Oberhausen: HOUSE OF MAGIC – powered by Ehrlich Brothers

Magic works best when you can touch it. Oberhausen’s House of Magic turns the Ehrlich Brothers’ stage illusions into a hands-on family attraction, with more than 110 puzzles, games, optical tricks, photo spots, and original show props.

I like the mix of active exhibits and theatrical displays. You can bounce on a giant tablet, test a virtual broom flight, learn a simple trick, and then pose beside a golden Lamborghini. The main caution is condition: one recent visitor enjoyed the broom flight and walking-through-a-wall illusion but felt some exhibits needed better upkeep.

The experience costs about $29 per person and is aimed at roughly two hours of puzzles and illusions. That can be fair value for families who enjoy trying things together, though it is less compelling if you prefer a traditional magic show with a seated performance.

Key things to know before you go

• More than 110 hands-on exhibits: You do not just watch magic here. You operate, balance, jump, pose, and test illusions yourself.
• A giant Ehrlich Brothers suitcase: The exhibition makes you feel mouse-sized inside an oversized case filled with strange objects and playful challenges.
• Original show props and vehicles: You can photograph selected costumes, a giant monster truck, and a golden Lamborghini connected with the brothers’ stage productions.
• A magic lesson is included: Guides demonstrate tricks, and the 360-degree cinema explains a trick from an Ehrlich Brothers live show.
• Virtual reality and teleportation effects: These add a modern layer to the older mirror, shadow, and perspective tricks.
• Plan around a timed visit: Your ticket is valid for the selected date and time, and late arrival may mean waiting for another available slot.

What the House of Magic actually feels like

The House of Magic is not set up like a museum where you quietly walk from one glass case to the next. It is closer to a large, theatrical play space built around illusion. You are encouraged to test things, pose for pictures, and work out how the effect might function.

That makes the attraction a strong choice for families with children, but adults are not left out. The Ehrlich Brothers’ style mixes big stage spectacle with simple physical tricks, so you can enjoy the showmanship even when you already understand that a mirror, shadow, or forced perspective is doing the work.

The attraction is at the Westfield Centro Promenade in Oberhausen, in northern Germany. From the promenade, take the escalator and you arrive directly in front of the House of Magic. If you drive, free parking is available in Centro multi-storey car parks 1 and 2. From car park 1, level 2 connects directly with the attraction.

Your visit is organized around a selected time. The admission is described as providing two hours of puzzles, games, and illusions, while the ticket remains valid for the selected date. I would treat the two hours as the practical visit length and arrive on time rather than assuming you can wander in at any point during the day.

Start with the magic workshop

The magic workshop gives the visit its playful opening. Here, ordinary objects behave badly, or perhaps too well. A unicycle turns into something with no wheel, a book flips its own pages, and a box appears to hold an endless supply.

These displays work because you can look closely and try to understand the mechanism. Children may focus on the surprise, while adults often find themselves checking angles, balance, and hidden movement. That shared guessing is part of the fun.

I especially like this area because it makes magic feel physical. You are not only watching the Ehrlich Brothers perform from a distance. You are standing beside the trick and taking part in the result.

Some activities also make you move. You may find yourself balancing on a toothbrush, bouncing on a giant tablet to catch sweets, or creating changing light effects. These are good examples of why comfortable clothes and shoes make sense, even though this is an indoor attraction.

The workshop also includes live demonstrations from the guides. If you want, you can learn several simple tricks. A screen in the 360-degree cinema explains one trick from an Ehrlich Brothers live show, and a free online workshop is included as part of the experience.

That last point adds value after your visit. You can repeat the trick at home instead of leaving with only photos and memories. The exact teaching style may depend on the guide and the flow of the day, but the attraction clearly aims to let you become the magician for a few minutes.

Shrink into the Ehrlich Brothers’ suitcase

One of the most imaginative sections places you inside the Ehrlich Brothers’ suitcase. The idea is simple: you become mouse-sized, and the objects around you suddenly seem enormous.

