Your Munchies Fantasies Have Come to Life at the Ice Cream Museum
Cannasseurs on the East Coast have had a leg up on the perfect canna-experience since last year, when the Ice Cream Museum opened its temporary doors in New York, but on April 22, the West Coast will be opening its own iteration of the Ice Cream Museum, created by Maryellis Bunn. This over-the-top immersive experience of both ice cream and art feels like Willy Wonka and Jeff Koons got together and made a baby on a Candyland acid trip.
This Los Angeles installation is in a warehouse on Seventh Place in the Arts District in L.A. and is four times larger than its New York opponent. Loaded with corporate sponsors—including Dove Chocolate and American Express—aim to challenge the boundaries between food and art.
The push and pull of high art and popular culture have been at odds for decades, with little love going to popular culture, touchable and experiential artworks and installations, but with the spectator-participant aspect of this museum, at least you can fulfill some of your wildest “stoner” dreams.
The Ice Cream Museum offers free samples of delicious sweet treats throughout the exhibit, has a minimalist banana-split installation that will make your right brain spark up with creativity and wonder. With over 10,000 fake pink and bright yellow bananas splitting the installation in perfect half, your OCD tendencies will feel indulged and satisfied.
Other highlights in the museum include a mint grow room with rows of mint planted in a bed of cacao beans, making it naturally smell like mint chocolate chip ice cream. There is a melted popsicle jungle that looks like a giant baby had a temper tantrum in an oversized ice cream truck, while the hallucinogenic gummy bear hall will make you feel like Alice in your own personal munchies-inspired Wonderland.
Additionally, in true L.A.-edge fashion, there is a Goth ice cream installation by artist Abel Benton with black ice cream cones violently chucked at all walls in one room, with extra attention to the concept of corrupting something innocent. They further push this idea by adding a historic looking Greek or Roman head sculpture, decapitated and laying on its side, showing it had been demolished by one of the black ice cream cones as well.
By this point in the museum, your munchies brain has switched on, and your psychedelic fear and paranoia has probably kicked in, but fear not—the culminating end of the museum tour features a sprinkles pool, with pink walls and details, and full of shimmering rainbow sprinkles, that invite you to wiggle your toes in them and make sprinkles angels in the dense sprinkles pool.
This museum is temporary, but a fantastical and fun experience for any cannasseur, especially while under the natural influence of cannabis.
The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (except Tuesdays) from April 22 until May 29. Tickets are sold here at $29 per person, $18 for children or seniors. Two ice cream tastings are included with the price of admission.
