People wait in line for the experience. (Matthew McDermott)
TANKED:A New Museum employee enjoys “Psycho Tank,” a water experience that attracted participants seeking the joy of floating together. (AO)
City officials have flushed all the fun out of a downtown art exhibit.
The Department of Health warned the New Museum yesterday that it can no longer have more than one visitor at a time splashing around — often nude — in a giant bathtub that’s part of an adult-playground exhibition.
“The Health Department contacted administrators at the New Museum and advised them of the requirements in the Health Code and the conditions that would require approval and a permit,” said DOH’s John Kelly.
“The New Museum made the decision to limit the use of the tank to one person.”
The swirling “Psycho Tank” of super-salted water — which is warmed to body temperature — is a highlight of Carsten Höller’s “Experience” exhibit.
“This is definitely not for a germophobe,” said Charles Ritter, 74, upon emerging from the churning waters.
“I was thinking the whole time about how many city permits they had to get to do this.”
The answer was: The museum didn’t have even one.
But at least it gave some thought to the risks.
Visitors sign a form saying they do not “have any communicable diseases or other adverse health conditions that could be transmitted by being in water with others.”
Once they were immersed, jets of water would send strangers bouncing into each other in the buff.
The cozy, crowded nature of the tank put it afoul of the city’s ban on bathhouses that operate without a permit, and by late afternoon museum officials had quietly told the guard overseeing the tub to only allow one person into the water at a time.
“As of now we’re changing the policy,” deputy director John Hatfield said.
“This will be a single-person experience.”
But officials are also investigating whether other parts of the exhibit — a giant slide and a carousel — meet city regulations, a spokeswoman for the Department of Consumer Affairs told The Post last night.
Before the crackdown, museum visitors of all ages were happily exposing their wild sides.
“It’s interesting to see the body reacting in public, in ways that it doesn’t normally — especially in men,” said Maureen Robinson, 69, after she had emerged from the exhibit.