Top Ten Illusions 2024

We've rounded up our top 10 favourite illusions—both old and new—for the year. After all, illusions are our thing.

So, get ready to test these mind-bending illusions!

1. Super Mario Optical Illusion

If you haven’t seen this episode of the Super Mario Bros. Super Show, airing back in 1999, how will you know if he's going up or down the stairs? We'll leave you to figure it out.

2. Van Gogh Starry Night Optical Illusion

You’re probably familiar with Van Gogh’s famous Starry Night painting, but did you know you can make it move—with your mind?

3. Food for Thought

The 16th-century Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo loved minestrone soup, which is why he painted a bowl of vegetables. Or is it just a bowl of vegetables? Try looking at it upside down—what do you see?

4. The Checker Shadow Illusion

Look at the squares labelled A and B. Is one darker than the other? Created by Edward H. Adelson, a professor of Visual Science, this illusion shows that things aren’t always what they seem!

5. Blue and Black? No! White and Gold!

We’re revisiting a viral sensation from 2015: the dress that divided viewers on whether it was white and gold or blue and black. Spoiler alert—the dress was blue and black, offering an insight into how people perceive colour differently!

6. Grey Strawberries

Created by Akiyoshi Kitaoka, this viral image is a true brain trickster—you can’t help but see the strawberries as red, even though they’re grey. Check out more on colour constancy and how it works here.

7. The Jastrow Illusion

A viral video shows a father shuffling his son’s toy train tracks, leaving the internet bewildered. You’d assume the piece at the bottom is longer—but is it really?

8. Bird or a Bunny?

Another viral video that made the rounds online poses a simple question: is the animal in question a bird or a bunny? We’ll let you decide!

9. Warped Tiles

We absolutely love this one! An incredible effort went into creating this floor, with 400 individual tiles, designed by Casa Ceramicato to create the illusion of an uneven surface and to push the boundaries of creative tiling.

10. Rubin’s Vase

In 2012, as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, we acquired our very own Rubin’s Vase called The Queen’s Speech, depicting the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Originally created in 1977 for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, this piece is exceptionally rare—while most Rubin Vases feature a single face, this one has two. Visit us to experience it for yourself!