San Francisco's Museum of Ice Cream has a sprinkle pool and a Pop Rocks cave here's what it's li

Publish date: 2024-06-30
2017-09-18T15:37:00Z

San Francisco is holding onto summer at the new Museum of Ice Cream, a colorful Instagram paradise where visitors eat ice cream and snap selfies amidst shrines to the frozen treat.

The wildly popular pop-up exhibit sparked a social-media mania during its temporary runs in Los Angeles and New York earlier this year. San Francisco is the largest of the three exhibits and features a sprinkle pool, Pop Rocks cave, and a psychedelic rainbow room.

After selling out the first batch of tickets in 18 minutes, Museum of Ice Cream extended its run through February 2018 — but good luck getting tickets. Those also sold out lightning-fast. Scalpers on Craigslist are selling tickets, originally priced at $38, for as much as $135 a pop.

We got the chance to visit Museum of Ice Cream before opening. Take a look inside.

The new Museum of Ice Cream is located inside an iconic old bank on Grant Avenue.

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The team gave it a candy-coated makeover from the ground up.

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Seriously, it's a lot of pink.

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The experience kicks off with a photo opportunity. This machine takes a quick video of you against a bubblegum-colored backdrop and sends it to your email address.

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We played a brief — and unsuccessful — game of whipped-cream can ring toss.

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Follow your nose into a sweet-smelling, old-fashioned soda fountain shop.

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We indulged in miniature sundaes, made with ginger snap ice cream, savory sweet ginger crumble, and strawberry-basil sauce — provided by San Francisco's Bi-Rite Creamery.

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Each month, a different ice cream shop creates original flavors for the Museum of Ice Cream.

In the next room, refrigerator magnets let you write a message or an ode to ice cream.

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We were treated to bite-sized treats from My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream. Beware of brain freeze!

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An opportunity for a new profile picture presented itself around every corner.

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Here's another one.

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You can nibble on freshly-swirled, cherry-flavored cotton candy sprinkled with edible glitter.

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We half-expected the Lollipop Guild to pop out from behind these oversized candies.

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The pink AstroTurf looked torn from the backyard of the Barbie Dreamhouse.

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Photography might be allowed in this museum, but touching is not. We saw a museum employee politely ask a young woman to demount the unicorn in the rainbow room.

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You can, however, treat yourself to a soft-serve cone dipped in sugary "unicorn milk."

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By the time we arrived in the Pop Rocks cave, our sugar high was stratospheric.

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A hit at the New York and Los Angeles locations, the sprinkle pool returns in San Francisco.

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There are 100 million colored sprinkles made from plastic.

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The cherry on top, so to speak, is a trio of photo booths with colorful backdrops.

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Those are bubblegum-colored bananas hanging from the ceiling.

If your sweet tooth still wants more, you can buy a scoop of ice cream for $4. We found room for the Piñata flavor, made with frosted Circus Animal Cookies. It was delicious.

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Museum of Ice Cream is a Willy Wonka factory come to life that you won't want to leave.

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