Composed of 40 tonnes of steel and 15 tonnes of carefully arranged mirrors, House Of Mirrors is an imposing structure that thrusts you into a laughter-inducing, mind-bending optical illusion.
Entering with my eight and thirteen-year-old sons, within seconds we had lost track of perception and each other, but quickly found delight in calling out to each other, reuniting briefly, only to elude each other again. At times invisible in the mirrors, and at other times feeling like a cloned Agent Smith from 'The Matrix' with reflections of myself replicated as far as the eye could see, the House Of Mirrors is charmingly disorientating and befuddling.
Walking into one too many mirrors while trying to navigate my way around, I quickly realised that my sense of sight was completely unreliable, and resorted to feeling my way through the maze. Thankfully a team of attendants are on hand to wipe away mine and others’ tell-tale handprints left on the glass, keeping the illusion maddeningly intact.
Reunited with my boys and having grasped some bearing on our surroundings, we laughed and exclaimed in unison as we clumsily made our way to the exit, but not before experiencing one last mind-boggling twist.
Operators suggest allowing 30 minutes for the experience, and I encourage you to take your time, because after exiting in less than ten minutes we left craving more.
In saying that, as someone susceptible to seasickness and motion sickness, I exited House Of Mirrors feeling more than a little off kilter – a feeling that stayed with me for a good hour afterwards. Based on the positive feedback from my kids, the memories made are timeless.
