I first visited Hat Yai’s Magic Eye 3D Museum back in 2014, not long after it opened beside Greenway Market. More than a decade later, I returned, unaware that the museum had moved and changed its name to Magic Museum Hatyai. I didn’t even realize it until my GRAB driver pulled into the carpark and nothing looked familiar.
The museum has moved to a new location on Kanjanavanich Road, not far from their previous location. It has grown considerably since my first visit. Now there’s a magic museum, a theater, magic shop, café and restaurant, and even a mini spa, as well as the 3D art that started it all.
From Magic Eye to Magic Museum Hatyai
The move from the Greenway Market area has taken the attraction beyond its original 3D art gallery and into a broader entertainment complex. The Magic Museum adds another side to the attraction, with magic props, optical illusions, historical material and exhibits relating to famous magicians. There are also interactive magic-themed displays and live performances.
The new theater also brought Thai illusionist Black Crystal into a much larger role in the attraction. He was performing the live shows when the expanded complex opened, and he remains the featured performer at the Magic Theater today.
Magic Eye’s 3D Art: What Made It Special?
Although I had planned on finally seeing the magic show, the paintings were what I was most interested in seeing again. The original museum had more than 100 enormous paintings covering walls and floors, created to make visitors appear to be part of the scenes. They were painted by Korean artists, and the detail and perspective were remarkable. I found the art fascinating to look at.
I had already seen some of the Korean artists at work at the Art in Paradise 3D Museum in Langkawi, so the Hat Yai 3D paintings have always had an added interest for me. The story behind these illusion paintings is every bit as interesting as the finished scenes.
The artworks at Art in Paradise were hand-painted by 23 leading Korean master artists, whose average age (at the time) was around 60. They were described as being among the last of their generation with these particular painting skills. I was lucky enough to visit the Art in Paradise 3D Museum while the artists were in the final stages of completing their work, before it fully opened to the public.
The Korean Artists Behind the 3D Art
The Korean connection is one of the things that has always made these 3D museums particularly interesting to me, especially given the role Korean artists played in developing the interactive trick-art museums that became so popular across Asia.
When I first visited Magic Eye 3D Museum back in 2014, I was told that Korean and Thai artists worked on the initial layouts, with Korean 3D specialists handling the fine detail. The quality of the work varied from room to room, with everything from highly realistic animals to classical-looking figures and deliberately comic scenes.
A few years later I discovered that the enormous panoramic mural inside the Kedah Paddy Museum in Alor Setar, Malaysia was also created by Korean artists. I was told they spent considerable time living in the surrounding kampung to observe the landscape and everyday life before painting it.
Their artwork even inspired me to climb Gunung Keriang to see for myself. Amazingly, the mural’s depiction of the surrounding landscape and mountain views was remarkably accurate.
What Happened to the Original Magic Eye 3D Paintings?
A building full of paintings on walls and floors isn’t exactly something you can pack into a moving truck. I don’t know how the move was handled, but some of the old murals appear to have been recreated at the new location using the original designs as reference. There are also many new paintings at the new location, but I did recognize more than a few from the previous location.
Having seen the present murals for myself, I can say that they are painted surfaces rather than printed photographic panels. I suspect local Thai artists were responsible for much of the work this time around, and they’ve done a great job.
Inside Magic Museum Hatyai Today
The present Magic Eye gallery is much bigger, with even more artwork. The museum describes the technique as trompe-l’oeil, or “trick of the eye”. Its exhibits include underwater scenes, classical art, comedy, zoo animals, surrealism, an ice world, fantasy and Egyptian themes. That basic idea hasn’t really changed since my first visit, but the addition of the AI app is a new twist, bringing certain static images to life when viewed through your phone.
Pretty fascinating and guaranteed fun.
Beyond the paintings, there’s plenty more to explore, so it’s easy to spend more time here than you might expect from a 3D art museum visit. You’ll also want to check the show times if you want to include the magic show, as performances are scheduled twice a day.
The Magic Show, Black Crystal and Magic Shop
The live magic show was already part of Magic Eye when I visited in 2014, but I never saw it. This time I finally got to see it for myself. I enjoyed seeing the tricks, although the show itself wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for. I was disappointed that photography wasn’t allowed during the performance, not even for a few quick photo ops for media, but I get it.
In between magic acts, YouTube videos of Black Crystal’s various past international performances are shown on nearby monitors. Despite my visit coinciding with a local school outing, the audience was quiet, seemingly as in awe of the magic as I was.
The Magic Museum includes a collection of magic tools of the trade and historic posters. The magic shop is filled with magic toys and tricks that visitors can purchase for their own budding magic careers.
Is Magic Museum Hatyai Worth Visiting?
Is Magic Museum Hatyai worth visiting? Yes. The 3D paintings may be what made Magic Eye famous, but the magic has taken on a life of its own. The expanded Magic Museum Hatyai now brings together the 3D art, the history of magic, live performances and a shop full of tricks, making it a very different place from the one I first visited in 2014. But now it’s even better.
I still have a soft spot for those enormous 3D paintings, but that extra bit of magic is a great addition that I think you’ll love just as much as I do. Give yourself at least two hours to fully enjoy the Magic Museum experience.
Magic Museum Hatyai
414 Kanjanavanich Road, Hat Yai, Thailand
Opening daily: 8:30am until 5:30pm
3D Art: 300 Thai baht adults, 250 Thai baht kids
3D Art + Magic Show: from 500 Thai baht
Free entry: Children under 100 cm, people with disabilities and seniors over 65
The museum accepts Thai baht and Malaysian ringgit, as well as Visa and Alipay. Shoes are not permitted inside the 3D painting galleries, but complimentary footwear is provided.
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