This exhibit has been making the rounds on newspapers and social media. It is a completely white indoor ball pit with beach chairs and against the wall tables to buy booze and food. My inner 5-year-old was thrilled at the idea and looking at pictures online pushed me into buying a ticket and heading out to the beach…
Snagging my ticket I met friends after work one Wednesday and we all took off our shoes, walked on the white astroturf, passed beach chairs and found ourselves in front of a waist-high beach pit teaming with people bouncing around, tussling, throwing balls, and sitting carefully while balancing their weight so they won’t sink all the way down. Jumping in feet first carefully so as not to jostle the crowds around me I made my way off to the side of the pit with friends and we spent the evening surrounded by tiny plastic balls or out beside the wine, beer, and cocktail table. It was a fun and memorable evening and I’d highly recommend you check it out!
Things to know:
- You can buy tickets online for $16 or in-person. You do not need to buy a museum ticket – just the Beach exhibit ticket. If you buy online when you enter the building go to the Membership line to get a wristband and then enter the exhibit line. If not, go to the General admission line and same process.
- Only Wednesdays are late nights until 9pm. If you can’t make a Wednesday evening than the “beach” closes at 5pm every other day of the week. If you do go on a Wednesday try to get there before 5:30pm or be prepared to wait in snaking lines that will probably take at least 30 minutes to get in.
- Consider eating beforehand as drinks and food are very limited inside and a bit expensive. You can get beer, wine, or two cocktails. Food seemed to only have some sort of nacho plate or bean dip with chips. Union Kitchen is the caterer.
- If you bring your cell phone, shoes, purse, or anything else in the pit make sure you have a very firm hold of it or leave it with a friend at a beach chair. A girl beside me lost her phone in the pit and I am not sure if she’ll get it back until the exhibit closes in September.
- The pit does get cleaned so hopefully it will not be too unsanitary when you go though I suggest going sooner rather than later.
More information can be found here and the exhibit goes through September 7th.
Hope you get a chance to check it out and happy “swimming”!
