Museum of Illusions Manchester Mind-bending Story Competition

Terms and Conditions

Museum of Illusions Manchester is launching a competition open to students in Year 3 to 6 attending schools located in Greater Manchester and surrounding regions. We’re inviting students to write an original short story of up to 500 words inspired by mind-bending optical illusions.

The winning entry will earn their class a free school trip to Manchester’s newest interactive Museum of Illusions filled with mind-bending optical illusions, holograms, and immersive exhibits.

This is a fantastic opportunity for students to unleash their creativity while building storytelling and critical thinking skills. The winning class will enjoy a one-of-a-kind school trip to the Museum of Illusions Manchester, where they’ll explore mind-bending exhibits blending science, psychology, and art. Each interactive display is designed to challenge perception, encourage problem-solving, and bring learning to life in a fun and immersive way.

Beyond entertainment, the Museum of Illusions Manchester serves as a valuable educational space where students can discover the fascinating science behind optical illusions and visual perception. Plus, the venue is accessible in accordance with applicable accessibility requirements, ensuring everyone can take part in the experience.

Terms & Conditions

  • Organiser
  • The competition is organised by the Museum of Illusions Manchester, located at 58-66 Market St, Manchester M1 1PW, United Kingdom (“the Organizer”).
  • Eligibility
  • The competition is open to students in Year 3 to Year 6 from schools within the Greater Manchester area and surrounding regions.
  • Entries must be submitted by a teacher on behalf of their class or by a parent/guardian on behalf of their child
  • Each class must submit at least one entry, but multiple entries are welcome.
  • Stories must be the students’ original work. Entries generated by AI tools or plagiarised from other sources are prohibited and will be disqualified.
  • No purchase or payment is necessary to enter or win this competition.
  • Entry Requirements
  • Stories must not exceed 500 words.
  • The story must be inspired by mind-bending optical illusions. From flying into an infinity portal to growing or shrinking in an instant, our exhibits are a perfect setting.
  • Entries can be written individually by students or collaboratively as a class project.
  • Submissions must be made exclusively through the official entry form available on the Museum of Illusions Manchester website.
  • Entries must not contain inappropriate, offensive, discriminatory, or unsafe content. The Organiser reserves sole discretion to disqualify such entries.
  • Submission of an entry constitutes confirmation that appropriate parental permissions have been obtained by the school in compliance with safeguarding requirements. 
  • Submission Process
  • Entries open on 19th January 2026 
  • The deadline for submissions is 1st April 2026 at 11:59 PM (GMT).
  • Late entries will not be accepted.
  • Schools and parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring that all information provided is accurate and complete.
  • Judging Process
  • The judging criteria include:
  • Creativity: Unique and imaginative use of illusions in storytelling.
  • Engagement: Captivating narrative that holds the reader’s attention.
  • Clarity & Structure: A well-structured story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
  • Relevance: The story must incorporate the theme of illusions.
  • Originality: Entries must be the students’ own original work.
  • The decisions of the judging panel are final, except where required by law, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome.
  • The Organizer reserves the right not to award a prize if insufficient entries meet the required standard.
  • Prizes
  • The winning entry will receive a complimentary class trip to the Museum of Illusions Manchester.
  • The prize includes Museum of Illusions Manchester entry for the winning class and accompanying teachers.
  • The visit must take place between 20 April 2026 and 17 July 2026, on a date mutually agreed between the Museum of Illusions Manchester and the school.
  • The prize is non-transferable, holds no cash value, and may only be used by the winning class.
  • The school will need to cover travel expenses.
  • Schools must ensure an adequate number of adult chaperones, in accordance with their safeguarding policies and UK regulatory requirements.
  • School shall obtain all appropriate parental permissions, including but not limited to the Parental Consent Form provided by the Museum of Illusions Manchester and required for the Museum of Illusions Manchester visit. Please note that publication of any story containing a child’s name, class, school, or identifiable information requires separate explicit parental consent. Schools must not submit such data without this consent.
  • Announcement of Winner
  • The winning class will be notified via their school contact by 17th April 2026.
  • The winner will also be announced on the Museum of Illusions Manchester’s website and social media channels.
  • Schools must confirm that they have obtained any required parental permission for such announcements.
  • Permissions & Copyright
  • Copyright in each submitted story remains with the student author(s). 
  • It is the school’s responsibility to obtain explicit written parental consent for such use, including the Parental Consent Form provided by the Museum of Illusions Manchester, which contains any publication of the student’s first name, school name, or class level. Publication of any identifying information (name, school, class) requires a separate explicit parental opt-in.
  • By submitting an entry, participants grant the Museum of Illusions Group, its global affiliates, subsidiaries, franchisees, and associated group companies (the “Museum of Illusions Group”),  a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, publish, reproduce, and distribute the story (in whole or in part) for promotional and educational purposes on their website, social media channels, and promotional materials.
  • The Organiser may remove content at any time for legal, safety, or compliance reasons.
  • Data Protection
  • The Organiser is the Data Controller for all personal data processed in connection with this competition. Schools act as independent data controllers when submitting student entries and are responsible for ensuring parental consent and lawfulness of sharing.
  • Any personal data submitted (including names of teachers and students where applicable) will be processed strictly in accordance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the ICO Children’s Code.
  • Where personal data is shared with Museum of Illusions Group entities outside the UK, this will only occur with a valid safeguard under UK GDPR (such as adequacy regulations or the UK International Data Transfer Agreement).
  • Personal data will be used solely for the administration of the competition, communication with schools, and publication of the winning entry where parental consent has been obtained.
  • Data will not be shared with third parties except:
  • Museum of Illusions Group for promotional purposes (where consent has been provided), and
  • service providers acting strictly on behalf of the Organiser.
  • Personal data will be retained for no longer than 3 years after completion of the competition unless consent is withdrawn earlier.
  • Schools must ensure that any personal data they provide is processed lawfully and that appropriate parental consents are obtained in advance.
  • Data subjects may request access, correction, deletion, or restriction of their data by contacting: [email protected]
  • Schools must not submit personal data for any child without parental authorisation given by signing Parental Consent Form, including consent for publication where applicable.
  • General Conditions
  • The Organizer reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the competition for legal, operational, or safety reasons.
  • By entering, participants agree to abide by these Terms and Conditions.
  • The Organiser accepts no responsibility for entries lost, delayed, corrupted, or not received for technical reasons.
  • Nothing in these Terms affects the statutory rights of participants.
  • These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
  • All safeguarding practices shall be carried out in line with ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’.
  • This competition is run in accordance with the CAP Code (UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing).
  • For any questions, please contact [email protected].

We look forward to reading your fantastic stories and welcoming the winning class to the Museum of Illusions Manchester!