Built around the simple but irresistible idea of turning the world on its head, The Upside Down is an interactive museum of optical illusions and topsy-turvy rooms designed to delight visitors and to produce the kind of playful, gravity-defying photographs that have become a craze in cities around the globe. Located in the south of Amsterdam, the attraction consists of a series of cleverly constructed sets and installations in which the normal rules of up and down no longer apply, allowing visitors to appear to walk on ceilings, hang from furniture, tumble through tunnels of light or stand at impossible angles, all captured by a camera positioned to complete the trick. The fun lies in the interaction, for this is not a place to view art at a respectful distance but to climb into, pose within and become part of, and staff are on hand to suggest the best positions and angles to make each illusion convincing. Among the rooms visitors typically find an upside-down kitchen or living room in which they seem to defy gravity, vortex tunnels that disorient the senses, mirror chambers of endless reflections and brightly coloured backdrops engineered for the perfect shot. The whole experience is geared towards entertainment and shareable images rather than education, and it appeals especially to families, groups of friends and younger visitors keen to fill their photo albums with surreal and amusing pictures. Because each illusion takes only a moment to set up and capture, a visit moves along briskly and energetically, with plenty of laughter as people contort themselves into the required poses. Easily reached and suited to all ages, it offers a light-hearted change of pace from the historic museums and galleries for which the city is famous. For anyone in search of pure fun and a camera roll full of mind-bending images, The Upside Down delivers an hour of giddy, gravity-defying amusement in the heart of Amsterdam. The attraction forms part of a wider trend of experience museums that have spread through cities worldwide, places built less for quiet study than for active participation and the sharing of images online, and it has found a ready audience among younger visitors and groups. Tickets are usually booked for a set time, the visit is self-paced, and staff happily snap the photographs so that no one is left out of the picture, ensuring that everyone comes away with a memorable and slightly dizzying souvenir of their topsy-turvy adventure in the city.

Type: Activity

Address: Europaboulevard 5, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Website: https://www.theupsidedown.nl