A new slice of culture is coming to Boston in the form of a new museum — the Museum of Illusions.
Stacy Stec, director of sales and marketing for LOL Entertainment — parent company for the new museum — said it will open later this year at Marketplace Center in Boston, "adjacent to the Rose Kennedy Greenway and Faneuil Hall Marketplace."
"We're super excited," Stec said, adding she's part of a team that has overseen the opening of four other illusion museums throughout the country — in Chicago; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Her team is now overseeing the Boston location, noting "the space for the museum has just been vacated," with construction slated to begin soon.
She said the new museum — the first of its kind in New England — will be among 45 such institutions throughout the world.
According to a statement from LOL Entertainment, the Museum of Illusions "aims to entertain, educate and inspire visitors by offering a deeper understanding of the complexities of human perception."
Visitors can explore "the mysteries of vision, the science of perception and the power of the human brain in a playful and interactive environment." It figures to offer promising "Instagrammable exhibits," along with "mind-bending illusions, immersive rooms and educational entertainment across all ages."
"Boston is going to be one of our larger locations," Stec said, at 9,100 square feet and boasting more than 80 installations and immersive rooms that "will make you think outside the box."
"It's what we call 'edu-tainment,'" Stec said. "The immersion, the photo opportunities — they are what sets us apart from other museums. And it's really a boutique museum. It's not going to take you three hours to see everything — more like an hour or 90 minutes. We teach our guests about visionary perception and the human brain, and there are interactive aspects (of the exhibits) for all ages. Optical illusions resonate with everyone, and they have quite a history."
Museum of Illusions has opened 44 locations in less than 10 years
Rob Cooper, CEO of LOL Entertainment, is looking forward to adding the Boston location.
“We are thrilled to unveil Museum of Illusions in the heart of Boston’s historic district at Marketplace Center," Cooper said in a prepared statement. "This highly visible location with millions of annual visitors promises an incredible opportunity, making it the perfect canvas for our experiential and educational museum. We are excited to serve the greater Boston area by offering captivating illusions that transcend age, creating unforgettable memories in this rich and storied setting.”
Stec said the first Museum of Illusions opened in 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia. She said she visited the museum at that time.
"I had never seen anything like it," she said. "I was amazed."
She added there are other international locations in Asia, Canada, Africa and Europe, not to mention other North American locations in Florida, Nevada, Texas and New York City.
"We are honored to be coming to Boston, which is such a world-class city with such a rich history," Stec said, noting she believes there's already a buzz on the street about the museum. "We can't wait for people to see it."