Alexis LossWhy the Paradox Museum?
This hadn’t been on our trip “itinerary.” In fact, I had really wanted to go to the graffiti museum. However, after speaking to a friend that lives in the area, she instead suggested the Paradox Museum. We walked from our hotel to the museum which took approximately 20 minutes. On the way, I felt as if I had experienced the graffiti museum as Wynwood, the section of Miami where the museum is located, was covered in beautiful graffiti. We walked into the Paradox Museum and paid for our tickets before learning the rules.
Illusions, Lots of Laughs and yes, some confusion!
From the first room of the museum, it is clear that this place is about experiencing the optical illusions. You don’t have to understand the science behind it to have fun but if you are that person that truly wants to understand, they do have cards that will explain in detail. The first room that I remember involved an optical illusion with a mirror designed to make it look as though you were sitting on top of a house. That was just one of many fascinating exhibits in the Paradox Museum.
Family Photo Ops for Days
This is not a “don’t touch museum.” After all, it’s about a full-body experience. You are in the optical illusion, even if you don’t completely understand how it works. We took photos in every room which took quite some time as there were 8 of us! The photos showed us upside down, sitting on top of a house, stuck in a couch and sucked up into… perhaps space?? We now have dozens of photos of us all. Perhaps you’ll be one of the lucky people that receives one of them on our holiday card!
Worth the Experience (and the $26 Ticket)
If you’re in Miami and need a couple of hours of solid, screen-free, all-ages fun—this is it. The Paradox Museum is located right in Wynwood, which makes it easy to pair with some street art exploring or a lunch stop nearby. We spent about two hours inside, which felt like the perfect amount of time.
Pro tip: go earlier in the day if you can. It gets busier as the afternoon rolls in, and the illusions are way more fun when you’re not waiting in line to take a picture in a tilted room.
Final Thoughts
I’m always looking for those amazing travel moments when everyone is engaged—laughing, talking, sharing the same experience at the same time. The Paradox Museum gave us that. It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t on our “must do” list. There are moments on a trip when you stumble into something that makes everyone—adults and children—stop eye-rolling, laugh a bunch and just be in the moment. For us, that moment happened at the Paradox Museum in Miami. For other activities in Miami, check out the blog post about padel in Miami.
