Photo blog: The BEACH at the National Building Museum

July 2, 2015

If real beaches aren’t your thing, stop by the National Building Museum starting Saturday to enjoy a fake one. The BEACH exhibit is a pure white alternative, without the risk of sand in your shoes.

We went to a preview of the BEACH to see what it was like:

TheBeach2_DH — White beach chairs and umbrellas set up on each side of the foam platform lead to a giant ball pit that you can either saunter or plunge into. Desiree Halpern | Photo Editor

TheBeach3_DH — Union Kitchen has its own concession stand in the back of The BEACH, adding to the resort-like feel of the exhibit. They offer green smoothies, patriotic cake pops and coffee. Desiree Halpern | Photo Editor

TheBeach4_DH — The Union Kitchen staff members enjoy a “swim” together in the transparent ball pit. The pit contains almost a million recyclable balls, some of which have names of donors written across them. Desiree Halpern | Photo Editor

TheBeach5_DH — Visitors can jump right into the “water” without having to worry about getting wet or hitting rocks. The transparent balls are surprisingly comfortable and allow for a relaxing float. Guests can also walk on the pier or lay in beach chairs. Desiree Halpern | Photo Editor

TheBeach6_DH — The BEACH exhibit requires visitors to buy tickets to enter, and there are a limited amount of chairs. Desiree Halpern | Photo Editor

The GW Hatchet

The GW Hatchet

The GW Hatchet

Photo blog: The BEACH at the National Building Museum