Museums have long been places of discovery, creativity, and beauty. But in recent years, they’ve become more than just quiet halls where visitors admire displays from afar. A new wave of interactive museums is bringing people closer to the art itself. These spots invite you to do more than just look; they encourage you to touch, play, create, and even become part of the exhibit.

Interactive museums inspire curiosity while breaking the traditional rules of “don’t touch the artwork.” They are fun, inclusive, and immersive, often blending modern technology, creativity, and storytelling. Whether it’s walking through light installations, stepping inside a surreal painting, or sculpting your own masterpiece, these museums offer a way to experience art and culture like never before. Here are some of the coolest interactive museums you should add to your travel bucket list!

1. TeamLab Borderless – Tokyo, Japan

Enter a futuristic wonderland where technology and creativity merge seamlessly. TeamLab Borderless, located in Tokyo’s Odaiba district, is an interactive digital art museum that allows visitors to step inside surreal scenes of projected light, color, and sound. The “borderless” concept means there are no fixed paths or boundaries between exhibits, creating a space where art flows, transforms, and reacts to your movements.

Highlights of the museum include walking through a forest of glowing lamps, creating patterns on virtual walls with your touch, or chasing magical projections of animals as they move across the floor. The displays evolve over time, ensuring every visit feels fresh and new.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Each room offers a unique, immersive sensory experience.
  • Interactive elements make you feel like a co-creator rather than a spectator.
  • Gorgeous photo opportunities at every turn.

2. Museum of Ice Cream – Various Locations

What if you could swim through a pool of sprinkles or slide into a world of candy-colored installations? That’s the magic of the Museum of Ice Cream, which has locations in cities like New York, Singapore, and Austin. Unlike traditional museums, this colorful paradise is all about immersing visitors in themed rooms filled with larger-than-life ice cream sculptures and playful activities.

Take part in games, pose in front of Instagram-worthy backdrops, or grab a scoop (or three) of their delicious treats along the way. The museum encourages you to indulge your inner child while celebrating the joy that ice cream brings.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Playful atmospheres that are just as fun for adults as they are for kids.
  • Creative, whimsical photo opportunities around every corner.
  • Free ice cream samples included with your entry ticket!

3. Museum of Illusions – Global Locations

Step into a world where nothing is quite as it seems. The Museum of Illusions takes visitors on an interactive, brain-twisting adventure with visual tricks, holograms, and optical illusions. With locations in over 20 cities worldwide, including Chicago, Dubai, and Madrid, this museum invites you to think outside the box while having a ton of fun.

Walk into tilted rooms where perspective is warped, shrink down next to oversized furniture, or pose inside a head-spinning infinity room. Each display offers the perfect mix of entertainment and education by explaining the science behind how the illusions work.

Why You’ll Love It

  • A fun and challenging exploration of perception and reality.
  • Great for family visits, with interactive exhibits that appeal to all ages.
  • Perfect for quirky photos and fun memories.

4. Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return – Santa Fe, USA

Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return is not your average museum. This immersive art experience blends storytelling, mystery, and wacky design into one unforgettable adventure. The experience begins with a mysterious house, and as you explore further, you suddenly find yourself sliding into completely surreal dimensions with glowing neon caves, hidden passageways, and dreamlike landscapes.

Everything in the House of Eternal Return invites interaction, from playing with musical installations to unlocking hidden secrets in every corner. Visitors quickly become part of the art as they uncover the layers of the unusual narrative that connects each room.

Why You’ll Love It

  • The interactive, choose-your-own-adventure vibe keeps you engaged from start to finish.
  • It’s great for those who love fantasy, sci-fi, or anything a little “out there.”
  • Every room is bursting with creativity, making it an Instagrammer’s dream.

5. Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms – Various Cities

Yayoi Kusama, one of the most influential artists in the world, is known for her mesmerizing Infinity Mirror Rooms. These installations, often featured in museums or traveling exhibits in major cities, allow visitors to enter rooms filled with reflective surfaces, glowing orbs, and infinite-looking patterns. The result is an environment that feels limitless, creating a stunning immersion into Kusama’s dreamy aesthetic.

Some of her Infinity Mirror Rooms include twinkling light displays, installations filled with thousands of colorful polka dots, or cosmic-like environments that make you feel as though you’ve stepped into another dimension.

Why You’ll Love It

  • The designs are visually captivating and almost meditative.
  • Each installation is unique, making every location worth traveling for.
  • Perfect for fans of contemporary art and surrealism.

6. Van Gogh Alive – Global Locations

At Van Gogh Alive, visitors get a front-row seat to an immersive retelling of Vincent van Gogh’s classic works. Staged in multiple locations around the world, these pop-up installations create floor-to-ceiling projections of the artist’s paintings, paired with evocative music and detailed storytelling about his life.

Visitors can walk through iconic pieces like Starry Night or Sunflowers, letting the vibrant colors and brushstrokes wash over them. The interactive experience also offers new ways to engage with Van Gogh's work, such as immersive selfie stations and creative spaces for art-making.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Brings classic art to modern audiences in a fresh, engaging way.
  • Perfect for art lovers and anyone who enjoys storytelling.
  • A feast for both the eyes and ears, combining visuals with music.

7. Camera Obscura and World of Illusions – Edinburgh, Scotland

Located atop Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is a mix of science, optical illusions, and interactive fun. Here, visitors can engage with more than 100 exhibits that include holograms, light tunnels, and walk-in visual illusions.

One of the highlights is the actual “camera obscura”—a 19th-century device that gives you a live, 360-degree view of the city projected onto a surface inside a dark room. Whether you’re laughing in the funhouse mirrors or exploring the history of optical illusions in the exhibits, this colorful museum is filled with surprises.

Why You’ll Love It

  • A fantastic combination of local history and hands-on activities.
  • Offers dazzling rooftop views of Edinburgh.
  • Interactive exhibits are perfect for families and friends looking for fun.