Mind-bending optical illusions at new London museum

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A new museum has opened in London promising visitors one of the best selfie experiences in the capital. The Paradox Museum specializes in special effects and mind-boggling optical illusions, and visitors are actively encouraged to snap away to their hearts’ content. It is the brainchild of co-founder Miltos Kambourides, a Cypriot entrepreneur with a background in luxury resorts. He wanted to create a museum that could combine science with a true entertainment experience—and generate a lot of images on Instagram and other social media apps. He says, “Every exhibit was designed with the photo in mind. People leave this place taking with them the memories through their smartphones. So, for the entertainment industry, this is so important. The old-style museum is boring. The new-style museum is the one that you can communicate easily to your friends and family, and go back and remind yourself by seeing your photos in your phone.” With 50 exhibits across 25 rooms, there are plenty of opportunities to grab selfies to impress your friends. The emphasis is clearly on fun rather than information, but the Paradox Museum tries to cater to those who want to better understand the science behind the optical illusions. Each exhibit has a QR code which can be scanned, revealing the science behind the smoke and mirrors. Kambourides says, “Every exhibit is a product of years of research and development that was done prior to COVID and during COVID.” If you've ever wondered what it might be like to be upside down in a London Tube station, then the museum has the answer. The Paradox Underground station looks like a normal Tube station if it were flipped 180 degrees. Visitors can pose on the set, snap their shots and then flip the image on their phones for a topsy-turvy effect. The museum is situated in Knightsbridge, right across from the world-famous Harrods department store. There is already a chain of Paradox museums in other cities across the world, including Paris, Miami, Stockholm, Berlin, Barcelona, Las Vegas, and Shanghai. London is the 12th site, with more planned. This article was provided by The Associated Press.