By Rachel Anderson – a London-based journalist and copywriter who has spent more than two decades writing about science, food and the environment.
London has no shortage of quirky, creative attractions, and the Twist Museum is one of the newer places vying for attention. It promises colorful spaces, clever illusions and interactive installations that play with the way the brain processes what it sees.
But with so many immersive experiences popping up around the city – and plenty of ways to spend your hard-earned cash – it’s fair to question whether the Twist Museum actually lives up to the hype. Below is a closer look at what the museum has to offer, what awaits you inside and whether it’s worth including on your London itinerary.
What is the Twist Museum about?
The Twist Museum is an immersive attraction in London that plays with the way people see and understand the world. Instead of traditional exhibitions, here are participatory spaces, mind-boggling illusions and whimsical visual tricks designed to make visitors stop and say, “Wait… how does that work?”
Each room highlights a different aspect of perception – from color and perspective to movement and scale – and shows how easily the senses can be deceived. It’s part art installation, part science lesson, and part playful experience for anyone curious about how the mind interprets reality.
Is the Twist Museum London worth it?
Yes, but not if you’re looking for a superficial, immersive, dopamine fix-style experience – like you normally do to keep your kids busy over the holidays and take some interesting pictures to show the world that you’ve done something ‘exciting’ during half term.
In most cases, such immersive experiences overload your senses, teach you and your children very little, and leave both you and your wallet feeling slightly empty inside. The Twist Museum is not like that.
A pleasant surprise
Cynically, I expected the Twist Museum London to be exactly like this, and so, anticipating sensory overload, I packed my headache pills just in case. Luckily I didn’t need them.
While the Twist Museum London has the odd “selfie-inspired” feature, such as a walk-through kaleidoscopic tunnel, it turns out it’s both surprisingly educational (captivating the attention of even the most burnt-out perimenopausal 40-year-old) and calming.
I learned that Twist is actually an acronym for the phrase “The Way I See Things.”
This is perfect for an exhibition whose main focus is to educate you on exactly how your mind and your eyes perceive images and objects together – and how they sometimes see things that aren’t really there.
We are encouraged to learn more about optical illusions, both through the physics of the human body (the brain, the eye and how they interpret information) and physics in general.
Interactive learning
So Twist Museum London is a fantastic, interactive way to learn about physics, biology and art. For example, we learn how our brains and eyes interpret (and sometimes misinterpret) the colors, lines and patterns in optical illusions similar to the artworks of the famous (and London-born) op art artist Bridget Riley CBE.
Physics was always my worst subject at school, but if it had been explained and demonstrated to me as skillfully as Twist, I would definitely have been able to better explain – in my work as an environmental journalist – how indoor plants are grown and illuminated with different wavelengths of light to influence certain aspects of growth and development.
Take Twist’s room full of umbrellas, for example. If the room is filled with only yellow light, the shades will reflect or absorb that yellow light and therefore appear either yellow or black. However, when the room is filled with “normal” white light, which contains many different wavelengths, the screens reflect this larger range of light wavelengths and appear in all the colors of the rainbow.
Put your senses to the test
Other senses such as smell, hearing and touch are also put to the test. The exhibition uses several exhibits to explain how your mind can sometimes play tricks on you and sometimes even give you almost a sixth sense. For example, did you know that 90% of people can tell (without looking) the difference between the sound of hot water and the sound of cold water running – just based on their life experience?
The museum explains that when water is heated, it becomes less viscous, which affects how the water splashes when it enters the cup and the sound it makes.*
And speaking of cups of tea… I thought I was in desperate need of a cup of coffee after visiting this museum (there’s no café, but since it’s in the middle of the consumer cacophony of Oxford Street, I guess it doesn’t need one).
Surprisingly, a visit to this museum has the same calming effect as a tea break. The “twist” in this plot is that the engaging atmosphere of the Twist Museum London will leave you feeling completely calm, inspired and a little more knowledgeable than before.
Good to know
P.S The staff are very helpful and friendly, the toilets are clean and well signposted and the free lockers for your coats are super handy.
FAQs
How long do you spend at the Twist Museum?
Most visitors spend their time in the area 60 to 90 minutes at the Twist Museum. If you enjoy taking photos, reading the explanations, or interacting with each installation, you can expect to spend about two hours.
The Twist Museum is generally a self-paced experience, so you can move as quickly or slowly as you like.
Is Twist or Paradox Museum better?
Both attractions focus on illusions and perception, but offer slightly different atmospheres. The Paradox Museum is more like a traditional illusion museum with an emphasis on photo opportunities. The Twist Museum, on the other hand, focuses more on art and science, with spaces that invite you to explore, touch and experiment, with a more structured atmosphere.
Both attractions offer fun, illusion-based experiences, but each has a different style. The Twist Museum Tends to feel more creative and immersive, combining art, science and hands-on installations in a way that encourages you to explore rather than just pose for photos. The spaces are more varied and many visitors find that Twist offers a deeper insight into how perception works – not just a series of photo ops.
The Paradox Museum is also fun, especially if you’re mostly looking for quirky images, but it’s a more predictable walking tour.
If you’re choosing between the two, the Twist Museum tends to be the more unique and thought-provoking experience, especially for anyone who enjoys interactive art, sensory play, or learning how the mind interprets the world, and overall it has better online reviews.
What age is the Twist Museum suitable for?
The Twist Museum is suitable for all ages, but is usually most interesting for children, teenagers and adults who can understand and appreciate the perceptual concepts on display.
Much younger children will really enjoy the colorful rooms and illusions, but some installations may go over their heads. It is family friendly, but not specifically designed for small children.
Do you need to book the Twist Museum?
It is strongly recommended to book in advance, especially on weekends, school holidays and peak tourist periods. Walk-ins are sometimes available, but time slots can fill up quickly.
Booking in advance guarantees you your preferred entry time and usually helps you avoid waiting times. The best way to purchase tickets is through the museum’s official website here: https://twistmuseum.com/book-tickets/.
Prices start at £20 for children And £24.50 for adults. Entry to the museum is free for small children aged 0 to 3 years. Top Tip – Online discounts of around 15-20% are often available if you book directly on the website.
*This is based on research carried out in 2013 by a team of scientists from Oxford University and London advertising firm Condiment Junkie.