An Indoor Beach — National Building Museum Opens A Colossal 10,000 Sq.Ft. Ball Pit With Beach Umbrellas And Sand


It may not have salty water, but an indoor beach in the National Building Museum is certainly making waves.

The National Building Museum opened a brand new exhibit this month. It is called BEACH, and apart from a few missing aspects, it is certainly one. Instead of foaming, seething and many-a-times nipping cold, salty seawater, this beach is filled with soft-to-touch, near transparent balls. Essentially, the indoor beach in the museum is a ball-pit, that’s 10 times larger than the one you might see in the toddler entertainment section. The beach is a ball pit that’s spread over 10,000 square feet and lies in the shadows of the great hall’s pillars. The beach also has lounge chairs, umbrellas, and even mock sand, reported ABC 7.

Why would one create a beach made of balls in the middle of a museum? The exhibit shows just how many ways you can use a building, shared Executive Director Chase Rynd.

“This is all about possibilities. As human beings when we put our minds to it we think of really fascinating things and we actually create them.”

Apart from the creative use of the giant empty space, the ball pit could also be considered a place for joyful relaxation as one dives into the sea of balls without worrying about suntan lotion, sharks, jellyfish, or plain ‘ol sand going where it shouldn’t. The balls help people stay afloat and maneuver themselves. Though people may “float,” possessions like keys, wallets, and phones will certainly and quickly sink to the bottom.

Marketing and communications manager Emma Filar chuckled, “The museum anticipates a robust lost and found — and a windfall in loose change. We’ll make a few bucks that way.”

Those concerned about germs, the museum ensures hygiene. The exhibit is sprayed down with cleaning solution daily and the balls are made with an anti-microbial substance, reportedWashington Post. Interestingly, the beach may sound a little cheaper when you consider entry fee is a little steep at $16. However, the indoor beach is open seven days a week. Not to mention, the indoor air conditioning ensures uniform temperatures with no risk of getting sunburn. Adults who prefer to swim with other grown-ups only may have to restrict themselves to Wednesdays.

The indoor beach is rendered in pristine white and even has mirrors on the wall to emulate the endless expanse of the sea as well as the distant horizons.

[Image Credit | Noah Kalina via PBS]

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