Update: The Museum of Ice Cream has released a statement about sprinkle-gate, which you can read in full at the bottom of the post.
The unrelentingly buzzy Museum of Ice Cream got off to a predictably strong start since it debuted in Miami during Art Basel week. The new year, though, hasn’t been so kind.
The drama stems from the Museum of Ice Cream’s biggest attraction—its sprinkle pool. First, the Museum of Ice Cream battled over payment with the contractor who built the pool. And now, the Museum is in hot water with local environmentalists who cited a trail of colorful plastic sprinkles littered around the property. Apparently, guests are accidentally carrying them out of the museum and onto the street. After complaints surfaced, the City of Miami Beach even fined the Museum.
The Museum has since done its best to take responsibility, installing a golden shower (we know) to help blow the sprinkles off patrons with a burst of air. And now it's hiring a team of dedicated “sprinkle cleaners.” You can apply now via indeed.com if you have over a year of general labor experience, are “willing to work outside all day on your feet” and are cool with making $11 an hour.
“This position will focus on using a portable back-pack vacuum keeping clean a 3-block radius around the museum,” reads the job description. Hopefully, perks include free ice cream. And don't worry about those extra calories. You'll be working outside all day on your feet.
Statement from the MOIC: At Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC), we take our role very seriously as an organization that aims to entertain the public and to inspire and position ourselves as a brand who greatly understands our social responsibility and cultural presence. We appreciate the feedback we have received from visitors and the local Miami Beach community and have made swift action to work closely with the City. We have re-configured the entire museum allowing the sprinkle pool to be the first experience for our visitors. In addition to re-training the staff, adding dividers, and hiring additional staff members and cleaners to maintain the grounds throughout the building, our reconfiguration will keep the sprinkles contained within the 15,000 square feet of the MOIC boundaries. MOIC’s cleaners are currently utilizing specially made $5,000 backpack vacuums to capture sprinkles in the crevices of the sidewalks around the clock. As always, our ambassadors encourage a fun sprinkle shake dance after each dip in the pool so the majority of sprinkles stay in a contained area. By the end of each day and the start of each morning, we will do everything in our power to keep the sprinkles off the street. Lastly, we have already begun the process of creating a biodegradable sprinkle for our Sprinkle Pool, that will be implemented in the near future. Our team is greatly invested in putting our best foot forward by continuing our sustainable efforts and providing a socially inclusive and accessible experience for all to enjoy. Our goal is to instill a sense of community and give back to each city that we reside, leaving behind a positive and lasting impression.
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