Oberhausen: HOUSE OF MAGIC – powered by Ehrlich Brothers

The most fun part of House of Magic is that you do not simply watch a magic show. You operate the illusions yourself, from making shadows behave strangely to testing a room where mirrors can make you appear invisible. The Ehrlich Brothers’ touring props give the exhibition a clear theme, but the hands-on games are the real draw.

I like the wide age range and the clever photo setups. A child can bounce on a giant tablet while an adult studies the mechanics of a mirror trick. I also like the magic workshop, where you can learn simple tricks and watch an Ehrlich Brothers performance explained in the 360-degree cinema.

The main consideration is condition. One recent booking noted that some exhibits could use better maintenance. Also, the advertised full-day validity does not mean unlimited time inside: the included visit is built around roughly two hours, at your selected entry time.

Key points at a glance

• More than 110 hands-on exhibits: Expect puzzles, games, illusions, unusual objects, and interactive rooms rather than a seated performance.
• A playful Ehrlich Brothers theme: See selected stage costumes and original props, including the giant monster truck and golden Lamborghini.
• Strong photo opportunities: Pose in the suitcase, the unusual photo room, and scenes designed to make you look tiny, floating, or headless.
• Magic you can learn: Guides carry tricks, and the 360-degree cinema explains a trick from the brothers’ live shows.
• Virtual reality and teleportation: Try a daring virtual flight and experience a staged teleportation effect.
• Easy Centro location: Find the exhibition on the Westfield Centro Promenade, with free parking in multi-storey car parks 1 and 2.

What House of Magic is really like

House of Magic is best understood as a hands-on science-meets-stage-magic exhibition. You move through rooms built around optical illusions, physical puzzles, strange props, and photo effects. The Ehrlich Brothers provide the show-business connection, but you are the one pressing buttons, stepping into scenes, testing objects, and trying to work out how each effect functions.

That makes the visit different from buying a ticket to a live illusion show. You are not waiting for one grand finale. Instead, the entertainment comes in short bursts. One station might ask you to balance in an impossible-looking way. Another might involve shadows, mirrors, light, or a mechanical object that seems to ignore ordinary rules.

The format suits families particularly well because adults and children can take different things from the same exhibit. Younger children may simply enjoy the surprise. Older children may want to repeat an effect and find the trick behind it. You may prefer to pause and study the setup, especially in the rooms devoted to shadows and mirrors.

The overall rating is 4.3 from 252 reviews, and the strongest praise focuses on the exhibition’s appeal across age groups. That matches the design: it asks you to play, not just look.

Start in the Ehrlich Brothers’ magical suitcase

One of the central ideas is that you become very small and enter the Ehrlich Brothers’ suitcase. Inside, ordinary objects become oversized and slightly absurd. The scale change gives the exhibition a storybook feel and creates some of its best photo opportunities.

The magic workshop adds more than decoration. You can encounter objects such as a unicycle that appears to turn into a wheel-less version, a book that turns its own pages, and a box that seems to hold an endless supply. These are the sorts of displays that work best when you take your time and try them more than once.

Do not rush through this section. The point is not only to identify the illusion, but to notice how your body and viewpoint affect it. A child may spot a visual trick first, while you may notice the timing or angle that makes it work.

The visit also includes active challenges. You might teeter on a toothbrush, bounce on a giant tablet while trying to catch sweets, or create changing light effects. These stations help prevent the exhibition from feeling like a collection of glass cases.

Test shadows, mirrors, and the tricks of perspective

The rooms built around shadows and mirrors are among the most worthwhile parts of the visit if you enjoy understanding how an illusion works. Sculptures cast unexpected shapes on the wall. Shadows seem to act independently. Mirrors can make a person appear to vanish.

These effects are simple in principle, but they are satisfying because you become part of the setup. You are not looking at an illusion from a distance. Your position, movement, and timing help create the result.

This also explains why the exhibition works well for groups. One person can perform the effect while another takes the photo. You may find that an illusion looks better on a phone screen than it does in person, so give yourself time to check the image before moving on.

The photo value is not just a minor extra. At $29 per person, the exhibition needs to offer more than a quick walk past props, and the interactive scenes give you a reason to stay. Still, keep your expectations sensible. This is an exhibition with photo moments, not a professional studio session, and the condition of individual displays may vary.

See the original stage props and costumes

The Ehrlich Brothers connection becomes clearest in the display of selected stage outfits and original props from their touring shows. These objects give fans something tangible to look at after seeing the brothers perform on stage, while newcomers get a glimpse of the scale and theatrical style behind a major magic production.

The giant monster truck and golden Lamborghini are especially useful for photos. They provide bold backdrops and help break up the smaller interactive stations. If you know the Ehrlich Brothers, these props will carry more meaning. If you do not, they still function as oversized, colorful photo subjects.

I would treat this section as a pause between the more active rooms. After testing illusions, you can slow down and look at the costumes and props. The exhibition does not require you to understand the brothers’ full career to enjoy this area, but fans will get more from it than casual visitors.

Try the virtual flight and teleportation effects

The experience includes a virtual reality ride built around a daring flight. It is a good change of pace from the physical puzzles, but it may not suit everyone. People with epilepsy are specifically advised not to take part, and the exhibition is not suitable for children under three.

Teleportation is another theme. House of Magic presents a live effect that gives you the sensation of moving from one place to another. The details of the setup are part of the fun, so I would avoid trying to explain the trick before you see it. The value comes from the short moment when the room seems to break its own rules.

