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Patricia Chang

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Freak Out Over the Museum of Ice Cream’s Sugary Pink Insides

It’s a FOMO-inducing, Instagram feed-clogging fantasy land

The Museum of Ice Cream will open its doors to the curious, Instagram-loving San Francisco public on Sunday in a shower of sprinkles, and pink-hued excitement. The pop-up art installation has been garnering lots of attention since it was announced earlier this summer, and now critics can decide whether its worth the hype.

As a museum, it’s less of a history lesson and more an interactive installation. After a brief ice cream history overview in the very beginning of the experience, things quickly switch to a more experiential mode. Guides are scattered throughout, cheerily dressed in pink jeans, aprons, and hats, with the express goal of coercing guests into reliving their childhoods. They’re more than willing to be photographed or take your photo, even helpfully recommending popular poses to strike. And yes, there are thankfully tastes of the sweet stuff, from a mini-sundae from Bi-Rite to Pop Rocks to cookies and cream mochi.

Tickets sold out almost immediately, and the Museum subsequently extended its run through 2018. Keep an eye out for more ticket releases in coming months. For now, enjoy a spin through the exhibit, which is located in a historic former bank building in the heart of Union Square.

A sparkly pink rope separates the crowds

A ring toss game using whipped cream cans as pins
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Taffy lines the walls
Founder Maryellis Bunn and a worker at the musuem hand out Bi-Rite ice cream
The scoop shop
Juke box playing retro tunes
Bi-Rite’s custom flavor
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“What do you scream for?”
A wall of magnetic letters to spell out “what you scream for”
Mochi ice cream
Cherry cotton candy spritzed with edible silver glitter
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Inside the gummy garden
Gummy garden
Homage to the ice cream truck, complete with pushpops
Unicorn milk ice cream, anyone?
A unicorn, and its sparkly stables
Inside the stables
Rock climbing wall on the way to the rock candy caves
The rock candy cave, which comes with Pop Rocks
The famous sprinkle pool, a signature installation at every Museum of Ice Cream
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The banana swing
At the end, guests can buy a scoop of one of two custom flavors created by Maryellis Bunn
The exit lounge, completely with ping pong
Sprinkle crowns, unicorn snot, and more are available in the gift shop, which is a well-laid trap at the end of the experience
These won’t melt but they cost thousands of dollars
The exterior
Patricia Chang

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