Viniks help kick off 'The Beach' immersive art exhibit

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Who says Tampa doesn't have a beach? A unique, interactive art exhibit was installed at Amalie Arena and, for the next three weeks, you can visit The Beach for free.

It's 15,000 square feet filled with 1.2 million small, white balls, much like the ones found in a kids play place. They make up The Beach, an immersive art exhibit brought to Tampa by Penny and Jeff Vinik.

"Once inside, it was so much fun, pure joy," Penny Vinik told FOX 13 News.

Penny first saw the exhibit in Washington D.C. last year, where the wait to get inside was two hours. It was extremely popular. Once she saw it, she knew it would be perfect at Amalie Arena.

"One of the things about The Beach - it appeals to all ages," Penny said. "For everyone, really kind of priceless."

The Beach was created by Snarkitecture, a New York-based architecture and design studio. After a lot of logistics, the Viniks were able to bring it to Tampa and share it with the Bay Area. Their goal is for people to enjoy the experience, see art in a different way, and have fun.

"Art has many definitions. Art can also be an immersive experience. [I am] so excited about doing this," Jeff said. "Display a different definition of art, free for everyone in the community."

Before you start thinking about the germs, Snarkitecture said not to worry. The plastic balls are protected with GermBLOCK, which, the makers say, protects people from 50 different kinds of bacteria.