going to tell you about this specific illusion. If you’re not quite sure of the point of the illusion when you are visiting the museum, helpful docents are available to assist in getting the best images or in describing the science behind the illusion.

A person has to watch their step. As you can see from this image, I tripped and fell head-first down an infinity tube. Fortunately, there was a soft landing at the bottom of infinity. (Does infinity have a bottom? Asking for a friend.)

Another trick with mirrors is this infinite tube illusion that appears to go through the earth to the other side. That would be a heckuva climb up those ladder rungs.

The kaleidoscope tube isn’t particularly spectacular when you look into it. However, if you take a cell phone photo of the person on the other side of the mirrored tube, the photo takes on an entirely different perspective. I took a photo of my sister and niece, who simultaneously took a photo of me.

I thought I’d share these two photos of me doing some acrobatic moves. First, I jumped up to the base of the balcony and pulled myself up using my tremendous arm strength.

Then I grabbed the balcony rail and did a 360-degree somersault over the rail and back onto the ground.

The Museum of Illusions in Scottsdale, Arizona, is where you can experience the impossible and challenge your perception of reality. It features over 60 exhibits designed to trick your mind and senses using optical illusions, installations, holograms, and immersive rooms.

You don’t have to come to Arizona to check out this museum. Many cities feature their own museum attraction. A quick Google search found over 40 locations in 25 countries. The franchise opened its first museum in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2015 and has grown steadily worldwide. Here in Scottsdale, tickets can be purchased online for about $25 or less as of this writing. Once in the museum, you can check out the exhibits as long as you like. Our group spent just over two hours exploring the exhibits. You can find out more about the museum and buy tickets on their website here.

For pixel-peepers, I’ve posted the images in 2K HD on my Flickr site here.

John Steiner