This is the sort of room that works best for families who enjoy a strong visual joke. A suitcase is familiar, but the oversized setting changes its scale and turns packing equipment into a fantasy world. It also creates easy photo opportunities without requiring you to understand a complicated trick.

The exhibition uses this playful scale in other ways too. You may teeter in unlikely places, interact with oversized technology, or become part of an optical scene. These activities break up the more traditional shadow and mirror displays.

I would give younger children room to take the lead here, but adults should join in rather than simply supervise. Many of the attractions are designed for shared participation, and the best pictures often come when someone commits fully to the illusion.

Children under three are not allowed, and children who can participate must be accompanied by an adult. Unaccompanied minors are not permitted. That rule fits the attraction’s hands-on design, since many activities make more sense with an adult helping, posing, or explaining.

Shadows, mirrors, and the tricks your eyes accept

The House of Magic also slows things down with optical illusions built from light, mirrors, and shadows. Whimsical sculptures cast unexpected images on the wall. Shadows appear to develop a life of their own. Mirrors can make you look invisible.

These rooms offer a useful change of pace after the more energetic activities. They show that magic does not always need a giant machine or a dramatic stage prop. A carefully placed light or reflection can persuade your eyes to accept something impossible.

You will probably find that some displays reward patience more than others. Stand in the right position, watch the wall, and take a second look before moving on. The effect can be less convincing if you rush through or if too many people crowd the viewing point.

This is also where the exhibition has some educational value. It gives children a basic sense of how perspective and reflection affect what they see, without turning the visit into a science lesson. I like that balance. The attraction explains through experience rather than long text panels.

The same section can appeal to adults who enjoy photography. Shadows and mirrors create unusual portraits, and the exhibition encourages you to take photos and videos throughout the venue. You can share them on social media, though you may want to give yourself time to frame the shot rather than snapping everything quickly.

Original costumes, vehicles, and big photo moments

The House of Magic includes selected stage outfits worn by the Ehrlich Brothers, along with original exhibits from their large touring shows. This gives fans a closer look at the performance world behind the illusions.

The most obvious photo props are the giant monster truck and golden Lamborghini. These are not quiet historical displays. They are designed to make you feel part of the Ehrlich Brothers’ oversized stage world, and they provide some of the strongest pictures in the attraction.

An extra room is dedicated to unusual photo motifs. You may find yourself appearing to have your head grilled or floating while the Ehrlich Brothers seem to control the scene. These images depend on position and camera angle, so follow the instructions and let the person taking the photo move around if needed.

The photo focus is a benefit, but it can also affect the pace. If you want to try every pose, two hours may pass quickly. Families should decide in advance if the priority is completing the exhibits, taking polished photos, or doing a bit of both.

The original props also help explain the appeal of the Ehrlich Brothers. Their magic is not only about cards and small hand tricks. Their public image is tied to machines, vehicles, costumes, spectacle, and surprising scale. The House of Magic carries that theme into an interactive setting.

The broom flight and teleportation effects

For a more modern hit of excitement, the attraction offers a virtual reality ride with a daring flight experience. The supplied details describe it as a test of your flying skills, and one visitor singled out the broom flight as a highlight.

This part is likely to appeal most to older children, teenagers, and adults who enjoy VR. It adds motion and a sense of risk without requiring a physical outdoor ride. You should still pay attention to how your body reacts, since virtual reality can be uncomfortable for some people.

The House of Magic also presents a teleportation experience. Teleportation belongs to science fiction, but the exhibit lets you experience the sensation of moving from one place to another. The appeal is less about learning a technical secret and more about the theatrical shock of appearing to change position.

I would save these experiences for when you are ready to focus. The venue has many distractions, and it is easy to race from one unusual display to the next. Taking a little time at each activity gives you a better chance of understanding the effect and getting a good photo.

People with epilepsy should not visit. That warning matters because the attraction includes changing lights, visual effects, mirrors, virtual reality, and other sensory displays. If you are sensitive to these effects, check the suitability carefully before booking.

Is $29 a fair price?

