Science depends on empirical evidence, logical argument, and skeptical review. Optical illusions challenge us to consider if our eyes sometimes play tricks on us. In this activity, coins dropped into a magic bank appear to shrink in size and fall through a narrow funnel into a tiny chamber or disappear altogether (depending on which type of magic bank is used). Beyond providing an insight into the nature of science, this activity serves as a visual participatory analogy to challenge the validity of the “banking” model of teaching and learning.