Do you dream of jumping into a pool of sprinkles? Are you ready to share with complete strangers what mythical creature you’d most like to be? Do you have an obsessive love of the color pink?
If any of these ring true, than the Museum of Ice Cream should be added to your bucket list. The traveling museum opened to sold-out crowds in San Francisco this fall, and will remain open through May 29. If you’re a repeat customer, there are three new rooms that have been opened: A mint jungle, a Circus animal cookie room (the creative director’s “happy place”) and a Neapolitan swing.
When I visited, there were still $38 tickets available for walk-ins that day.
Bring your phones and be prepared to interact with some of the perkiest Millennials you may ever meet.
Before entering, you’ll be asked to leave your worries behind before crossing over the threshold.
The museum is housed in a former bank, where the vault is now home to “mythical creatures” and where the wifi signal is weak.
A wall of ice cream history (pink, of course!) is sprinkled in the first hallway. Study it well, you will be quizzed on one fact you learned.
Walking through the museum is like a tour of a child’s imagination. Some of the highlights include: Margie’s Diner that serves up pink soft serve; a cotton candy machine, a gummy bear room, a room dedicated to Bing cherries and the iconic sprinkle pool, where you feel like you’re sinking into a sugary quicksand.
Of course, there are ice cream samples throughout, including popsicles from Paleteria La Michoacana and chocolate-filled mochi. But this experience isn’t really edible – let’s face it, you can pick up a great scoop down the block for a lot cheaper. Museum of Ice Cream is selling an interactive museum experience, where adults are paying for the chance to act like kids again, and to showcase that bonhomie on every social media channel they can.
It takes between 45 minutes and an hour to get through, and you’ll want to leave plenty of time for photos. The museum boasts 100,000-plus social media impressions since its debut in 2017.
The Museum of Ice Cream is located at 1 Grant Ave., San Francisco. 855-258-0719.
Tickets are $38. Children under 2 are FREE. https://www.museumoficecream.com/san-francisco/
Amy Ettinger is the online and social media editor at Bay Area Parent.
