Reality Mind Games at Illuseum Berlin

I remember how after being to an illusionist show as a kid, how much I wanted to understand the tricks of the showman. When my mother finally decided to buy us a 'magic box', with tissues and some cubes and a pack of cards and even a magician stick, I was the happiest human in the world for at least one day. As I would have learn later in school, there is more science to 'magic' and the lack of knowledge is what usually makes the excitement bigger. However, there is excitement in pursuing scientific research too and the brain games could offer high rewarding for those dedicated to intellectual endeavourings. 

My recent visit to Illuseum Berlin was a kind reminder that curiosity is a gift for all ages and it keeps our brain alive when we need it the most.

I might be biased right now, but out of all the Berlin museums I've visited - and there is a big bunch of them -  this is one of the most Instagramable I ever seen. It invites you to share your selfies and visual finds and there are plenty of them at every corner. You can find them here on Instagram, and use the hashtags #illuseumberlin.

Besides the visually entincing aspects, the explanatory part is also worth mentioning. For every 'magical' experiment, there is detailed information shared in Spanish and Italian besides English and German.

Recently renovated and rebranded, Illuseum Berlin is targeting a wide range of public: from small children to retired people, which made its offer even more generous - from children parties to team buildings.

When I visited, on a mid-day Monday, it was busy enough to wait for a couple of minutes the moment when you can experience directly one or the other of the 'illusions' available.

Here, for instance, you can put your lovely head on a plate and share the outcome on Instagram. No one is harmed during the experiment and you can soberly meet the rest of your body soon after. 

You can get hipnotized, see how your companion(s) is growing or just disappearing, don't believe your eyes when you reveal the hidden secrets of the holograms or get really dizzy in the tilted room (it actually happened to me; just another occasion to think about how fragile our brains are).

When life is more or less an illusion, travelling through the fragments of the mirror is a normal escapist solution. 

Here, you can play cards with yourself in a multiple version. Just take care to not get annoyed too much! Keep thinking about that's only one of 'you' who will always win! Win-win!

As the world looks upside down, you can always keep playing the fool, although knowing that in the end, the change is one click away.

Illuseum Berlin -  discretely located opposite the famous TV Tower - makes you think about all the options and get into the mood of the everyday science of 'magic'. It's the healthiest brain game you can offer yourself and to your family too. 

Tip: Don't forget to take your precious cell phone with!

Disclaimer: Gifted visit but the opinions are, as usual, my own

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What is Futurium?

A joint initiative of the German Federal Government, prestigious research institutions and business representatives, the spectacularly designed Futurium situated in the heart of the governmental area with its equally outstanding buildings is aimed to offer a platform about the future. Its official opening is expected at the beginning of 2019 but in the last months there were organised a couple of open house events allowing the great public to visit the precinct. 

Futurium is aimed to be a global inter-disciplinary platform where arts, research, public interest and business are coming together to discuss and understand the life developments of tomorrow. 

The building, bordered by the Reichstag and the Hauptbahnhof, both symbols of the present and the future of the new bold Germany, covers 3,200 sqm. of exhibition space spread over 3 massive floors. The main hall opens with a full view of the Reichstag and other institutional buildings part of the German government.

At the time of my visit at the open house this summer, there were many interesting art installations displayed, with a focus on creating synergies between creativity and innovative technical ideas. This installation for instance, made by the Moscow-born Berlin based artist Misha Shenbrot is called Denkraum (Meditation space) and its aimed at offering an environment for evaluation of the present needs and wishes, opportunities and needs.

For both big and small people, a meeting with a talking robot is the epitome of a journey to the future, and this little white guy is there to answer a couple of questions. Children of all ages will be an important target public of Futurium too, as potential future decisions makers and not only.

Another interesting art project displayed during my visit was Continuum, including among others harpsichordist Elina Albach, a meditation about the place of old music into the new musical trends.

It was interesting to notice the role of music and arts, in general, into the Futurium portfolio, as an universal way to communicate within different generations, ethnical and linguistic backgrounds.

The architecture of the space belongs to Richter&Musikowski, a young team of architects with an impressive portfolio of future-oriented modern architecture. The conception is build around the idea of openness and accessibility, with the transparent walls reflecting the sky and the outside environment. One of the most spectacular so far is the 'skywalk' on the top of the building, offering the best angle over both the Reichstag and the governmental area and the Charité hospital complex. 

But there is also something more than the interesting architecture: the entire building relies entirely on renewable energies. Walking on the roof reveals also a multitude of photovoltaic and energy collector installations

I never been an avid science-fiction reader and I always need some time to set up in the future-mood, but at Futurium I had the feeling that the future is all around, but it will not be created and imposed by others, eventually from the top of a colourful UFO plate, but it belongs to each and every one of us to shape it. Because human minds can create - and destroy - everything with a purpose, including an orchestra of robots playing all by themselves - and requesting a break once in a while too.