Chicago just got a little sweeter.
The Museum of Ice Cream, a fabulous wonderland for all things colorful, has just opened a fourth location in none other than Chicago, Illinois. The exciting new museum features 14 magical and interactive installations reimagined just for the Windy City and finally opened its doors on Saturday, July 16th.
Described on the Museum of Ice Cream website as “a Willy Wonka factory come to life that you won’t want to leave”, the new Michigan Avenue location spans over 13,500 square feet of The Shops of Tribune Tower where the Chicago Tribune formerly resided.
Guests are invited on 60 to 90-minute tours through the many ice cream-themed features with breaks to sample various sweet treats between enjoying the installations.
An Instagram announcement posted late last year revealed the Chicago destination along with the question “have you ever had an ice cream Chicago dog???!”
A pink ice cream confection shaped like a Chicago-style hotdog was consequently expected to be one of the museum’s many Chicago references as well as a Cloud Gate-shaped jelly bean all of which have since been confirmed.
Meanwhile, a CTA-inspired pink “Sprink-L” takes guests into a 3,500-square-foot “speakeasy” where themed cocktails and snacks can be found. For those who love some competition, the Chicago location also houses a mini-golf course themed around giant desserts.
In addition to a roster of reimagined and never-before-seen installations, there are favorites such as the famed sprinkle pool and pool-side cabanas which caused a stir on social media. A shop selling historical ice cream memorabilia, a cafe, and a bar also offer places to relax for those not taking the tour.
Based in New York, the Museum of Ice Cream exciting museum seeks to “transform concepts and dreams into spaces that provoke imagination and creativity” according to their website. The consequence is a kaleidoscopic array of surreal and saturated landscapes splashed with dazzling installations through which visitors are invited to connect with themselves and the environment around them.
When the MOIC first opened in New York back in 2016, it was met with a social media frenzy and hordes lined up outside keen to sample the many ice cream flavors and snap some iconic selfies.
The Chicago location is the fourth after New York City, Singapore, and an Austin, Texas location which opened earlier this year.
Tickets start at $36 for general admission on a weekend and $44 for general admission on a weekend while kids aged 2 and below go free.
More information and tickets can be found at museumoficecream.com/chicago.
[Featured image courtesy of the Museum of Ice Cream]