Austin has a brand new pop-up art exhibit, and it’s so fun! Balloon Museum has brought Let’s Fly to Austin for a limited time and it’s full of inflatable exhibits — and most of them are interactive.
If you’re considering a visit to this installation, here’s everything you need to know about Balloon Museum’s Let’s Fly pop-up in Austin.
We had a really good time — it was longer and more interactive than I was expecting, and great for kids. It is pretty pricey though; our tickets were free as part of an influencer event, but our family of 4 would’ve cost $140+. I’ve listed some things to consider, below, to decide if it’s worth it to your family!
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Everything You Need to Know About Balloon Museum
What is the Balloon Museum?
Balloon Museum is a large-scale exhibition where the prominent element in each installation is air — inflatables, balloons, big balls, etc. You go through different rooms with big exhibits — most of them are interactive and they’re all great photo ops.
There are 4 different Balloon Museum exhibitions that travel around the world. The others are currently in Singapore, San Francisco and Paris.
The exhibition in Austin, Let’s Fly, has around 16 installations in it. Some of them are quick to see and some are “shows” that take 2 to 5 minutes.
Where is Balloon Museum in Austin?
This pop-up exhibition is in the old Louis Shanks building at 2930 W Anderson Ln., Austin, TX 78757. It’s a former furniture store and showroom that closed last year, and it’s a really gorgeous space for the exhibit with plush carpeted staircases and a chandelier.
Can I bring my kids to Let’s Fly?
Yes, Balloon Museum is open to all ages. 3 and under get in free. Since it’s interactive, it’s actually a lot of fun for kids!
How much does Balloon Museum cost?
Tickets start at $39 (plus fees) for adults and $29 (plus fees) for kids. If your kid is under 4, they can attend for free. Ticket prices get more expensive for more popular times.
Is Let’s Fly from Balloon Museum worth the price?
Since tickets are pretty expensive, you may be wondering if it’s worthwhile. I’m on the fence — the price is high, but it was actually really fun for both the kids and adults. It has good photo ops, but it’s actual fun and not JUST photo ops like some pop-ups can be.
Here’s some more information to help you decide if it’s worth the price for your family.
I was worried we would speed right through it (my kids always want to run to the next thing), but I’d say it takes at least an hour or an hour and a half to get through if you see everything. There are more than a dozen different installations.
They include:
- inflatable polygons to build with/crawl through;
- huge balls to roll around;
- big weeble-wobble type creatures in a blacklight room with disco balls (we all had a blast in this room);
- a giant helium balloon with charcoal sticks on it so it bounces around and marks on the ceiling and walls;
- the biggest ball pit I’ve ever seen with a light show and deep enough that you can be totally covered;
- a room full of balloons where air blows them all around;
- a giant light-up butterfly you can watch from underneath;
- and more.
You can’t bring your own food and drinks, but there is a little cafe area with popcorn, cupcakes, drinks and other items for purchase.
Kids can take part in almost all of the installations. They may be too short to reach the helium balloon with charcoal, and the VR installation is recommended for ages 9 and up.
You will have to wait in line for some of the installations. The longest wait is at the ball pit, because guests get to be in there for 5 minutes, but they let big groups in at a time.
How long will the Balloon Museum be in Austin?
The Balloon Museum is open in Austin from June 21 to November 2.
How long does it take to go through Let’s Fly exhibits?
There are more than a dozen installations spread across different floors at Louis Shanks. If you see all of them, you should expect it to take at least an hour to an hour and a half.
Can I bring food and drink to Balloon Museum?
No outside food and drink are allowed. There is a cafe spot toward the end of the installations where they sell some food and drink.
Where do I park for the Balloon Museum?
There is a parking garage attached to the Louis Shanks building for $10. There are also several free parking lots within a block of the building.
Looking for more art and museums? See the best ones in Austin.