Last summer, I had the chance to visit Paradox Museum Stockholm with a group of friends—a fun, unexpected experience that now feels even more relevant with Paradox Museum Helsinki opening its doors. Here’s a look at what you can expect, a few lessons from Stockholm’s execution, and how it all connects to the growing international network of Paradox Museums.

Getting There & First Impressions

We arrived in Stockholm via Silja Line, docking at Värtahamnen, and grabbed a Bolt to the museum. Finding the location wasn’t exactly straightforward. Although there were visible banners and window stickers, the museum itself is underground, not at street level—something that wasn't immediately clear.

The entrance reminded me of Asematunneli in Helsinki: slightly hidden, a bit confusing to navigate, but once you find it, it feels like you've stumbled upon a secret underground gem. Still, for a first-time tourist in Stockholm, clearer signage and visibility would help. We were lucky to be seasoned travelers—but I wouldn’t assume the same ease for everyone.

Inside the Museum: Play Meets Perception

After a quick check-in and storing our belongings in lockers with code locks, we stepped into the exhibit space. The staff member welcoming us was full of energy—extroverted, theatrical, and clearly passionate about making the experience fun. As introverted Finns, we didn’t match his energy, but we appreciated the warm welcome. In a space that thrives on interactivity and novelty, this kind of host sets the tone.

The museum itself felt like entering a playful version of another dimension. We explored iconic exhibits like:

• Paradox Table – where your head seems to appear on a plate

• Paradox Tunnel – nostalgic for Finns who remember Linnanmäki’s Vekkula

• Infinity Room and Tilted Room

• Dodecahedron and many others

These illusions might be familiar, but they remain entertaining—especially with friends. It’s a perfect space for photo ops and letting your creativity run wild.

One Minor Frustration: Crowded Exhibits

One challenge? Kids dominated many of the exhibits, making it harder for us to fully enjoy certain setups. We skipped a few areas like the upside-down room and the sofa shots simply because the wait was long, and the flow was chaotic.

Of course, it's easy to understand—many kids have never seen anything like this before. Still, a bit more crowd control or timed rotations might help balance the experience across age groups.

What Helsinki Can Learn

Helsinki’s Paradox Museum is opening at the end of March, and I’m genuinely excited. Stockholm gave us a taste of the potential—and Helsinki has a chance to build on that, improve visibility, and create an even smoother visitor experience.

➡️ Check out more about Paradox Museum Helsinki here

Social Media Vibes: Who’s Doing It Best?

As a marketer and museum fan, I couldn’t resist diving into how each Paradox Museum is using TikTok and social content. Here’s a quick overview of what I found:

🔹 Stockholm – 63,480 followers

Hands down the most engaging presence. Their content is creative, funny, and well-produced, mixing memes, GIFs, and exhibit showcases in a fresh way.
👉 Check their TikTok here

🔹 London – 4,253 followers

Content is mostly sales-driven, with heavy urgency and limited entertainment value. Their strategy relies more on paid visibility than organic creativity. Also, access to the Zero Gravity Room costs extra (£3), which feels... not great.
London admission: £29 (~34,50 €)
Stockholm: SEK 269 (~24,50 €)
Owned by Fever + Paradox Museum

🔹 Paris – 2,294 followers

Surprisingly, most of the content is in French—interesting choice given the high number of tourists. The Zero Gravity Room here also costs extra (€2.50).
Paris admission: €27.50
Also owned by Fever + Paradox Museum.

🔹 Helsinki – 15 followers (but just launched)

The TikTok content is AI-enhanced, which I personally love. It’s fresh, clever, and shows potential. The Facebook page already has nearly 1,000 likes, and I’m hoping the Helsinki team takes inspiration from Stockholm’s strong content strategy.
👉 Follow them on TikTok, Facebook & Instagram

Final Thoughts

If you enjoy interactive art, clever illusions, and sharing laughs with friends, Paradox Museum Stockholm is absolutely worth a visit. It blends nostalgia, creativity, and surprise in a way that’s hard not to love.

And if you're in Finland? Get ready—Paradox Museum Helsinki is on its way. Based on what I’ve seen in Stockholm, the experience is going to be worth the wait.

This article was originally published before Paradox Museum Helsinki was opened.