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Museum of Ice Cream’s fifth location opens its doors in Shanghai

As well as multi-sensory, playful and colourful installations, the attraction has a café, bar and retail store

Immersive and experiential activities are attractive to malls that want to increase footfall and offer something new and different

An Instagrammer’s favourite, the Museum of Ice Cream has opened its newest location in Shanghai, China. The pop-up inspired attraction aims to give visitors a wide range of colourful and unique photo opportunities, as well as the chance to learn about ice cream and, of course, eat some of the popular dessert.

Located at Tai Koo Mall in Pudong, the pink and pastel Museum of Ice Cream features a number of immersive and multi-sensory experiences, including a slide, games rooms, and a sprinkles-style ball pit.

Visitors can also snap their photos on the carousel or inside the ice cream-themed Shanghai metro carriage installation.

The museum has partnered with US brand Shake Shack to provide icy treats and create new ice cream flavours inspired by the attraction itself.

The new attraction signals how the city’s mega malls are aiming to diversify their offer beyond retail therapy and dining to include more immersive and experiential activities, and to boost footfall especially following loss of business due to Covid-related struggles.

"We believe nowadays, consumers come to the shopping mall not only to shop, but to enjoy something exciting,” Taikoo Mall assistant marketing director Winnie Leung told CGTN. “I think Shanghai is long waiting for some happy moments.”

The first Museum of Ice Cream opened in 2016 in New York. Since then, the brand has launched in Austin, Singapore and Chicago, becoming a cultural phenomenon, with celebrities and influencers alike flocking to the attraction to take selfies in front of the art installations.

MOIC was founded by a then 24-year-old Maryellis Bunn, who told New York magazine in 2017 that she hoped to be the “next Disney” and she planned to open 180 locations around the globe.

Museum tour times are around 60 to 90 minutes, but at the new Shanghai location, the café, bar and retail store are open to the public without having to pay for the museum visit.