I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much when we arrived at the unassuming strip mall next to the Northeast Philadelphia Airport that houses Otherworld Philadelphia. This 40,000 square foot interactive art exhibit kept popping up all over social media so of course I had to check it out for myself. It’s a bit of a trek from Center City, but worth it!

This is actually the second Otherworld location – the first can be found in Columbus, Ohio. They are considering future locations in London and Dublin (among others). In the evenings, they host live music events in the space (mainly DJs). You can listen from the dedicated concert hall or while wandering throughout the venue.

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Know Before You Go

Buy your timed tickets online in advance. Once you enter, you can take as much time as you want/need to explore!
Like you’ll find at many venues in Philadelphia, Otherworld has metal detectors you’ll have to walk through at the entrance.
If you have light sensitivity issues, be aware there are a few rooms that have flashing lights.
That there is a gift shop at the end, and what looked like a spot for snacks and drinks by the ticket counter but it wasn’t open when we went (surprising considering it was a Saturday afternoon). Alcohol is also available during the evening music events.
While it technically has a Philadelphia address and zip code, Otherworld is about a 30 minute drive or a little over an hour by public transportation from Center City. So keep that in mind while making your plans!

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Room Highlights

Otherworld has 55 rooms in total, many of which have interactive elements including games, puzzles, and touchscreens. We didn’t linger too long in each space, only interacting with about half of the rooms and it took us about an hour to make our way through. It’d likely take at least 2+ hours if you took your time to play all of the games and attempt the various puzzles.

While the rooms don’t seem cohesive, there is a loose overarching theme to the space. You’re invited to become an ATAM Citizen, but you slowly realize something is amiss about this so-called ‘perfect society’. As you explore, you’ll find what looks like alien testing, an eerie funeral, psychedelic animals/artwork, and technology glitches throughout. To be honest, I wish I’d understood more of the backstory before going in, so that I would’ve been on the lookout for more clues in each room!

There’s no path to follow so it’s pretty easy to get turned around. Every time we thought we’d seen it all, we’d find ourselves in a new space! It’d be nearly impossible (and take forever) to give a rundown of every room, so instead I pulled together some of my favorite shots.

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Looking for more to do in Philadelphia?
Check out these tours!

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Other Things to Do Nearby

Since you’ll already be in Northeast Philly, why not make a full day of it? There’s plenty of other fun options for after you’ve finished up at Otherworld Philadelphia.

Topgolf
2140 Byberry Rd, Philadelphia.
This popular driving range has a variety of games, food and drinks. The individual outdoor bays are heated, making it a fun year-round activity!

Rage Room Philadelphia
8043 Craig St, Philadelphia.
Need to let out some pent up frustration? Then head to the Rage Room to smash some stuff! Packages range from 5 minutes with a bucket of breakables to an hour with an entire car.

Bury the Hatchet
1890 Woodhaven Rd suite 2b, Philadelphia.
Try your hand at indoor axe throwing – can you hit the target? I’ll admit, it’s pretty fun and quite the arm workout! Reservations should be made online in advance.

Neshaminy State Park
3401 State Rd., Bensalem.
Located where the Neshaminy creek and Delaware River meets, this park has picnic areas, hiking, fishing, and a marina.

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Would you check out Otherworld Philadelphia? Let me know in the comments!