Eerie Illusions returns to Burnaby for another year of family-friendly Halloween fun

Eerie Illusions returns to the Burnaby Village Museum and is the must-see Halloween event of the year. With plenty of Halloween-themed displays, performers in costume, and plenty of delicious Halloween treats, Eerie Illusions is worth the visit.

You start by entering the museum and crossing the bridge that is illuminated by beautiful white lights. There’s a giant animatronic crow to the side that explains that the museum has been transformed into a magical Halloween land and the residents have turned into pumpkins. Once you cross the bridge you really do feel like you’ve been transported to a new world.

The museum you know and love looks completely different. Immediately you can see staff on stilts and hear the sounds of an invisible band playing on the gazebo that can only be explained as some sort of witchcraft. Further inside, you can buy hot chocolate and hot apple cider to enjoy while you walk through the different buildings.

This event is especially fun if you’re familiar with how the museum looks normally. It was entertaining to enter buildings like the chapel to discover a pumpkin wedding officiated by a crow or the ghoulish delicacies in the bakery window. Staff were all dressed in Halloween costumes and were available to answer any questions you may have about the museum—because it is still a museum, after all.

At the entrance, you also receive a scavenger hunt to complete. During our visit, we were determined to find every item on the list, and it’s more difficult than you’d think (or maybe we’re just bad at scavenger hunts). After wandering around aimlessly and consulting multiple maps, we did complete the hunt. It took us a little under an hour and a half to go through the entire museum, and that included plenty of time to stop and take photos.

While Eerie Illusions is Halloween themed, it’s geared toward all ages. There are no jump scares or anything particularly scary (though we can admit the giant spider did freak us out a little bit). This is a great event to get your little ones into the Halloween spirit, and costumes are strongly encouraged for those attending. Plus, nearly everything is wheelchair- and stroller-friendly with a paved path connecting the different exhibits.

Tickets for Eerie Illusions cost $10 and can be purchased online. You can visit until Oct. 30. from 5:30 to 10:30pm (except for the 25th and 26th when it closes at 9pm), but we would recommend going later in the day when it’s dark outside to get the full experience.

Eerie Illusions

Address: Burnaby Village Museum, 6501 Deer Lake Ave.