If you think the most expensive museum in New York showcases the greatest works of art, think again. In fact, the priciest museum in the city doesn’t feature any art at all. Instead, it’s a small private space with pink walls, sticky floors, plastic bananas, crooked mirrors, and a ball pit. Welcome to the Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) in New York, where admission costs $54.99.
What do you get at MOIC for $54.99?
- A spoonful of ice cream
After a short wait at the entrance, visitors are welcomed into a brightly decorated bar where they receive a complimentary sample — one spoonful of ice cream — or can opt for a milkshake starting at $24 (previously $19).
- Photo zones
Next, you enter a series of small rooms and corridors, essentially themed photo backdrops: a table with fake sweets, a wall of decorative butterfly wings, and more. Unsurprisingly, none of this has much to do with ice cream — what unites the exhibits is an endless flood of bubblegum pink. Even children might prefer a gentler palette.
The most striking spot? A pink-painted New York City subway car — perhaps the only time locals will ever see a train that looks perfectly clean and safe.
As you continue, you’ll pass corridors drenched in pink paint, mirrored walls, and screens, before being offered another intensely sweet ice cream sample (maybe that’s why it’s called a museum of ice cream).
- The ball pit
The finale — and crowd favorite — is a mid-sized pool filled with plastic balls, where kids and adults alike dive in together, despite the signs advising adults not to endanger children.
Visitor Information
📍 Address: 558 Broadway, New York
Admission: $55
Website: www.museumoficecream.com
