Paint the eyebrows on the Mona Lisa, or balance on a precarious footbridge over a treacherous canyon. Get your picture taken among the ruins of Ayutthaya, before diving into oceanic caves filled with colorful fish. Anything is possible at this fantastical museum, where the talented 3D artists have brought a host of famous images and atmospheric scenes to life with over one hundred 3D paintings and murals.
The Art in Paradise Interactive Museum, was the brainchild of the Korean businessman Shin Jae Yeoul, who together with ten other artists reclaimed an old nightclub and turned it into one of Thailand’s most original tourist attractions.
The museum is split into ten different zones, which range from the mind-boggling effects of the Camouflage room, with its magic eye style pictures designed to trick and confuse, to the scenic murals featuring animals, dinosaurs and forests.
The most popular thing to do is to have your picture taken standing ‘inside’ one of the paintings. The effect is amazingly lifelike, and your holiday snaps will be enhanced with pictures of you posing as an angel, feeding the elephants or peering into a deep canyon. The Classical Art Room, which displays a host of famous 3D masterpieces such as Da Vici’s Mona Lisa, and Dali’s Persistence of Memory is another favorite, allowing you to pose as the artist, or strike a cheeky pose with the picture.
It’s advisable to visit during the week as weekends can become extremely crowded with tourist coaches. Arrive early and you will have the pick of the paintings. Allow two to three hours to experience all the rooms, depending on how many photographs you want to take. If you need to refuel, you’ll find a small coffee bar near the exit.
Art in Paradise is open daily and is located on Second Road near North Pattaya. Take a Songthaew (shared taxi) or park nearby if you have your own transport. Note that there is a separate charge for tourists and Thais.