Many adults secretly long to relive their childhoods. The days of carefree fun, laughter, exhilaration, imagination, and wonderment of the world to be reignited and experienced once again. Welcome to the equivalent of the Willy Wonka land of ice cream and is sure to bring joy to kids of all ages.

While it is true that many of us lead stressful lives, there is a way to step back in time and feel what it’s like to be untroubled, serene, and carefree once again.

And the best part is that you can have this experience with your whole family – kids included, of course – at the new Chicago Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC).  From the moment you enter the MOIC, you will be amazed and surrounded with a kaleidoscope of dazzling, brightly colored displays at hat will bring out the kid in everyone. It’s an ice cream extravaganza!

A little bit of background…

With its doors opening to Chicago residents in July this year, the MOIC is a huge hit in the city of Chicago and is the talk of the town. It is the fifth city after New York, Singapore, Dallas, and Shanghai to have a permanent and interactive offering for young and old alike.

The MOIC is the perfect childhood getaway for adults and the ideal immersive experience for children of all ages. After all, who doesn’t like ice cream?

The MOIC is located in the spectacular and historic Tribune Tower on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. It spans over 13,500 square feet of The Shops of Tribune Tower where the famous Chicago Tribune formerly resided.

What to expect while you’re there

MOIC delights all visitors with its multiple offerings. So, what can you expect while you’re there? Quite a lot to be honest. Less of a museum and more of an interactive wonderland where everyone can enjoy an unlimited range of ice cream flavors, MOIC ignites your senses and enables absolutely every visitor to have fun. Come and eat all the ice cream you like.

For the more serious folks among you, there is a 60- and 90-minute tour of the facility where you’ll be able to find out practically everything there is to know about the history and developments surrounding one of our favorite treats – ice cream.

But there’s something for the fun lovers, too! Enter the world of ice cream by starting your journey and riding the pink Sprik-L Line – a CTA-themed train station. From there, you are swamped with choices. But you can take your time to explore everything that’s on offer!

Some of the primary attractions at the MOIC include the Ice Cream Lab, the carnival game room, and of course, you can take a dip in the delightful and fun Sprinkle Pool, filled with 10 million plastic sprinkles. The pool also has a “platform” to dive off from as well as slides that take you straight into the pool.

Among the 14 installations, you will be able to experience there is also the 3 hole Putt-Putt course that’s decorated with giant sundaes and donuts where you can put your golf skills to the test. Here, the brave-hearted can also get a taste bud experience of the “ice cream hot dog”. It’s made of hot dog-flavored soft serve (with a strong celery salt flavor) in a pink bun and topped with spicy mustard and a cornichon pickle. Yummy? We’ll let you decide for yourself!

There’s more where that came from though because the carnival room also features a cotton candy stand, carousel-style ride-ons, a basketball hoop, ice-cream Whack-a-Mole, and a water shooter race. It’s a full carnival experience!.

Another room offers great fun facts on the history of ice cream, with a display of ice cream flavors. Children will also get the chance to turn the scoop on an old-fashioned ice cream churn and take part in a guess-the-smell game. There is also the cloud-themed room with balloons, which offers a welcome spot to sit plus shaved ice.

Other exhibits include a giant video game, a jelly bean-themed room with hands-on wall toys, and scoop art by Chicago-based fiber artist Brendan O’Shaughnessy. Meanwhile, the Ice Cream Lab invites visitors to perform hands-on experiments with ice cream.

Adults will be wowed in the MOIC speakeasy, called “scoopeasy” where guests can can choose from the specialty MOIC milkshakes and awesome new, Chicago-inspired cocktails, or they can participate in the museum’s ice cream workshops.

An incredible sensory experience, this is a must-do that’s suitable for absolutely everyone! Children will be able to learn more about ice cream, participate in fun activities, and have a ball. Adults, on the other hand, can rediscover the child in them through play and an immersion into a world described as a Willy Wonka-style wonderland.

A little bit retro, a little bit modern, and a whole lot of fun, it’s also a great opportunity to take Instagram-worthy photos with your friends and loved ones and save these memories in your mind for years to come.

A world where all your wildest ice cream dreams come true

Described as Chicago’s largest playground for young and old alike, the MOIC is an absolute must. Adults will be transported back in time and will be able to relax and leave the real world behind for a couple of hours. Meanwhile, children’s senses will be stimulated as they play and engage with all the different attractions on offer.

Of course, for maximum fun, visiting the MOIC is usually best done in a group. Bring your friends and loved ones together to enjoy this magical world of fun and exploration. Get ready to be amazed!

At Bus Connection, we understand that traveling in groups can be a bit cumbersome. This is why you can always reach out to us to take the hassle, time wasted, and frustration of finding parking or getting lost completely out of the equation. We offer transportation for groups both large and small and can accommodate any transportation need you may have.

Reach out to us and we’ll ensure you’re not only transported safely and at the right time to your MOIC destination, but we also take great care of all our guests while on board with us. Simply get in touch and let us know what your needs are and we’ll take care of the rest!