Are you planning a trip to Austin and wondering if the Museum of Ice Cream would be a good place to visit? Have you seen the huge pink building in the Domain while driving past on Mopac and wondered what it is?
I’m answering all your questions so you know whether the Museum of Ice Cream is worth a visit for you.
In This Post
What is Museum of Ice Cream?
The Museum of Ice Cream is an immersive experience with unlimited ice cream, photo ops and playscapes.
If you’re looking for the typical museum experience where you learn about the making or history of ice cream, this isn’t that. It’s not really an educational institution.
It’s a series of cute immersive ice cream-themed rooms. There are some games and things to do, like a trivia game and ice cream whack-a-mole and magnet walls, and a playroom at the end with the famous sprinkle swimming pool.
You will get a lot of really cute photos from your visit to Museum of Ice Cream, and my kids liked seeing all the different spaces.
There were some rooms they wanted to play in that weren’t really for playing — like a swing that didn’t have any space to actually swing or the hanging bananas room where I was afraid they’d accidentally pull down some of the bananas.
Does the Museum of Ice Cream have unlimited ice cream?
Yes, you can have as much ice cream as you want while you’re inside the museum. You can even backtrack to go get seconds or go back for your favorites. In fact, I would recommend it if you want to feel like you got your money’s worth!
The ice cream, drinks and treats at the cafe (where you enter and exit) are not included.
Where is the Museum of Ice Cream?
You can find Austin’s Museum of Ice Cream in the Domain. The address is 11506 Century Oaks Terrace, #128, Austin, TX 78758. It’s near True Food Kitchen and North Italia — you can’t miss the big pink building on the side near Mopac.
There are 3 other US locations (Chicago, New York and Miami), with another coming to Boston soon, as well as a location in Singapore.
Where to park for Museum of Ice Cream?
The Domain, where the Museum of Ice Cream is located, has lots of free parking. There is a parking lot right by the museum on the side closest to Mopac that has free parking earlier in the day. It seems to become mostly valet later in the day.
There are also lots of parking garages in the Domain. The closest to MOIC is the Pink Garage.
How much is Museum of Ice Cream?
The pricing for Museum of Ice Cream fluctuates depending on what time slot and day you choose. Popular times are more expensive, and last-minute tickets will likely be even more expensive.
You can also buy anytime tickets for a specific day (choosing the day but not a time you must arrive), but those are much more expensive than choosing a time slot.
Prices range from $21 per ticket to $40 for last-minute tickets. $24 and $28 are common ticket prices if you buy in advance. Ages 2 and under get free admission.
Is Museum of Ice Cream worth it?
I think it’s worth going once if you’re looking for something indoors to do. But it’s not a must-do in my opinion.
It’s a great spot to get really fun Instagram photos, and your kids will remember it (and all the ice cream!). But it is pretty expensive. To make it worth it, I’d double back to get more helpings of your favorites and spend plenty of time in the play room at the end.
Once you exit the museum area (the sprinkle pool area is the last room), you can’t go back in.
The pros: It’s indoors, it’s good for all ages, and the ice cream is included and unlimited. It’s also very cute and you will get great photos.
The cons: It’s expensive, it’s mostly just photo ops, and kids will probably try to speed through it. This is not a place to learn about ice cream or how it’s made. Don’t expect a museum-type experience.
How long does it take to go through Museum of Ice Cream?
It takes about an hour to go through the museum, but you can take as long as you want. It’s not a guided tour. I suggest going backwards once you reach the end to enjoy it more (and get more ice cream). You can also spend as much time as your kids want in the play area with the sprinkle pool.
If you’re looking for more museum ideas (both the traditional and offbeat), check out this blog post on Austin’s best museums.
For free activities throughout Austin, check here.