The Museum of Illusions Dubai has closed its Al Seef location, the museum announced on its social media, ending a run that began on 12 September 2018.
The venue, which sat beside the old Creek in the Souk Al Seef area of Bur Dubai, said its ‘chapter here has come to an end’ and thanked visitors while expressing hope to ‘see them again’. No reopening date or new location was named in the announcement.
What the Museum of Illusions Dubai offered
Over its nearly eight years of operation, the museum ran more than 60 exhibits covering optical illusions, holograms, stereograms, and immersive rooms aimed at visitors of all ages. Tickets ranged between Dh40 and Dh370, with a family pass for two adults and two children priced at Dh220.
The venue was part of the Museum of Illusions international franchise, which traces its origins to Zagreb, Croatia, in 2015. The concept was built around edutainment, combining interactive and photogenic exhibits with an educational angle.
The franchise has since grown to more than 70 locations across over 30 countries and five continents, with the operator reporting more than 25 million visitors worldwide and an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 based on more than 160,000 reviews, according to figures on the Museum of Illusions locations page.
The Al Seef site was one of five Museum of Illusions locations the franchise lists in the MENA region. The closure may not yet be reflected in the live site’s regional count. Separately, the franchise lists Venice and Dubrovnik as upcoming locations, indicating continued expansion.
Residents react to Museum of Illusions Dubai closure
The announcement drew a swift response online. Dubai resident Yassel H, who visited after first moving to the city, said the museum stood apart from the usual range of attractions. ‘I was fascinated by the whole experience. It was mind-opening. The fact that not everything you see is real made me think more about illusions and how the mind works. Among all the experiences in the museum, I enjoyed the upside down posture and the deceiving mirrors the most. It’s sad the place is closing for good as I think its a quite different from usual Dubai attractions for children and adults alike.’
Another resident, Gabriel Franco, had not yet visited. ‘I have never been here but my parents always promised to bring me once they got more money. Please stay a couple more weeks,’ Franco said.
Comments on social media included parents hoping for a new branch so their children could still experience what one user called a ‘fun educational experience’. ‘I visited it and loved it..sad to see it close down,’ wrote another. Several asked directly: ‘See you again where? Are you opening another branch?’
The franchise’s global expansion has continued steadily since its Zagreb launch, and whether the Dubai market will see a replacement site remains the question residents are pressing the operator to answer.
