Museum Of Ice Cream Opens In Meatpacking District
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Move over Willy Wonka. A temporary museum dedicated to all things ice cream is treating visitors to edible balloons, a Chocolate Chamber, a "swim'' in a pool of faux rainbow sprinkles and, of course, scoops of heavenly ice cream.
The Museum of Ice Cream in the Meatpacking District is the lifelong fantasy of 24-year-old co-founder Maryellis Bunn.
The six-room tour begins with a free scoop of ice cream. At a press preview Thursday, the treat was topped with fruity cereal, marshmallows and a guava-lime zest.
In the next room, helium-filled, edible balloons produce giggles as visitors' voices are transformed into high-pitched squeaks.
The museum at 100 Gansevoort Street opens to the public Friday. Admission is free from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for opening day, and is first-come, first-served.
Austin and his friend lined up at 7 a.m. to make sure he got in, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.
"We both love ice cream so much and there are a lot of cool exhibits that are supposed to be in here," Austin said.
Tickets cost $18 per person or $30 for two, but according to the museum's website, all time slots are sold out. Ticket updates are available by email.
The museum closes Aug. 31.
More: Best Sundaes For Summer | Best Ice Cream Shops In NYC
The biggest attraction is a large pool filled with 11,000 pounds of confetti-colored sprinkles. Visitors can immerse themselves in the fake candy. Posted rules say: "make a wish,'' "dip at your own risk'' and "Caution: May cause spontaneous happiness.''
Happiness was on the minds of Bunn and her co-creator Manish Vora who frequently asked "Are you having fun?''
The two launched the project to fulfill Bunn's childhood dream of swimming through a pool of sprinkles. They also enlisted over 30 artists to create -- what else? -- ice cream-themed works of art. Each artist "brings a unique voice'' to his or her creation, said Bunn.
In a nod to Willy Wonka, the Chocolate Chamber is entered through a satiny brown curtain to a musical remix of "Pure Imagination.'' A chocolate fountain, free chocolates, cocoa-bean shards on the floor and an immersive chocolate video can be viewed from the comfort of a large bean bag.
Elsewhere, visitors can suck on a dehydrated Miracle Berry that can alter the sourness of lemon slices atop an ice cream cone into a sweet delight.
The tour ends in TinderLand, a playground featuring an ice cream scoop seesaw and an ice cream sandwich swing for two. Visitors also can discover "who they are as a flavor'' through an app created with Tinder, said Vora.
In addition to specially created ice cream by food scientist Irwin Adam, of Future Food Network, the museum each week will offer custom frozen treats from one of the city's favorite ice cream shops including Black Tap and Oddfellows.
"It' a lick-able, likable ice cream-centric experience,'' said Bunn.
"We want you to look, touch, taste feel, experience, engage," said Crystal Anderson who is on the museum's production team.
And if you aren't completely satiated by the end of the tour, you can savor a different kind of experience across the street at the Whitney Museum of American Art or the nearby High Line.
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
