February – 2026
Our day in Sydney started much more slowly than most of our sightseeing days.
We were staying at the Sydney Harbour Marriott at Circular Quay, and after several busy days of exploring Sydney, we decided not to rush out in the morning. I went for a jog, and then my daughter and I spent some time swimming at the hotel. It was actually nice to have a slow morning. When you’re travelling, there is always a temptation to start early and fit in as much as possible, but sometimes the best part of a holiday is simply spending a few hours doing nothing particularly ambitious.
After lunch, we finally headed out. Our plan was to visit the Museum of Illusions on George Street and then head to Sydney Tower Eye. Ranjani had been working during the day, so she would join us later.
Exploring George Street
We made our way towards George Street, one of the main streets running through central Sydney. I like walking through the CBD because Sydney has a good mix of old and new. Modern shops and buildings sit alongside beautiful older architecture, and there is always something happening on the streets.
We passed the State Theatre along the way, which looked particularly impressive with its lights on. George Street was busy too, with people moving between shops, restaurants and public transport. It had that typical Sydney CBD feeling of being busy without feeling completely chaotic.
The Museum of Illusions is at 413 George Street, so it was an easy stop while we were exploring the centre of Sydney.
Museum of Illusions Sydney
The Museum of Illusions is one of those places where you know you’re going to take a lot of silly photographs before you even walk in.
The concept is simple. The museum has rooms and installations that play with perspective, mirrors, light, gravity and perception. You stand in the right place and suddenly the photograph makes you look like you’re doing something that would be impossible in real life.
My daughter immediately got into it. She tried the different rooms, climbed into the various setups and kept looking for the next illusion to try. One of the things I like about these places is that you don’t really have to understand the science behind every exhibit to enjoy them. You just have to be willing to look slightly ridiculous for a photograph.
We had plenty of fun with the different perspective rooms. There was one setup where it looked as though my daughter and I were hanging upside down over a pool table. We also spent time with the mirrors, where the reflections made me look stretched, duplicated or completely out of proportion. There were geometric light and mirror installations as well as the blue Vortex Tunnel.
But I’ve seen most of these before
I have to admit that the Museum of Illusions in Sydney didn’t feel particularly new to me. We’ve seen this type of museum in several other cities, and many of the exhibits are variations of things you find in similar illusion museums around the world. The upside-down rooms, distorted mirrors, forced-perspective setups and vortex tunnels are all fairly familiar.
So if you’ve already visited several museums of this type, I wouldn’t go to the Sydney one expecting a completely different concept.
But honestly, that didn’t really matter.
These places are always fun when you’re travelling with a daughter. The attraction isn’t necessarily about discovering something completely new. It’s about trying every exhibit, figuring out where to stand, taking ridiculous photographs and laughing at how strange the final picture looks. My daughter had a lot of fun, and that made the visit worthwhile for me.
I probably wouldn’t make the Museum of Illusions a top priority if I were travelling around Sydney by myself. But with a child, it’s an easy place to spend an hour or two, especially if you want a break from sightseeing where you’re expected to quietly look at things. Here, you’re encouraged to play.
From illusions to Sydney from above
After spending a good amount of time at the museum, we continued exploring the city. Ranjani joined us after work, and we then headed towards Sydney Tower Eye.
The change in experience was quite dramatic. At the Museum of Illusions, we had spent our time trying to make photographs look unreal. At Sydney Tower, we were going to see the real city from a completely different perspective.
Sydney Tower is the tallest structure in Sydney, rising 309 metres to the tip of its spire. The Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck sits 250 metres above street level.
We took the lift up, and even the lift ride gives you a sense of just how quickly you’re leaving the city behind. And then we stepped out onto the Observation Deck.
Sydney Tower Eye on a rainy day
Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on our side.
It was a rainy, hazy day, and that made a big difference to the views. On a clear day, the Observation Deck offers 360-degree views across Sydney, with visibility extending as far as the Blue Mountains, more than 80 kilometres away. We definitely weren’t getting that kind of visibility.
The buildings further away were disappearing into the haze, and the harbour didn’t have the sharp, spectacular look that you get on a clear Sydney day. Still, looking down from 250 metres was impressive.
