Imagine a world where too much sugar isn't a bad thing. It exists thanks to a new, immersive exhibit called Candytopia.
Candytopia is a sprawling sanctuary of confectionary bliss, tastefully curated by Hollywood Candy Queen Jackie Sorkin, realised by master fabricator Zac Hartog, and brought to life by life-long retailer, John Goodman.
The touring candy museum is currently having a run in Minnesota in the United States after turns in Santa Monica, San Francisco, New York, and Atlanta.
Candytopia, an immersive experience, thinks of itself as a mini theme park, "a place where you come to escape the world". Photograph: /Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Candytopia
Guests are taken on a journey through 14 themed rooms that feature spectacular candy likenesses of the Egyptian Sphinx, Van Gogh's "Starry Night," the Statue of Liberty, a great white shark, and Rodin's "The Thinker," among many more. Photograph: Kelly Sullivan/Getty Images for Candytopia
The mini-theme park pays homage to famous rapper Cardi B. In fact, this portrait of hers at the museum took 104 hours to complete and is made entirely of Candy! Photograph: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Candytopia
Portraits of Mona Lisa and Edvard Munch's The Scream also feature at the museum. Sorkin, the woman behind the museum says hundreds of thousands pieces of candy are used to create the 3-D models. Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
For many, the place provokes immediate associations with Willy Wonka. Speaking about the purpose behind the candy wonderland, Sorkin said, “Life doesn’t always have to make sense. Life doesn’t have to be so serious.” Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
Candytopia co-founder Zac Hartog poses with a candy-formed Prince guitar, an ode to the famous singer. The guitar is made with 17,000 pieces of candy and took 85 hours to complete. The Prince portrait is made with 1,500 pieces of candy and took 62 hours to create. Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
Hundred of hours (approximately 317) and 7,800 pieces of candy later, the sphinx looms large at Candytopia. Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
In Candytopia, there's an art room, which includes portraits and replications of famous faces and works. Entry into the place costs $28 for adults and $20 for children aged 4-12. Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
At the end of the tour at the museum, there’s a giant pit full of marshmallows. They’re not real ones; they’re white foam shaped like marshmallows. Easy to jump in and kind of hard to leave. Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
Every room is an Instagrammable sugary sweet experience and a candy-coated photo opportunity for kids (and adults) of all ages. Photograph: Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Candytopia
And what candy museum is complete with candy samples? Enjoy the entire thing with multiple samples of licorice, jellybeans, gummy bears gumdrops. Photograph: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images fro Candytopia
When you exit, you will realise your face hurts from smiling so much. There can be no better cure for the blues and no better distraction from regular grownup stuff than Candytopia. Photograph: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images fro Candytopia