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De Mata Trick Eye Museum
One of Indonesia’s many optical illusion museums, the De Mata Trick Eye Museum is selfie heaven. Pose for trick shots in a range of settings. Levitate, star on a book cover, or appear amidst travel scenes from Indonesia and beyond. Alternatively, enjoy surreal simulations such as walking over lava or holding back a rampaging velociraptor.
The Basics
The De Mata Trick Eye Museum shares premises with the D’Walik optical illusion gallery and the De Arca Museum, a fiberglass “waxwork” museum, in downtown Yogyakarta. Buy tickets to the museums individually, or enjoy discounted admission to all three. Prices are lowest on weekday mornings and early afternoon and highest on weekends and public holidays. There are a range of food options on-site, as well as free Wi-Fi, massage chairs, and a souvenir shop. The staff will be happy to advise on the best poses.
Things to Know Before You Go
De Mata Trick Eye Museum will be of interest to families and social-media snappers.
If you don’t look Indonesian, expect to be asked for selfies.
Travelers who use wheelchairs will only be able to access the De Mata Trick Eye Museum with assistance, and most illusions are not wheelchair-friendly.
How to Get There
The De Mata Trick Eye Museum is located on XT Square, off Jalan Veteran in downtown Yogyakarta, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) east of the Sultan’s Palace (Kraton). Bus 2A runs from the south end of Jalan Malioboro to Jalan Veteran. Get off at RSI Hidayatullah hospital and cross the road.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
Like the other museums in the complex, the De Mata Trick Eye Museum operates a 3-tier pricing system. “Happy hour”—from late morning to early afternoon during the working week—is cheapest but also popular with school trips, while weekends are most expensive and busiest. A good time to visit is midafternoon during the working week, before the museum shuts in the early evenings. Avoid visiting during the Lebaran (Eid) holiday.
Where to Enjoy Trick Art in Yogyakarta
With three different trick museums available in a combo package—De Arca with fiberglass models of famous people, D’Walik with illusions including upside-down rooms, and the De Mata Trick Eye Museum—Yogyakarta’s De Mata complex offers excellent value. But Yogyakarta also offers its own version of the Upside Down World brand in the Depok suburb.
- De Arca Museum
- Kota Gede (Kotagede)
- Water Castle (Taman Sari)
- Imogiri Royal Cemetery (Pemakaman Imogiri)
- Ratu Boko Temple
- Ramayana Ballet at Prambanan
- Sewu Temple (Candi Sewu)
- Plaosan Temples (Candi Plaosan)
- Prambanan Temple Complex (Taman Wisata Candi Prambanan)
- Pawon Temple (Candi Pawon)
- Mendut Temple (Candi Mendut)
- Borobudur
- Mt. Merapi (Gunung Merapi)
- Jomblang Cave (Goa Jomblang)
- Magelang