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FunBox is an “epic pop-up museum celebrating toys” that is currently at the Thousand Oaks Mall through 3 January 2019. According to the official website:  |
| FUNBOX. (c) the joyous living. |
FUNBOX is an insanely interactive instagrammable walk-through toy land! This 2 million dollar selfie-emporium is a maze of 24 large art installations and exhibits you simply cannot find anywhere else. We used over 60,000 pieces to make this a reality, including: Pool Noodles, Sticky Notes, Bananas, Flowers, Giant Crayons, Teddy Bears and much, much more. Antonio Nieves, the founder of FUNBOX, collaborated with artists, engineers, and designers from all corners of the world to design and construct these 24 experiences. The inspiration came from Antonio’s 9 younger siblings, bringing an affordable and modern experience to local communities.
Located next to the LUSH store upstairs at the Oaks Mall, the best parking options are outside the Macy’s Men Store and Dick’s Sporting Goods. [According to Funbox, the preferred parking location is Nordstroms which surprises me actually.]
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| in the queue. (c) the joyous living. |
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| FunBox. (c) the joyous living. |
Upon arrival at the bright pop-up (can’t miss all the yellow!) you’ll be met by some joyous young people dressed in train conductor overalls who’ll scan your ticket and point you to the proper queue. There are two queues blocked off by the railing and groups are let in every 15 minutes after receiving quick instructions including that you can only go forwards in the exhibit w/o making your way back through the pop-up. So be sure to enjoy as much time as you want in each installation before moving on.
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| Teddy Bear Tunnel. (c) the joyous living. |
The audience starts off with a walk through the teddy bear tunnel. It really is incredible as you go along to think of how much time it must have taken the pop-up employees to put together these installations. Next we came up to the adult-sized crayons complete with two very slippery swings where you can take a selfie with a friend. Do beware because I had got my seat and just as I was taking my phone out to take a selfie with my girlfriend, I literally took a tumble and fell hard on my backside. #Embarassing.
So please do be careful as both my friend and I found the swings to be slippery.
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| Those Slippery Swings. (c) The Joyous Living. |
Next we made our way through a floral tunnel. I quite wished it was real floral (not practical) but wouldn’t it smell delicious?
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| The floral tunnel. (c) The Joyous Living. |
Next up was a balloon cage and different childhood themes including a Monopoly board and a wall made up of post-its designed to look like superheroes and a colorful alpaca. In this room there were a couple steps throughout and I am not sure if I saw a way that someone with a walker or wheelchair could make their way through the room.
Next there were several rooms off a hallway with large emojis and colorful exhibits. I just adored the piggy room myself and there was a great monkey/banana exhibit that would be great for a group of friends.
The longest queue was for a mirrored room. A lady monitored the room and timed everyone’s entry. When we walked into the room (again there was a step, I believe) it required a minute for the eyes to adjust but what a fun experience!! I think this might have been one of my favorite installations. Funny enough there were even a few scented air fresheners on the floor in a corner.
Lastly we walked through a small room that was strung up with fringe that had me thinking of the 70s and an alphabet tunnel before coming up to another short queue where waited to visit the last room that housed the giant cereal bowl. While waiting to enter the room, we had a chance to pose at the Instagram wall and see photos others had taken at the exhibit.
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| fringe room. (c) the joyous living |
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| alphabet tunnel. (c) the joyous living. |
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| instagram wall. (c) the joyous living. |
Everyone had five minutes time in which to enjoy the Instagram-able set complete with large (and heavy) spoons. Shoes and purses could be kept in a cubby box. I decided to go without since there was no way in the cereal bowl without jumping up. Unfortunately, there were no steps up available.
What a fun experience. It took us 30 minutes to get through the exhibit from start to finish but I would allow for up to an hour so you can fully enjoy the place and take numerous photos. Be sure to check the photos before moving on to the next room as you can’t go backwards. I noticed a few of the photos were out of focus and/or poorly lit afterwards so they’ve been left out. Also, it can be overstimulating for children so taking your time might help.
Thanks for reading my review. I strongly encourage anyone in the area to check out FunBox while it’s in Thousand Oaks through 3 January 2019. The laughs and memories will be great for all ages. And you’ll walk away with dozens of fun photos worth posting on Instagram. Maybe you’ll even be featured on their Instagram wall. #funbox Operating Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 12PM – 6PM // Friday: 12PM – 8PM // Saturday: 10AM – 8PM // Sunday: 11AM – 7PM
Location:
350 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91360
Tickets:
Buy online soon because many times are already sold out. $12 for children (5-12) and $17 for 13+. Children 4 and younger do not need a ticket.
Accessibility:
you will need to be able to make your own way through the exhibit and manage the occasional step. I used a cane. Mothers were asked to park their strollers in the giant cereal bowl room so I am not sure if wheelchairs would be allowed or if it would be easy to make your way through the walkways where kids are constantly running back and forth.
FUNBOX is supporting RaisingHOPE in Thousand Oaks, CA. RaisingHOPE is a local based charity that provides advocacy, awareness and funds to abused and neglected children, many of whom are or were in the foster care system locally in Ventura County. Together, we can help them live their dreams too. 
