Is the Museum of Ice Cream NYC Worth It?
Are you thinking of a trip to the Museum of Ice Cream in NYC and wondering if it’s truly worth the hype? I was wondering the same thing, so I set out with my six year old son to answer this question. Keep reading to find out why I would pass and why it was his favorite place.
The Museum of Ice Cream is a museum filled with interactive installations, from a sprinkle pool to a banana room. Each offers a chance to take fun and playful photos. Each guest receives unlimited ice cream that is available in several spots throughout the museum, so bring your appetite!
Is the Museum of Ice Cream Worth It?
In my honest opinion, I’d have to say no. This is especially true if you were going only with other adults. If going with kids or even young teens, I think you could make an argument that the museum could be worth it.
There were some fun parts to the museum and if you love ice cream, you have the option of unlimited treats. Outside of that, I found the entire experience underwhelming and over priced.
If you were to ask my six year old, he would let you know that it was one of the highlights of his NYC trip! I would also imagine kids of most ages would enjoy visiting this museum, so we will go into more details on what exactly you can expect.
What is Inside the Museum of Ice Cream?
Inside The Museum of Ice Cream in NYC is an interactive art and experience museum designed to bring the magic of ice cream to life. Filled with vibrant colors, fun activities, and one-of-a-kind installations, the Museum of Ice Cream is a place for all ages to explore and create lasting memories.
Visitors can expect to be immersed in a world of art, flavor experiences, interactive touch points, and more. Throughout the museum, guests can explore the different flavors of ice cream and activities such as an indoor pool filled with rainbow-colored sprinkles or a giant banana split slide. The Museum of Ice Cream is also home to a cafe offering custom treats from
What to Expect During Your Visit – How Long Does it Take To Go Through The Museum Of Ice Cream?
In total we spent close to two hours inside the museum. Since it is a self guided museum, you can really spend how long or how little time you’d like. Going with kids will make the experience longer as they take time to enjoy their desserts and play on the various exhibits inside.
Upon arrival you’ll be greeted with treats right off the bat! They handed out popsicles, but neither myself or my son were interested, so I unfortunately cannot speak to the taste. While you eat, you are essentially shuffled into a hallway while you wait for one of the workers to explain the process of the museum.
One thing that stood out to me during our visit (especially after recently visiting The Color Factory and having that similar experience on my mind) was the long lines we had to constantly wait in. We arrived on time for our timed ticket entry and were made to stand outside in the rain waiting for around 10 to 15 minutes. The best start to our day.
The entire time we were there I couldn’t help to think how crowded it felt. Spacing out visits could serve them well so that the exhibits didn’t feel so cramped. And, let’s be honest this museum is essentially made for “The gram” and it is hard to get those incredible shots with people in every corner.
The lines inside the Museum of Ice Cream seemed never ending. After waiting in line outside, we had to wait in another line inside. After that we waited in line for several of the exhibits- such as the big slide and the various ice cream treats.
There is no stroller parking or coat check inside the Museum of Ice Cream. Be prepared to carry your things around if you are heading there in colder months or a rainy day.
Other than that, make sure to bring your appetite because you can have unlimited ice cream treats that are sprinkled all throughout the museum.
What Is Inside The Museum of Ice Cream: Exploring The Exhibits
Next you head into the self guided tour of the museum, each room flows into each other so its easy to follow. The first room is a bar where you can purchase some drinks or treats or take complimentary ice cream.
We both took the vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles (pink soft serve) and sat down to enjoy. The ice cream was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Certainly not something I’d come back just to try.
Head up some stairs and into a room with a beautiful display of fake desserts. Then, followed by another room there will be pink walls and doors on each side. Behind each door is a surprise and pictures of various ice cream type treats. We didn’t find anything particularly exciting about either of these rooms. They were interactive but lacked any true excitement.
The next space was a bit more engaging as you hopped on the ice cream train. Meant to look like an actual pink subway car that was moving. Here we took a few pictures before moving on our way.
Next up was the Banana Room (Not the official name). This was a room divided by pink and yellow hanging bananas. My son got a kick out of it and ran through it laughing hysterically. Outside of taking a few photos, that was the main purpose of the room.
The following rooms are a bit more fun and interactive. I even enjoyed the game room! And of course my six year old had a blast in the playground area. After enjoying another ice cream sampling, you head down a huge slide and into the ice cream “cave” for another ice cream cone (like we mentioned, bring your appetite!)
The last few rooms are fun and interactive. There are games to play and essentially an indoor playground with swings and a jungle gym.
The last room is the highlight of the museum, the sprinkle pool! This is similar to a giant ball pit, but instead of balls they are shaped like sprinkles. My son loved this room and swimming in the sprinkles.
I was a bit surprised at how shallow the “pool” was and no warning signs either. A girl actually sprained her ankle pretty bad while she was there. She jumped in not realizing it was only going to be a couple inches deep and they had to bring in medical staff to help.
Hours, Location and Cost
The Museum of Ice Cream is located at 558 Broadway, New York, NY. Take the 6 train and get off at Spring Street or take the R train to Prince Street. The museum is open from 10am-7pm weekdays and 10am-8pm on weekends, closed on Tuesdays.
Cost of the museum will vary depending on the day of the week and time that you go (morning times will cost less) Kids under age 2 are free and all other tickets will range from $25 to $50. You should also reserve your tickets online as time slots will sell out in advance.
Final Thoughts: Is The Museum of Ice Cream NYC Worth It?
MOIC in NYC would be a fun option for kids or young teens. However, I still don’t think the cost of admission is worth what you get out of the experience. We booked the early tickets at a discounted rate (30% off before noon). The total cost for myself and my six year old son was $90.86. The price alone, better offer more than a photo op for Instagram and only half decent ice cream.
If you want ice cream, I can recommend a ton of delicious options all over New York City. If you want a play space to take your kid there are children’s museums and parks located all over NYC.
At the end of the day I’m happy to see the smile on my son’s face and the fact that he talked about it for weeks on end. I also firmly believe we could have had a similar, wonderful experience somewhere else that didn’t cost as much.