We could see Hyde Park, St Mary’s Cathedral, the CBD and the harbour from completely different angles. What I liked most was the perspective. When you’re walking around Sydney, you experience the city one street at a time. From the tower, you suddenly see how everything fits together. You can trace roads through the CBD, recognise buildings you’ve walked past earlier and look out towards the harbour and the surrounding suburbs.
Even with the poor weather, there was plenty to look at.
Spending time at the Observation Deck
We didn’t simply go up, take a few photographs and leave. We spent quite a bit of time walking around the Observation Deck and looking at Sydney from the different sides. Ranjani and I also took a few photographs together.
The Observation Deck has been refurbished as a more modern viewing space, with seating and interactive elements, and there is also a café where you can stop for something to eat or drink. The café was actually quite good. It gave us a chance to sit down for a while rather than continuously walking around and looking through the windows.
That was one of the things I liked about the tower. You don’t feel rushed. You can walk around, spend time looking at the city, sit down for a coffee and then go back to the views. And because the main viewing area is indoors, the rain
doesn’t completely ruin the experience.
The Skywalk at 268 metres
The highlight of our visit was the Skywalk.
The Observation Deck is about seeing Sydney from above. The Skywalk is about actually stepping outside the building.
The experience takes you around the outside of Sydney Tower, 268 metres above the city. It is a guided 60-minute experience with two glass platforms, and the Observation Deck is part of the experience as well.
Standing outside at that height feels very different from looking down through a window. You’re suddenly much more aware of the height. The CBD is directly below you, and you’re standing in the open air rather than behind glass.
But there is something else you notice almost immediately: the wind.
The moment the door opens and you step outside, you realise how windy it is. Even on a day that doesn’t feel particularly cold while you’re inside the tower, the wind at that height can make a big difference.
If you’re doing the Skywalk on a cold day, I would definitely recommend carrying an additional layer. And if it is drizzling, carry a rain jacket rather than relying on an umbrella, which obviously isn’t practical on the Skywalk.
We had some drizzle during our visit, and between the wind and the rain, it became uncomfortable surprisingly quickly. What feels like mild weather when you’re walking around Sydney can feel very different once you’re standing outside 268 metres above the ground.
So this is something I would definitely keep in mind when planning the Skywalk: check the weather, carry a warm layer if it’s cold, and take a lightweight rain jacket if there is even a chance of drizzle.
Our souvenir photograph from the Skywalk captures the experience pretty well. The photograph says, “I walked around Sydney’s highest outdoor adventure, looking down on the city at 268M above sea level!”
It was a pretty cool experience to do together.
The problem with taking photographs
There was one thing I found a little frustrating about the Skywalk. You can’t take your phone or camera with you.
The rules don’t allow loose items such as mobile phones and cameras on the Skywalk, and lockers are provided for them. The guides take photographs during the experience instead. I completely understand the safety reason. At 268 meters above the ground, you don’t want someone accidentally dropping a phone or camera.
But from a photography perspective, it was frustrating. The official photographers use flash, and some of our photographs didn’t turn out particularly well. I couldn’t help thinking that a modern smartphone would probably have produced better photographs, especially in the kind of weather we had.
Today’s phones are remarkably good at handling difficult lighting, HDR and night photography. Unfortunately, we had no choice but to leave our phones behind and depend on the official photographs. Still, the souvenir photograph is something I’ll keep. At least it proves that we actually walked around the outside of Sydney Tower!
Sydney looks different at night
As the evening progressed, the city lights started to come on. And strangely, the poor weather mattered less.
During the day, the haze had made the distant views disappointing. At night, the lights of the CBD, Darling Harbor and Barangaroo started to stand out against the darker sky. Sydney looked completely different.
The roads became lines of light, individual buildings stood out and the harbor became a dark shape surrounded by the lights of the city. We spent a lot of time looking at the skyline from different sides of the tower. The Harbor Bridge could be seen in the distance, while the buildings around Darling Harbor and Barangaroo were beautifully lit.
This ended up being one of my favourite parts of the visit. The daytime view would certainly have been better on a clear day, but the night view had a completely different character.
We spent almost three hours at Sydney Tower
By the time we finished everything, we had spent around three hours at Sydney Tower. That included the Observation Deck, spending time looking at the city, taking photographs, stopping at the café and doing the Skywalk.
