Following successful pop-ups in 2017 and 2022, Museum of Ice Cream CEO Maryellis Bunn has announced a permanent location in the Magic City.
For Bunn, it's a continuation of her vision to help people connect in a fun and whimsical way.
"Museum of Ice Cream was a concept we came up with after years of feeling disconnected in New York City," Bunn shares with New Times. "When I first moved to the city, I struggled to find communities that I could connect with. In 2016, when we launched in New York, I felt there were no true experiences left in the city where people could meet and interact face to face and in a meaningful way. The closest thing I had was exploring ice cream shops across all five boroughs."
Slated to open in early 2024, the Miami MOIC venue will be the fifth location for the brand, joining the brand's four permanent installations in New York City, Chicago, Austin, and Singapore. Those interested in visiting the new venue can reserve a spot on the Miami waitlist to receive alerts when tickets go on sale and for special events surrounding the venue's official launch.
Dedicated to all things ice cream and known for its whimsical exhibits, MOIC will return to the Magic City at the new Miami Worldcenter, located along the development's pedestrian promenade between First and Second Avenues.
The $6 billion mixed-use destination in downtown Miami is considered one of the largest private urban real estate developments in the United States, built on 27 acres spanning ten city blocks that feature retail, hospitality, commercial, and residential spaces. Several phases of the project have already been completed and occupied, including three residential towers, a significant portion of the retail component, and a newly opened CitizenM hotel.
In 2017, MOIC appeared in Miami Beach as a limited-time pop-up scheduled to last only two months. It created such high demand that its stay was extended several times, lasting a total of six months. In November 2022, it returned for one weekend as an ice cream paradise pop-up pool party at the adults-only boutique property, Hotel Greystone.
According to MOIC co-CEO and cofounder Manish Vora, the Miami location was driven by the extreme popularity of the brand's 2017 and 2022 pop-ups.
"During our first pop-up in Miami in 2017, we saw thousands of guests, and even though we extended several times, we still weren't able to accommodate everyone," Vora tells New Times. "Miami is truly the perfect intersection of art, design, food, and hospitality — all elements that are important to our experience. Miami has always been a global launchpad, and we think, coming off the incredible growth in the city in the past few years, that it is time for us to come back and bring the next generation of Museum of Ice Cream to Miami."
When it opens next year, the 14,360-square-foot permanent location will offer guests an expanded immersive experience via multiplatform exhibits on two floors and ten unique, interactive installations inspired by the Magic City.
A rendering of the upcoming Miami Worldcenter where the fifth Museum of Ice Cream location is slated to open early next year.
Rachel Harrison Communications photo
"One of the great things about the MOIC concept is that you could visit all of our locations and discover a new experience specifically designed for that market," adds Vora. "Every location is special and has elements that are unique to them and their respective cities."
Visit the New York City location, and you'll find a three-story indoor slide — the largest in the city. In Chicago, an ice cream-themed mini golf course serves Chicago-inspired ice cream hot dogs. And, in Austin, there's a frosted animal cracker carousel.
In Miami, Vora says the newest location will be 100 percent different from the 2017 museum and all of the ten current locations, including pop-ups and the 100-plus unique exhibits it's created along the way.
The newest exhibits will include "Mary-E's Diner," a retro-futurism-inspired hub and gathering place for ice cream-themed drinks and food; "The Hall of Freezers," an exploratory space filled with dozens of mysterious refrigerator doors that are sure to pique curiosity; and Bunn's personal favorite, the "Cream Liner," a luxury airliner experience inspired by the '60s and '70s.
For the Miami MOIC, a portion of creative design is being enhanced with AI, shares Bunn.
"Our in-house design team has incorporated AI throughout our concept and design phases to push the limits on what is possible for design and experience," Bunn adds. "Ultimately, the craziest, wildest ideas are still yet to be seen, and they are coming from our brilliant team. While we are definitely starting to use AI in our content and marketing as well, we are fundamentally an 'in real-life company,' and we believe experiences that drive true joy and connection will continue to be even more important in a world where AI and other technology lead to less and less human connection."
Vora adds that the new Miami MOIC experience will be the most interactive and advanced when it comes to both food and beverage.
Miami guests can expect to enjoy unlimited sweet treats from five stations during a 60 to 90-minute journey led by a team of MOIC performers.
"When it comes to our new treat offerings, our lips are sealed — for now," said Bunn. "What I can share with you is that we are dreaming up and bringing to life the most delectable and innovative sweet treats we've ever offered. We're pushing the boundaries of imagination and taste, and we can't wait to surprise our visitors with what we have in our Miami location. One of our favorite ice creams and flavors we ever served was at the Miami pop-up, which was the key lime pie and melted ice cream in an old-school ice cream container. This time around, expect the unexpected."
Museum of Ice Cream. 851 NE First Ave., Miami; museumoficecream.com. Opening early 2024
