Have you ever felt like your eyes are deceiving you or that reality seems altered? That's the experience awaiting you at the new exhibition, "Illusions: Perception Games," at the Museum of Light, where nothing is quite what it seems. Perfect for people of all ages, here, science and art come together to challenge your senses and ignite your curiosity with phenomena that go beyond mere optics.
From the famous Ames Room, where people change size right before your eyes, to the Beuchet Chair, which appears to shrink anyone who sits in it, every experience is an invitation to doubt what you believe you perceive. Shadows, colors, geometry, perspective, and movement combine to create experiences that verge on the surreal and test your entire sensory system.
So, step inside and venture through a small room that defies gravity—where what should go down, goes up—watch your surroundings become monochromatic in seconds, or enjoy the hypnotic visual journey that accompanies The Beatles’ "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" as a psychedelic kaleidoscope envelops you. Continue the trip through streets and buildings, Godzilla-style, with the help of a magical mirror, and then dare to peek into the bottomless pit.
Let yourself be mesmerized by the "Rotating Snakes" or the "Hatpin Urchin" (which appears on Lady Gaga's Artpop album) and other large-scale movement illusion works by artist and psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka.
The tour continues with illusions applied to graphic design, photography, sculpture, and cinema—techniques that filmmakers like George Lucas employed in the first Star Wars saga. Here you can experiment with the optical movement principles that gave rise to the seventh art, such as the classic thaumatrope: a simple toy that, when spun, combines two static images to create the illusion of motion. Be sure to play with the wide variety on display!
And if you thought this visit was just a game, prepare yourself, because your brain will get a great workout: each sensory challenge stimulates attention, strengthens neural networks, and improves brain plasticity. In other words, visiting this exhibition is like taking your mind to the gym.
So don't miss it! Be sure to bring your phone fully charged and with enough space to capture some of the phenomena. Go with friends or family, because sharing the experience is part of the fun—everyone perceives the world differently, and you’ll have great debates trying to discover the magic behind the trick.
In "Illusions: Perception Games," the Museum of Light reminds us that seeing is not always believing... and that the greatest magic happens right at the intersection of science and imagination.
Museo de la Luz
Gran Parque La Plancha: Calle 43 x 50, Centro
Tue. - Sun. 9 am - 1 pm, 4 - 8 pm
Admission: $25 - $100 pesos
Photography by Magali Ramírez D. for use in Yucatán Today
First published in Yucatán Today print and digital magazine no. 456, in December 2025.
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