That’s longer than I initially expected, but I think that was because we didn’t treat it as a quick tourist attraction. We took our time, went around the Observation Deck more than once, looked at the city from different sides, spent time at the café and then did the Skywalk.
It became more of an evening experience rather than simply another item on our itinerary.
What we paid for the Skywalk
We booked the Skywalk for 12 February 2026 at 6:45 PM.
For the three of us, the total came to A$232 including GST. The two adults paid A$55 each for Skywalk + Observation Deck, while our daughter paid A$43. We also paid separately for General Admission at A$29 per adult and A$21 for our daughter.
So, for the three of us, the overall cost worked out to about A$77 per person.
That’s not cheap for a family attraction, but considering that we spent around three hours at the tower, including the Observation Deck, café and Skywalk, I felt we got enough out of the experience. The actual prices will obviously vary over time, so I would check the official website when planning a visit rather than relying on our February 2026 prices.
Was Sydney Tower worth it?
For me, yes, although it isn’t a cheap attraction.
If your main objective is simply to see Sydney from above, the Observation Deck is probably enough. You get the 360-degree views, you can take your time and you don’t have to deal with the restrictions that come with the Skywalk. If you’re looking for something more adventurous, the Skywalk is the interesting part. You’re paying for the experience of actually being outside 268 meters above Sydney.
For us, the Skywalk was worth doing because it was something different. The Observation Deck gave us the views, while the Skywalk gave us the experience. The weather is the one thing I would pay close attention to. We had rain, drizzle and wind, which made the outdoor section uncomfortable at times and reduced the daytime visibility. If you’re paying this much, getting a clear day would definitely make the experience even better.
Museum of Illusions or Sydney Tower?
Interestingly, these two attractions gave us two completely different experiences on the same day.
The Museum of Illusions was about having fun. The exhibits weren’t particularly original, and many of them were similar to what we’ve seen in other cities. But my daughter enjoyed trying every room, and we got some funny photographs out of it.
Sydney Tower was different. It was about slowing down and looking at Sydney from above. And then the Skywalk added the adventure. So I wouldn’t necessarily recommend both because they are “must-see” Sydney attractions. I’d recommend them for different reasons.
If you’re travelling with kids, the Museum of Illusions is an easy, fun stop. If you want to understand the scale of Sydney and see how the city fits together, Sydney Tower is much more interesting. And if you want a little bit of adventure, add the Skywalk.
Our Sydney day in perspective
What I liked about this day was that it wasn’t packed from morning to night.
We started slowly at the hotel. I went for a run, spent time swimming with my daughter and had lunch before heading out. Then we spent a couple of hours at the Museum of Illusions.
My wife joined us later, and we moved from the playful world of optical illusions to something completely different: looking down on Sydney from 250 meters above the ground and eventually walking outside the tower at 268 meters. The weather wasn’t great, and the daytime views from Sydney Tower were definitely not what they could have been on a clear day. But that’s also part of travelling. You don’t always get perfect weather. You make the most of the day you have.
And in the end, we got some ridiculous photographs at the Museum of Illusions, a memorable Skywalk experience, some surprisingly good night views of Sydney and, most importantly, another fun day together as a family. Sometimes that’s enough.
Practical information
Museum of Illusions Sydney
The museum is at 413 George Street. Current official prices are approximately A$41 for adults, A$33 for children aged 5–12 and A$135 for a family ticket covering two adults and two children. Opening hours vary by day.
My view: if you’ve already visited similar illusion museums in other cities, don’t expect many new exhibits. But if you’re travelling with kids, it’s still a fun way to spend an hour or two.
Sydney Tower Eye
The Observation Deck is 250 metres above Sydney and provides 360-degree views. The Skywalk takes place 268 metres above the city and lasts about 60 minutes. Children must be at least 10 years old to participate in the Skywalk.
My view: visit the Observation Deck for the views, and add the Skywalk if you want an experience rather than just another viewpoint.
One practical Skywalk tip: Don’t underestimate the wind. Once the outdoor door opens, it can be surprisingly windy. On cold days, take an extra layer, and if rain or drizzle is expected, carry a rain jacket. The combination of wind and drizzle can become uncomfortable very quickly.
And if you can choose your day, pick a clear one.