If you are booking for a family, check the group’s comfort with virtual reality and enclosed or visually confusing effects. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and unaccompanied minors are not permitted.

Save time for the unusual photo room

You can take photos and videos throughout House of Magic, but an extra room is designed specifically for strange images. The available scenes include an effect that makes it look as if your head is being grilled and another that makes the Ehrlich Brothers appear to make you float.

This is the part where the exhibition leans fully into playful social media photography. You do not need to post anything, but the room gives you a clear reason to use your phone. If you are visiting with children, this may be one of the easiest places to get a memorable family photo because the setup supplies the joke.

Photography is encouraged throughout the attraction, but food and drinks are not allowed. Bring a charged phone and enough storage if you plan to record several effects. The exhibition’s appeal depends partly on doing, photographing, and sharing, so a dead battery would be an avoidable nuisance.

Learn a trick instead of only watching one

House of Magic includes a magic workshop, and guides carry tricks that they can demonstrate. You can also learn selected tricks yourself. In the 360-degree cinema, the Ehrlich Brothers explain a trick from one of their live shows on screen.

This is a useful feature for families because it gives the visit a take-home element. You are not only leaving with pictures. You may leave knowing a simple trick that you can show someone else.

An optional guide can be booked for an additional fee if you want more explanation during the exhibition. The standard ticket does not include that guided service, so decide based on your group. Independent visitors may prefer to move at their own speed, while families or groups that enjoy explanations may find a guide worthwhile.

No guide names are provided for the standard visit. The exhibition itself supplies the main instruction through its displays, staff demonstrations, and the 360-degree cinema.

How much time you need, and what $29 buys

The ticket costs $29 per person and includes about two hours of puzzles, games, illusions, photo scenes, and magic instruction. The booking is valid on the selected date and time, so arrive promptly. If you are late, staff may try to place you at a later time only if space is available.

For the right visitor, the price is reasonable because the ticket combines several kinds of entertainment. You get interactive exhibits, original Ehrlich Brothers material, virtual reality, a cinema presentation, and photo setups. It is not simply an hour-long gallery visit.

The value is weaker if you dislike taking part. Much of the experience depends on touching, moving, posing, testing, and repeating effects. If you prefer a traditional museum with quiet displays and detailed written history, this may feel light.

Birthday children of any age receive free admission when they show identification. That can change the calculation for a family birthday outing. People with the relevant B entitlement pay full admission, while the accompanying person enters free with the required identification.

The attraction is valid for one day, but availability depends on the selected starting time. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the booking, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Oberhausen plans are still shifting.

Getting to the House of Magic at Westfield Centro

The exhibition is directly on the Westfield Centro Promenade in Oberhausen. From the Promenade, take the escalator and you will arrive in front of the House of Magic.

If you are driving, use multi-storey car park 1 or 2. Free parking is available at Centro, and car park 1 connects directly to the attraction via level 2. This is a practical advantage for families carrying bags or visiting as part of a larger Centro shopping day.

Because the House of Magic sits at a major shopping and entertainment complex, you can pair it with other Centro plans. The supplied information does not specify a restaurant, locker, or coat-check arrangement inside the attraction, so avoid relying on services that are not confirmed.

Who will enjoy it most

I would choose House of Magic for families with children over three, mixed-age groups, Ehrlich Brothers fans, and anyone who enjoys taking photos while trying to solve simple illusions. It also works well when the weather is poor and you want an indoor activity with more movement than a standard museum.

The attraction can suit adults, too. A recent booking specifically praised the chance to see the world through a child’s eyes while still having active illusions to test. The broom flight and the effect that lets you appear to walk through a wall are the sort of stations that can amuse adults as much as children.

I would think twice if anyone in your group has epilepsy, dislikes virtual reality, or wants a quiet, carefully preserved exhibition. One booking noted that some displays could be in better condition, so do not expect every object to look brand new.

Food, drinks, smoking, alcohol, drugs, weapons, sharp objects, and pets are not allowed. Children must remain with an adult.

Should you book House of Magic?

Book it if you want a hands-on family outing with plenty of pictures, short interactive challenges, and a clear magic theme. The best reasons are the broad age appeal, the Ehrlich Brothers props, the unusual photo rooms, and the chance to learn a trick rather than simply watch one.

At $29, I think it offers fair value for the included two-hour visit, especially if you make full use of the interactive rooms and cinema. I would not book it expecting a full-day attraction or a polished stage performance. Think of it as a playful indoor exhibition where you supply part of the magic.

FAQ

How long does the House of Magic visit last?

The ticket includes about two hours of puzzles, games, illusions, photo opportunities, and magic activities. The booking itself is valid for one day on the selected date and time.

How much does admission cost?

Admission costs $29 per person.

Where is the House of Magic located?

It is directly at the Westfield Centro Promenade in Oberhausen. From the Promenade, take the escalator and you will be in front of the House of Magic.

Is parking available?

Yes. Free parking is available at Westfield Centro in multi-storey car parks 1 and 2. From car park 1, you can reach the attraction directly via level 2.

Can children visit without an adult?

No. Children may participate only when accompanied by an adult, and unaccompanied minors are not allowed.

Is the attraction suitable for children under three?

No. The experience is not suitable for children under three.

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. You can also reserve now and pay later.