Hidden behind a purple garage door on 32nd Street just one block away from Madison Square Garden {and the 33rd Street PATH station} is a candy haven that promises amusements for all ages. This is Candytopia, the next in a series of entertaining pop-up Insta-worthy exhibits appearing in NYC. We recently visited the space {which closes January 6, 2019 FYI!} to satisfy a serious sweet tooth, obvs. Here’s all about the Candytopia exhibit in New York City:
Upon entering the Candytopia museum, the first thing you may notice is the old-school feel of a house of wonders, complete with a ringmaster and lots of circus-themed memorabilia lining the walls {think fortune-telling machines, old clocks, and abstract art}. The first room is just a preview of what’s to come, with some pretty impressive animals and paintings made entirely of candy {candy corn, licorice, jelly beans, you name it} and a giant truffle tray, perfect for grabbing some snacks before heading into the next room {so stuff some in your pockets for later}.
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The next room is a bright display of colorfully-painted walls and a few more candy sculptures, as well as a large gate that provides entrance into the rest of the rooms that make up the Candytopia exhibit. After much fanfare, the gates are finally opened and kids and adults alike are free to roam about the rooms, which contain everything from swings to climbing gyms to a machine that showers you entirely in paper confetti {seriously, you’ll be finding the stuff in your jacket for the next week} and an ocean-themed room with candy seahorses and sharks.
There’s also a pop art museum made entirely of candy, from a sculpture of the Statue of Liberty to a candy “painting” of Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka – what we found most impressive was the amount of time taken to create these works of art {upwards of 100+ hours for some}. Take your time walking through as it does tend to get crowded- slowing the pace will help ensure prime selfie-taking ability.
Perhaps the best part of Candytopia is the giant bins of candy {because duh} set up in every room, open for taking some snacks on the go ranging from Tootsie Roll pops to Trollli Gummies to Airheads {remember those?}, so be prepared for the ultimate sugar rush {and inevitable crash} that will come after your walk-through.
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The selfie cameras in each room are another clutch part of the exhibit, just make sure you download the Candytopia app before entering so there are no hiccups. Phone alerts will pop-up whenever you are in proximity to the “selfie stations” —AKA spots to scan your phone and your photo will be taken/sent directly to your social media account. Convenience = key.
The final room is probably the most fun and interactive exhibit of Candytopia — the marshmallow pit! Technically these balls of fluff aren’t actually “marshmallows” so much as giant white pieces of foam, but kids and adults alike can enjoy rolling around in the pit for a few minutes before stashing away some more candy and walking through the sugar-packed gift shop, stocked with lots of take-home souvenirs and treats.
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Overall Candytopia is a cool hands-on experience that families and friends can enjoy – kids especially will have a great time going through each of the sweet rooms that this exhibit has in store. Candytopia is currently running until January 6th, and available exhibit times and dates can be found here. Tickets are $34 for adults and $26 for kids ages 4-12, and showtimes vary {every 15 minutes} based on availability.
Did you get to Candytopia? Make sure to visit before January 6th of 2019!
