The National Building Museum has opened an indoor beach exhibit this month, made up of a gigantic 10,000 square-foot "ocean" ball pit, a 50-foot shoreline complete with beach chairs, umbrellas and a snack bar in the museum's Great Hall, according to The Washington Post.

The idea for an indoor beach arose from the need for a classic American summertime activity in Washington D.C.. The exhibit, designed by architecture firm Snarkitecture, was built with the intention to create a simple indoor version of a typical beach experience.

"You can jump off the pier, have a snack, hang out in a chair and read a book," said Snarkitecture co-founder Alex Mustonen. "Basically what you would do at the beach."

  

The exhibit, which was built within two weeks, has attracted thousands of visitors, young and old, since it opened with its giant ball pit made up of nearly 750,000 white, anti-microbial balls. The indoor beach is open seven days a week and costs $16 for entry and they even have an adults only night on Wednesdays, according to Inquisitr.

Visitors had the oportunity to enjoy the beach life without its inconveniences. "Clearly, it's a blast," said Melanie Bielski, who was visiting with her daughter. "There's no sunscreen. With her fair skin, it's a bonus and it's not humid," she said, USA Today reported.

"It kind of feels like you're floating on your back in the water," said another visitor. "You have to be in the moment when you're here. You don't think about the rest of your life."