Psychologists, neuroscientists, engineers and magicians will join forces at Aberdeen Art Gallery on Thursday 18 June for The Magic of the Mind, a free public event exploring the mysteries of the human mind.

The event is the flagship event of a year-long programme celebrating the 130th anniversary of the School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen. Founded in 1896, Aberdeen is home to the oldest psychology department in the UK.

In collaboration with the Institute of Medical Sciences, the School of Engineering and the Aberdeen Magical Society, The Magic of the Mind will bring together more than 60 researchers, students and performers for one of the largest public engagement events ever organised by the University of Aberdeen.

Highlights include:

* Live magic performances throughout the evening by the Aberdeen Magical Society, which is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

* Interactive robots from the School of Engineering, including robots with distinct personalities and technologies developed to support stroke rehabilitation.

* Immersive virtual reality experiences that alter perception and sense of self.

* Human-AI interactions that test whether you can spot-a-bot.

* Hands-on Ouija board demonstrations revealing the psychological forces behind their seemingly supernatural movements.

* Mind-bending visual illusions that make people appear to shrink, grow or defy perspective.

* Live eyewitness identification experiments demonstrating how our memories can sometimes mislead us.

* Real-time brain activity demonstrations (EEG) led by researchers from the Institute of Medical Sciences.

The event builds on the success of Illusion Night, a public engagement event held during the European Conference on Visual Perception in 2024, which attracted more than 1,600 visitors.

Professor Doug Martin, Head of the School of Psychology, said: "The School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen is the oldest in the UK and was the first in Scotland to have an experimental psychology laboratory. As we celebrate our 130-year anniversary, we wanted to bring our research out of the lab and into the heart of the city.

"The opportunity to collaborate with Aberdeen Magical Society, who are celebrating their centenary this year, was too good an opportunity to miss. We hope people of all ages will come along, get involved, and leave having discovered something surprising about the mind and perhaps about themselves too."

The Magic of the Mind is family friendly and free to attend, but advance booking is required.

Notes for editors

Venue: Aberdeen Art Gallery Date: Thursday 18 June 2026 Time: 7pm - 10pm Admission: Free (booking required)

For more information about the event and to book free tickets, visit: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/psychology/130-years-celebrations/the-magic-of-the-mind/

For further information, please contact: psychology130years@abdn.ac.uk

Issued by

The Communications Team

Directorate of External Relations,

University of Aberdeen,

King's College,

Aberdeen

Contact

Euan Wemyss

Issued on

04 June 2026