'Reality or a dream?' This Columbus gem offers escape with its immersive experience

Alex Perry, Columbus Dispatch
·4 min read

From overlooked roadside attractions to offbeat museums and obscure natural wonders, Local Hidden Gems will showcase some of the unique and unexpected treasures that make America extraordinary. We will emphasize charm, surprise and delight.

Local hidden gem: Otherworld in Columbus, Ohio

At Otherworld in Columbus, it's easy to get lost in this immersive experience and nearly impossible to distinguish dreams versus reality, fact versus fiction and realism versus imagination.

Four walls aren't enough to contain the multidimensional dreamscapes found at Otherworld. Nestled within Ohio's largest city of Columbus, the 32,000-square-foot immersive art museum is an experience where, through 47 mixed-reality rooms, art and entertainment meet to transport visitors into another world – and many times, an alternate universe.

"You're being transferred to a new world, and you, in a sense, are trying to come up with the concept: Is this reality or is this a dream?" said Jon Stewart, Director of Operations at Otherworld.

Named a top 10 immersive art experience in the country in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards in 2024, Otherworld isn't just an ordinary art museum. Since it first opened in 2019, Otherworld has gained national attention, opening an even larger location in Philadelphia in 2023.

Otherworld encourages all visitors to engage, interact, and play with every part of the art, adding to its otherworldly effect through secret passageways, interactive art, and mixed reality playgrounds. It boasts a whopping 190,000 LEDs and is home to concerts, dance parties, crafting classes and performance art.

Local hidden gems: A spotlight on the American treasures in our backyards

Step inside 47 rooms, 190,000 LEDs, 1 otherworldly experience

A realm where sci-fi meets fantasy, Otherworld immediately makes you a crucial part of their story from the moment you arrive.

As a visitor, you play the role of a beta-tester at a desolate research facility, left on your own to explore and discover this alternate reality filled with mystical creatures, abstract lighting, and supernatural visuals. Along the way, you encounter three major puzzles to solve and smaller details to interact with on your journey.

More than 40 artists, 54 projectors and 190,000 LEDs make the experience come to life.

"Everything comes down to the look, the color," Stewart said. It can take months to create an installation. Otherworld constantly adds new exhibits to maintain a fresh experience for guests.

At Otherworld Columbus, getting lost in the forest is a good thing

Considered the center point of the entire experience, the enchanted forest is a sight to behold. A large tree in the middle of the space greets visitors with interactive elements that can be touched and played with, including a giant mouse figure.

"There’s creatures and orbs and everything that lights up the space, it's very different. It's something you would experience like at one of those sci-fi Twilight Zone movies," Stewart said.

The newest exhibit, an ocean exhibit, displays an underwater theme where you try to solve a sea monster puzzle where touching the sea monster's eggs in a unique order will trigger a light and sound experience. Once you enter the monster's mouth, you find yourself in a life-sized kaleidoscope.

There\'s no right or wrong way to explore Otherworld

Otherworld says that whether you're inside the infinity LED pole mirror room or the spider room, each section provides a different feel for kids and adults alike.

"We're in the business of creating fun and memories, and this is the perfect place for family and friends to come and escape," Stewart said.

He explains that Otherworld is a place that's totally unique to Ohio, grounded in community and fueled by those who can experience it in person. He encourages anyone wanting to visit to "come and explore the unordinary, where we make the impossible, possible."

Otherworld hours of operation

You can spend anywhere from 1–3 hours exploring Otherworld in Columbus during your visit. Tickets are $30, and can only be purchased online. Otherworld Columbus is located at 5819 Chantry Drive in Columbus.

Monday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

Tuesday: Closed

Wednesday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

Thursday: 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.

Friday: 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.

Saturday: 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.

Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Sci-fi meets fantasy at Otherworld, an immersive experience in Ohio

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