If you follow me on Instagram (which you totally should), then you probably have noticed that I go to A LOT of museums and events. And one of my favorite weekend activities is catching the latest pop-up exhibits in New York City. Some create awareness for a specific cause, like Pixinity and Ocean Cube, while others are just meant to indulge a little and have some fun, like Rosé Mansion and Museum of Ice Cream.
But one thing they all have in common is that there are always great photo opportunities! In fact, that’s kind of the point of most of these exhibits. They want people to take pictures of the art, capture the message, and share it with their friends. And as a lover of both photography and social media, pop-up exhibits in New York City are a fun way for me to get out of the house and off my computer.
Here are 10 pop-up exhibits in New York City that I visited in 2019-2020. Some have already ended, but others are still running. There is also a high chance that some of these will set up shop again sometime in the future!
Museum of Ice Cream
Location: 558 Broadway, Manhattan
General Admission: $39
Dates: Now through ???
Museum of Ice Cream is the most recent pop-up I’ve been to, and it’s probably one of the best ones to be honest. The rooms and decor are so elaborate and out there! Plus, you get to actually taste different ice creams and snacks in most of the rooms (they were all delicious). There was also a giant slide and other interactive moments that involved playing music, jumping around in a bounce house, and even taking a “swim” in a giant pool of sprinkles!
Rosé Mansion
Location: Manhattan Mall, 111 W 32nd St.
General Admission: $45 (Happy Hour tickets are available for $35 on Monday–Friday before 6pm)
Dates: Now through April 12, 2020
Rosé Mansion is probably one of the most popular pop-up exhibits in the city and it’s also one of my favorites. Rosé Mansion gives you a real wine tasting experience with tons of the cutest photo moments, people to actually teach you about the different wines, and an amazing little chill area at the end of the exhibit where you can relax with drinks and tacos.
For more photos, check out my full post on Rosé Mansion. I also went there a second time for Boohoo’s NYFW party.
Ocean Cube
Location: 60 Grand St., Manhattan
General Admission: $24
Dates: CLOSED
Ocean Cube was a smaller pop-up with an under-sea theme. Full of bubbles, jellyfish, and coral, the purpose of this immersive art experience was to raise awareness about sustainability and keeping our oceans clean. The entire exhibit was made from recycled materials and it was truly beautiful.
Pixinity
Location: 1 York St., Manhattan
Dates: CLOSED
Pixinity featured 10 rooms of pixel-perfect photo ops. The digital-themed exhibit featured emoji faces, neon lights, and lots of geometric sculptures. This pop-up was cool to me personally because it partnered with Autism Speaks to raise social awareness for those affected by autism. A portion of the exhibit’s sales were donated to support autism research and patients. (For those who don’t know, my little sister is autistic.) The artist behind Pixinity, Tianyu Qiu, also has a family member diagnosed with autism and, according to the website, “although they struggle with verbal communication, the two are able to communicate with computers, the internet, and iconographic symbols. In this exhibition, he replicates and creates a digital world for kids, families and all others to have fun and enjoy a fairyland of pixels.”
Wonder World
Location: 61 North 9th St., Brooklyn
General Admission: $29
Dates: CLOSED
I have actually been to Wonder World twice. The first time was in 2018 in Manhattan and the second was last year in Brooklyn. Although I liked it the first time, I definitely think they made it much bigger and better the second time around. I also think that there’s a good chance they’ll open up again in another location. Wonder World has a fantastical theme that feels Alice in Wonderland-inspired — all designed by eight New York-based emerging artists. There were faux fur walls, giant mushrooms, macaroons, and tons of flowers. I definitely left this one with a lot of fun and unique photos.
Check out the photos and details from my first trip to Wonder World.
Color Factory
Location: 251 Spring St., Manhattan
General Admission: $38
Dates: Now through ???
Color Factory was one of my first pop-up experiences and it was super fun. Obviously, it’s themed around color, but all of the different ways they have you think about and experience color is really cool. The experience included: sitting down and actually drawing a picture, playing music on xylophones, dancing in a neon-lit room, eating candy and other snacks, and more!
For more photos, check out my full post on Color Factory.
Arcadia Earth
Location: 718 Broadway, Manhattan
General Admission: $33 +fees
Dates: Now through ???
Arcadia Earth was huge and one of the most interactive of all of the pop-ups I’ve been to. From underwater to forests to fantasy lands, this exhibit features really elaborate rooms themed around earth, nature, and climate. One of the coolest parts of this exhibit is that is has a big virtual reality component. There is an interactive app to help guide you through the rooms and even VR headsets in certain rooms that make you feel like you’re standing in the middle of the wild. And towards the end, the exhibit truly made me want to do more for my planet. It encourages you to eat less meat, recycle more, use reusable bags, and more.
Beyond The Streets
Location: 25 Kent Ave, Brooklyn
Dates: CLOSED
Beyond The Streets is a celebration of graffiti and other forms of street art. It featured tons of edgy murals, politically charged paintings, outta this world sculptures, and more. Glass windows surrounded a huge layout of colorful and powerful art created by artists that society has frequently deemed as “misfits” or “rebels.”
29Rooms
Location: 25 Kent Ave, Brooklyn
General Admission: $39.99 +fees
Dates: CLOSED
29Rooms was created by Refinery29. The makers behind the popular website collaborated with brands, artists, and activists to create 29 experiences under one roof. The multi-sensory installations, performances, and workshops, were a bit overwhelming with a lot of long lines, but it kind of felt like a big, crazy party. I don’t think this one was totally worth the money because of how busy and hectic it was, but I did still leave with some pretty cool pics! And there was definitely a whole lot to see.
Super Funland
Location: Museum of Sex,
General Admission: $24
Dates: Now through ???
Super Funland is a carnival-themed exhibit at the Museum of Sex. It consists of four floors of amusement park games, a slide, a stripper pole, and even a bounce house of boobs! Yup, you read that correctly. (Sorry grandmas if you’re reading this!) I also had my very first bull ride! …And yes, I fell off lol. Some of the exhibit was pretty risqué and shocking, so be prepared if you go! But I had a fun time laughing and playing games with my girls.
Which one sounds the most fun to you?
