Visual Art

Paradox Museum in Wynwood is mind-blowing experience

Written By Jonel Juste
December 13, 2022 at 3:51 PM

Guests exploring the Tunnel Paradox, which allows participants to balance their bodies and experience perceived movement as they let go. Photo Courtesy of The Paradox Museum.

Described as a “mind-bending indoor venue,” the Paradox Museum certainly messes, in a good way, with our minds. Some could even say it is a bit, well, tricky. The museum, which opened in the midst of Miami Art Week, has over 70 “paradox-based interactive exhibits designed to fool the eyes and challenge the senses.”

Visitors who pay admission for the mind-bend at the for-profit house of illusions ($24 is the average for families who want to buy a four-pack on the weekend, otherwise weekend rates are $27 for adults, and $24 for a children’s ticket, weekdays are $1 less) get 60 to 90 minutes to explore the multiple rooms of illusions.

“Miami is known for its art and exhibitions. We wanted to bring a permanent museum to Miami that was optical, interactive and photographic,” explains Marc Gregory Tipton, the museum’s sales and marketing director.

While mainstream museums and art fairs usually prohibit visitors from touching the exhibits, Tipton says guests at Paradox Museum are encouraged to touch, feel and experience the exhibition.

“We encourage where possible for guests to interact with our paradox-based exhibits. In the museum, most of our exhibits are touchable and can be seen from different perspectives,” says Tipton.

The Gym Paradox. Photo Courtesy of The Paradox Museum.

A visit to the new Miami museum can feel like a magical experience, but it’s actually a very technological one. There are plenty of mirrors, lights, and angles, which are used to trick the mind. Scientific principles are involved in what constitutes “edutainment,” a portmanteau word made up of education and entertainment.

“Our exhibits,” says Tipton, “are all created around STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math). That’s creating the educational aspect along with the entertainment fun for all ages.”

The basis for the name and what’s at the core of the exhibits is a “paradox,” which is presenting something and its opposite at the same time.

Just some of the paradoxes for visitors to explore are the Tunnel Paradox, which allows participants to balance their bodies and experience perceived movement as they let go, the Paradox Challenge, which combines balloons and levitation, and the AMes room showing guests in giant size next to others in small size. In the Paradox Piano, guests tune in directly to a piano to create a unique melody and a personal piano concerto.

The AMes Room show guests in giant size next to others in small size. Photo Courtesy of The Paradox Museum

Since Paradox is an experiential museum, visitors are expected to fully immerse themselves in the moment and publicly share their experience on social media.

“We have select exhibits where guests will become part of the paradox illusion. Taking photos and videos will create an even more immersive experience,” promises Tipton.

Miami is the first United States city to have a Paradox Museum, according to Tipton. The other two are in Stockholm and Oslo, Sweden.

Tipton says Miami is just the beginning for the U.S.

“We are planning on opening new museums throughout the United States in the next two years,” Tipton says, adding that all the museums will have local culture built into them.

The Paradox Museum’s mission? To educate and amaze at the same time and to blow our mind. And yes, the mind is a terrible thing to leave unblown.

WHAT: The Paradox Museum

 WHERE: 2301 North Miami Ave.

WHEN: noon to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

COST:  $26, $23 (children 4 to 11 years old),  weekday; $27, $24 (children 4 to 11 years old), weekend. Also, four-pack tickets available from $92.

INFORMATION:  305-614-38 08 or paradoxmuseummiami.com

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