Museum of Illusions Brussels

What Museum of Illusions Brussels does

Museum of Illusions Brussels, operated by the Belgian entity Cardus BV (BE 0733943669), is a single-site interactive optical illusion attraction located in the historic Théâtre de la Gaîté building at Rue du Fossé aux Loups 18 in central Brussels. Founded in 2022, the museum spans approximately 650–700 m² and houses more than 60 interactive installations including signature pieces such as the Infinity Room, Gravity Room, Vortex Tunnel, and a dedicated playroom with Dilemma brain-teaser games. Exhibit explanations are provided in French, Dutch, English, and German, supporting both local and international visitors.

The business operates as the Brussels franchise within the global Museum of Illusions brand network and serves a diversified visitor base spanning tourists, local families, school groups, corporate team-building clients, and private event organizers. Revenue is generated through unit-priced admissions (€8.75–€54.50 across senior, child, adult, and family tiers), gift cards valid for one year, group bookings (20+ people, 15+ for schools), and private venue hire for corporate and social events. The museum is cashless (card payments only) and distributes through its own website, on-site reception, Brussels Card, museumPASS, and an SNCB rail co-marketing partnership that offers 40% off train travel to Brussels.

The company runs with a lean team of 5 employees and relies on a relatively standard technology stack — WordPress for the website, Cloudflare for bot management, and CleanTalk for anti-spam protection. Customer acquisition is driven by organic social media (Facebook and Instagram @moibrussels), content marketing via an active blog, email newsletter, community event participation (Brussels Games Festival, Made In Asia, I Love Science, Fête de l'Iris), and partnerships with Brussels' tourism and accessibility programs (Article 27). The museum holds a 4.6 out of 5 Google rating and is positioned as the largest illusion museum in Brussels.

Name

Museum of Illusions Brussels

Legal name

Cardus BV

Website

https://museumofillusions.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Museum of Illusions Brussels operates a ~700 m² interactive optical illusion museum in central Brussels as the local franchise of the global Museum of Illusions brand, serving tourists, families, school groups, corporate clients, and private event organizers via admissions, group bookings, and venue rental.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interactive Museum and Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Science & Technology Museums (THAJADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Museums (THAJADAE), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Interactive museum experiences
• Optical illusion exhibits
• Family entertainment venue
• Educational school visits
• Corporate event venue rental

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales (Individual): Museum generates revenue primarily through admission ticket sales at standard and discounted prices for various visitor categories including adults, children, seniors, students, and people with disabilities.
2. Gift Cards: Prepaid gift cards available for adult tickets (€17.50), family tickets (€54.50), and other tickets (€14.50), valid for one year from purchase.
3. Group Visits and Events: Revenue generated from school visits, birthday parties, private group bookings, team building sessions, and private event/venue hire (room rental, full museum hire). Group bookings are handled via email inquiry with special rates for groups over 20 people (15+ for school groups).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Museum of Illusions Brussels operates a 650–700 m² physical visitor attraction featuring over 60 interactive optical illusion installations, including signature exhibits like the Infinity Room, Gravity Room, and Vortex Tunnel, plus brain-teaser Dilemma Games and a playroom. The museum sells admission tickets to individuals, families, and groups, and offers ancillary services such as school visits, birthday parties, team building events, and private venue rentals. Multilingual explanations (French, Dutch, English, German) are provided throughout the venue.

Product overview

Museum of Illusions Brussels operates as a single unified physical attraction offering interactive optical illusion experiences, supplemented by venue rental services and digital add-ons. The core product is the main museum featuring over 60 illusions across 700 m2. Additional offerings include school visits, birthday parties, private group tours, team building events, and event venue rental services for corporate and private functions. Digital add-ons include gift cards and a visitor photo upload feature. The company also maintains a blog for educational content and event promotion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.6 out of 5 on Google reviews
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, minor and core.

• SNCB (Belgian National Railway)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering visitors 40% discount on their SNCB train journey to Brussels. This partnership drives tourism foot traffic from train travelers and provides mutual benefit by promoting both the museum and rail travel to Brussels.
• Brussels CardmoderateChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe museum participates in the Brussels Card program, offering all Brussels Card holders a €2 discount on their admission. This provides distribution through Brussels' primary tourism pass scheme.
• museumPASS (Museum Pass)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlthough not officially affiliated with the Museum Pass network, the museum extends a €2 discount to all museumPASS holders. This serves as a distribution channel for visitors who hold the museum pass.
• Article 27 (Belgium Social Accessibility Program)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerArticle 27 tickets grant access to the museum. People holding Article 27 tickets can purchase entry for €1.25 per person directly at the museum ticket desk. This partnership ensures social accessibility for economically disadvantaged visitors.
• Museum of Illusions (Global Brand Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum of Illusions Brussels is the Brussels franchise/branch of the globally recognized Museum of Illusions brand. The global network provides brand recognition, proven exhibit concepts, operational support, and cross-promotional opportunities across its worldwide locations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Global chain of curiosity-cabinet attractions featuring interactive exhibits and visual oddities. Adjacent in positioning as a family-friendly experiential attraction with similar visual themes.
• Madame Tussauds: Global chain of wax/figure museums with similar tourist-funnel, photo-driven, family entertainment positioning. A broader incumbent in the experiential 'museum' category that competes for the same tourist share-of-wallet.

Regional players

• Mini-Europe: Brussels-based family attraction offering a themed walk-through experience. Competes for family and tourist ticket spend in the Brussels leisure market.
• Belgian Comic Strip Center: Brussels cultural museum with a strong tourist and educational following. Comparable as a ticketed indoor cultural attraction in central Brussels.
• Atomium: Brussels' iconic monument and museum landmark, a major tourist attraction in the same city. Competes for the same tourist time and ticket budget within Brussels.

Direct peers

• House of Illusions: Multi-location illusion and trick-eye museums (e.g., Croatia, Slovenia) using 3D wall paintings and immersive rooms. Closely comparable in concept and target customer.
• WOW Amsterdam: Immersive experiential museum in Amsterdam combining interactive art installations, optical effects, and themed rooms. Comparable in format, dwell time, and target audience of tourists and groups.
• Paradox Museum: Operates interactive illusion and paradox-themed museums in multiple European cities (Barcelona, Amsterdam, Prague, Oslo). Closest direct competitor with the same experiential, photogenic, family-friendly concept.
• Camera Obscura & World of Illusions: Long-standing Edinburgh attraction featuring optical illusions, mirror rooms, and interactive perception exhibits. Highly comparable product/market fit for a ticketed, walk-through illusion experience targeted at tourists and families.
• Museum of Illusions (Global Network): The parent brand and sister locations (Zagreb, New York, Dubai, Istanbul, etc.) with the same optical illusion exhibits and brain-teaser games. Operates an identical concept and is the most direct comparable for unit economics and demand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/moibrussels
• Instagraminstagram.com/moibrussels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/museum-of-illusions-brussels

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Museum of Illusions Brussels