Update: Dates for Happy Place have been extended through Feb 25. Get happy for a little longer!
If you’re looking for something positive-ly unique to do this holiday season, head down to Los Angeles, where you can find your Happy Place.
While most of the country is shoveling snow and decking halls in red and green, L.A. is doing something a lot more sunny in its cultural arts district. Happy Place is the latest pop-up exhibit to open there, and you can visit it for yourself until Jan. 7 Feb. 25 (as the name suggests, pop-up exhibits are museums that run for a short amount of time).
Carefully curated to stick to a cheerful theme, Happy Place is an exhibit full of optimism and whimsy, which L.A. could really use after being battered by wildfires recently.
According to founder Jared Paul, “I want to live and raise my children in a world surrounded by what makes us happy. With the amount of unfortunate events happening recently, I believe that our world as a whole can use more happiness. To make this dream come true, we set out on a journey to create a special place filled with smiles and laughter for all.”
The goal is achieved with rooms full of symbols for happiness: confetti, yellow rubber duckies, and whimsical palm trees. As a bonus, there’s also dessert involved, ranging from cake pops to a lemonade stand that donates proceeds to charity. So far—and perhaps not surprisingly—people have really embraced the theme, and some have even proposed or made baby announcements while visiting.
Because of our Valley’s central location, it’s relatively easy for those of us in Fresno to pack up in the middle of holiday stresses and take a short three-hour drive to visit 13 rooms of cheery fun. Be sure to take your camera, because in the grand tradition of these museum pop ups, the rooms are colorful, creative, and full of opportunities for posting to social media.
For instance, you can visit a room where you jump from a giant rainbow into piles of yellow coins (with happy faces on them, of course), or dance the world’s largest confetti dome. There’s also the opportunity to climb a giant birthday cake, if you’re attracted to more frosting-oriented fun. For those seeking serious social media bragging rights, you can also purchase a rainbow grilled cheese sandwich, complete with gold flecks, from the Happy Place food truck.
Complementing the spirit of Happy Place’s 200,000 square feet of colorful cheer is the work of artist Steven Harrington. His art has been on everything from IKEA dishes to Nike sneakers, and the playful images work well with the concepts of joy and happiness.
The exhibit is family friendly, so feel free to bring the whole crew. For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, click here. If a day in a canary-yellow exhibit sounds like your idea of a good time, you’ll definitely want to reserve tickets here as soon as possible. Tickets start at $28.50 plus fees, and you’ll need to act fast because they can sell out.
Have you been to a pop-up exhibit before? Drop your tips in the comments, and share your selfies! We want to see pictures of you in a room full of candy.
Happy Place details
Location: 1242 Palmetto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Hours of Operation:
Monday 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday – CLOSED
Wednesday 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Special holiday hours run from Monday, Dec. 18 to Sunday Dec. 31. On those dates, Happy Place will be open every day of the week at 9 a.m.
For more information on Happy Place: Visit their website here or find them on:
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Snapchat
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