Just in case you missed it, the Tin Building — Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s reconstruction of the historic building at the Seaport that was dedicated to fine dining and fine grocery shopping — is no more. It closed in February after four years. In the shell of its former structure is Balloon Museum, a inflatable interactive art exhibit out of Italy, which opened in August.

I introduce it this way since it is really a shock to walk through the lightless catacombs of the new space and think how everything there — the fish mobile at the beer bar, the elaborate candy store shelves, the lacquer bar at the Chinese restaurant — is just gone gone gone. Even the railings in the stairwells are now painted over.

Yes, I know, the new tenant had no use for any of it. But I am just saying, even if you also had no use for the Tin Building, you had to appreciate its interior design and the investment made to make it beautiful.

So, back to the Balloon Museum. This is the first permanent location (they have a five-year lease) for the concept launched in Italy in 2021 as an experimental showcase by a group called Lux Entertainment. The space here — 53,000 square feet — has monumental site-specific works as well as inflatable commissions developed with renowned artists that will change out over time. I am only sampling a few of the rooms here — there are more than a dozen in total.

The opening show is titled “DAYDREAM – Air Becomes Art,” and is anchored with a piece by performance artist Marina Abramović called “Snowy/Windy/Spring on Planet Z.” Visitors move through a blindingly bright room with a snaking path through a field of shoulder-high plastic inflatable grass and pieces of tissue paper intended as snow — it’s described as a “wintery extraterrestrial meadow.”

There is a room crammed with balloons that are three feet in diameter that you can push — or bounce — your way through. There’s a glowing, ethereal carousel. There’s a room where a giant balloon slowly marks the wall with graphite. There’s a giant bouncy castle room that my 24-year-old son loved, but that I quickly jogged on tiptoes across so I didn’t accidentally moon-landing-style plop onto the couples making out in the middle.

We were there for an opening night party, so the final room was set up like a night club. Kind of cool and fun, actually. But the very cute owner of Green Klub, the cannabis store right across the street, said he’s only seen a steady line of strollers coming into Balloon Museum since it opened. That’s a pricey outing for kids ($49 at peak hours; $59 for the adult)  but it does make sense. The shorter you are, the more effective these installations will be on the senses.

Balloon Museum
96 South Street at Pier 17
newyork@balloonmuseum.world
Monday to Thursday, 10a to 7p
Friday, 10a to 8p
Saturday, 9a to 8p
Sunday, 9a to 7p