It may be hard to believe but the concept of an indoor mall was considered pioneering when the Great Lakes Mall was first built back in the early 1960s. While many malls across the country are closing their doors, the Great Lakes Mall continues to thrive. Its long-term viability over the past 60 years is a direct result of continuously adapting to consumer tastes.
It’s no secret that shoppers today are spending more time and money online, but human interaction still matters. People needs a place to gather, and the Great Lakes Mall is evolving into a leisure and lifestyle center, offering a lot more than just retail.
One of the most interesting additions is WonderCleveland – an experiential museum which mixes hands-on activities with state-of-the-art augmented reality and other high-tech features. The goal is to entertain and provide a fun social experience that is unique to Northeast Ohio.
Guests can immerse themselves in several different environments ranging from the interior of a spaceship to the inside of a volcano. The overall experience is designed to offer delight around every corner.
“We expected this to be popular with the teens and young adults…and it has been,” says WonderCleveland Owner, Jason Percival, “The overwhelmingly positive feedback from families, grandparents, and young children has been a lovely surprise. Nothing has delighted us more than to see some families returning 2-3 times per month.”
What makes the museum especially appealing is that no two visits are alike, and the experience transcends generations.
“There simply aren’t many things that the young children, teenagers, college students, parents, and grandparents, can all enjoy doing together. A visit to WonderCleveland delights all of those groups,” he adds.
Guests are encouraged to set aside at least an hour per visit to enjoy the nuanced details in each scene and find all of the hidden augmented reality targets.
Visitors are assigned time slots so that groups are guaranteed a quality experience without overcrowding although visitors are encouraged to stay for as long as they want. Best of all, cameras are welcomed so the moment can be shared.
Although there are a wide variety of augmented realities to plunge into, a few favorites do stand out.
“Although I’m very excited to begin yoga classes in the beach room I think my favorite space to relax in is the rainforest exhibit,” says Percival, “There are some obvious square footage limitations so we built a few areas to sit, relax and take in this environment, so guests can spend time and experience the surroundings without having to walk very far.”
The concept for WonderCleveland drew its inspiration from a pop-up Christmas Instagram museum Percival installed in downtown Cleveland in 2019. Mall management fell in love with the idea, and they worked closely to expand on the vision and make it a reality.
When asked what’s next, Percival looks forward to continuing to update immersive attractions as well as create fun indoor and outdoor events in around the city.
WonderCleveland is located in the main concourse of the Great Lakes Mall across from JCPenney. Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time so that preferred time slots can be reserved but tickets are also sold at the door. WonderCleveland is also available for private events.
Thanks to WonderCleveland for their investment in our community. We wish them continued success in the future.
For additional information, visit www.wondercleveland.com, via email, or follow them on Instagram.