After my recent visit to WNDR Museum in Chicago, I can see why it was voted one of the Top 5 Immersive Art Experiences in the country by USA Today‘s reader poll. This was a unique interactive, sensory experience.

Located on the Near West Side of Chicago, the 10,000-square-foot museum houses 24 fascinating exhibits that tease and delight eyes. Brad Keywell, founder of WNDR, proudly states, “This is a multisensory experience, reflecting the joy of wonder itself.”

Keywell states no two visits are the same. I would say no two moments are the same. Exhibits change on their own, with personal touches or simply from different angles. It’s a mix of art, technology and optical illusions.

My niece Laura and I struggled a bit naming our favorite exhibit. We narrowed down our list to a few, though.

Created by Andy Arkley, Try To Get Higher includes a wood sculpture, video projection and music. In the center of the room is a console with 16 buttons, each playing different music and animations projected around the room. Despite my best efforts, my niece was easily the master of laying down beats worthy of any lively dance club.

Photo courtesy of WNDR Museum.

The WNDR Light Floor was produced by BrightLogic Inc., the industry’s leading LED floor expert. Made of hundreds of motion-sensored LED panels, the floor detects movement, which sets off animations.

Yayoi Kusama’s Let’s Survive Forever is also called the Infinity Mirrored Room. Mirrored walls and a center column create an infinity effect. There is a one-minute time limit in this room, per the instruction of Kusama. This presented a fun selfie opportunity.

Let’s Survive Forever by Yayoi Kusama 1 Photo Credit WNDR Museum.

Another interesting photo op was at Flip Disc (Particles 45) by BREAKFAST. Using display technology originally used in the 1960s for airport signs, BREAKFAST increased the speed of the flipping discs and began making large installations.

The other exhibits all had fascinating aspects. Even the restrooms were artistic, having walls covered in music album art.

Museum staffers occasionally offered advice to enhance the otherwise self-guided tour. The experience lasted about an hour, which was plenty of time with each exhibit. Many places are billed as the most unique experience, but WNDR was truly like no other.

My niece and I agreed each exhibit engaged and intrigued us in different ways. It was a completely fun time at WNDR Museum.

Photo courtesy of WNDR Museum.

— John Wroblewski, online writer