What Ice Cream Can Teach Us About Connection — Manish Vora

Manish Vora, CEO and co-founder of the Museum of Ice Cream, shares how a 30-day pop-up across from the Whitney Museum became a global experiential brand and helped define what he calls the “experium,” a mix between a museum and an experience.In this conversation, he reflects on how we define a museum, why participation and hospitality matter as much as physical design, and how simple rituals like choosing an ice cream name can spark real connection. He also opens up about scaling location-based experiences, designing for play in a phone-saturated world, and what’s ahead with new flagship locations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.--© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.124 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10011Founder and CEO, Charles MelcherDirector, Carolyn MerrimanAssistant Producer, Tsuki Carlsonin collaboration with Charts & LeisureFounder, Jason OberholtzerProducer, Meghal JanardanEditor, Garrett Crowe Mix and Music, Michael SimonelliWith special thanks to Manish Vora, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.