At approximately $29 per person, the value depends on how actively you use the attraction. You are paying for a timed visit built around about two hours of interactive exhibits, not for a full-day theme park with rides operating continuously.

For a family that likes puzzles, photos, illusions, and hands-on play, the price is reasonable. Each person can take part, and the included magic teaching gives the visit a benefit that continues after you leave. The free online workshop with the Ehrlich Brothers adds another small layer of value.

The price feels less attractive if you are mainly interested in seeing original props. The costumes, monster truck, and Lamborghini are fun, but they are only part of the visit. The stronger value comes from trying the activities yourself.

Birthday children of any age can enter free when they show an identity card. That can make the attraction particularly useful for a birthday outing, though every other booking condition still applies.

A guide can also be booked for an extra charge. I would consider this if you want more explanation or are visiting with a group that benefits from a clear route through the rooms. If your family prefers to move at its own pace, standard admission should be enough.

Timing, rules, and practical advice

Arrive early enough to find the entrance and be ready for your selected time. The ticket is only valid for the date and time chosen during booking. If you arrive late, staff may try to place you in a later slot, but only if space remains.

Food and drinks are not allowed inside. Pets, smoking, alcohol, drugs, weapons, and sharp objects are also prohibited. These rules are easy to manage, especially since the attraction sits at Westfield Centro, where you can handle meals and shopping before or after your visit.

Free parking in the Centro car parks is useful if you are driving. Car park 1 has a direct connection from level 2, which is the most convenient approach described for the venue.

The attraction is not suitable for children under three. Children who are old enough to attend still need an accompanying adult, and minors cannot attend alone. Visitors with the corresponding B entitlement pay full admission when they show the required identification, while the accompanying person enters free.

The standard booking allows free cancellation up to 24 hours before the visit, and a reserve-now, pay-later option helps if your Oberhausen plans are still shifting. These terms are useful, but the key practical point remains the timed entry. Check the selected time carefully before you finalize your day.

Who will enjoy it most?

I would recommend the House of Magic to families with school-age children, mixed-age groups, and Ehrlich Brothers fans. It works especially well for people who prefer doing something rather than sitting through a performance.

It is also a good rainy-day choice in Oberhausen. The attraction offers enough variety to keep a group moving: physical games, shadow and mirror illusions, VR, unusual photo scenes, show props, and a magic workshop.

Adults who dislike staged photo opportunities may find parts of it too playful. The same is true if you prefer traditional museum displays or a polished magic show with an audience watching a professional from start to finish.

The condition of individual exhibits is worth keeping in mind. One recent assessment praised the broom flight and the illusion of walking through a wall, but noted that some items could be in better shape. That does not erase the fun, but it is a fair reason to keep expectations practical rather than expecting every display to look brand new.

Should you book the House of Magic?

Book it if you want an active, family-friendly attraction with plenty of pictures and a broad mix of illusions. The best parts are the moments when you become part of the trick: balancing, jumping, flying, disappearing in a mirror, or posing beside an oversized show prop.

The $29 price makes the most sense when you use the full visit, try the exhibits instead of only watching, and take advantage of the magic lesson. I would skip it if you want a conventional live magic show, dislike VR or flashing visual effects, or are visiting with children under three.

For a flexible Oberhausen day at Westfield Centro, the House of Magic is a lively two-hour stop. Arrive on time, wear comfortable clothes, bring a camera, and leave room for the possibility that the magic works best when you are willing to look a little silly.

FAQ

How long does a visit to the House of Magic last?

Admission includes about two hours of puzzles, games, and illusions. The ticket is valid for the selected date and time.

Where is the House of Magic in Oberhausen?

It is directly at the Westfield Centro Promenade. From the promenade, take the escalator and you will arrive in front of the attraction.

Is parking available?

Yes. Free parking is available in Centro multi-storey car parks 1 and 2. Car park 1 connects directly to the House of Magic via level 2.

Are children allowed to visit alone?

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

Is the House of Magic suitable for children under three?

No. Children under three are not permitted to participate.

Can I cancel my ticket?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.