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ST. LOUIS - From illusion rooms like the Reversed Room to installations such as the Cloning Table, the Museum of Illusions St. Louis offers hands-on, mind-bending fun to expand your perception of what’s possible.
General Manager Steve Garmon shared more about how the museum got started and what sets it apart on Our Daily Show! on Riverbender.com.
“If you come in, you’ll see what I’m talking about - you’ll smile from the time you walk into the door to the time you walk out,” Garmon said. “We have over 65 exhibits of illusions, mind-benders, mind-blowing stuff that will get your brain actually thinking … you’re going to learn how the human mind works and how your brain is kind of teasing you to make you see false reality sometimes.”
The Reversed Room at the St. Louis Museum of Illusions is appropriately styled like a St. Louis-style barbeque restaurant - if that restaurant were hanging upside down with its furniture suspended from the ceiling. The inverted architecture makes for some eye-popping photo opportunities, and Garmon said it’s already become a favorite among visitors.
Garmon explained the St. Louis location is the first-ever “2.0 model” of the museum’s floor plan, which spans 9,000 square feet and is designed to bring guests the full experience.
“We have a pattern where you walk all the way around and you hit every illusion, and then you walk out of one door, so you can’t get lost,” he added. “You’re going to hit every illusion, the way it’s designed, and every exhibit … you don’t miss anything.”
He said he’s been in the St. Louis Metropolitan area for a while now, and had a feeling the museum would be well-received by the community.
“Just knowing the people of St. Louis and the people of Southern Illinois, I figured that we were going to have a turnout, we were going to blow the doors off of it,” he said. “I knew that the people would come out and support if we had a good product, and that’s just how it is in the area - if you have a good product, if you’re doing good things for the community, people are going to come out and support you.”
Garmon’s journey to opening the museum began with a message in his LinkedIn inbox. He said the opportunity came from a brand previously unknown to him based in Croatia, where the very first Museum of Illusions opened in 2015. The St. Louis location contributes to the museums’ expanding popularity in the U.S. as they approach 50 locations worldwide.
After only 10 weeks of being open, the museum already boasts over 3,000 Google reviews, averaging an impressive 4.9 star rating. In addition to already-affordable tickets starting at just $20 and discounts for both military members and seniors, Garmon said he’s also proud to offer free admission to local educators and group discounts for field trips.
“We at the Museum of Illusions love to make sure that we are taking care of our educators, because they are teaching our future,” he said. “We actually are trying to build an educational experience for our youth out there.”
In addition, the museum makes for an eccentric destination to host private events like weddings and birthday parties, as well as corporate events, with more details under the “Group Visits” tab at moistlouis.com.
The St. Louis Museum of Illusions is located at 3730 Foundry Way (Suite 168) in St. Louis, as part of the City Foundry STL public market and food court. Garmon added the museum “fits in perfectly” at the Foundry, which he praised for its quality local food selection and more.
To learn more about the Museum of Illusions St. Louis or purchase tickets, visit their website or see the full interview with Garmon at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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