TAMPA — I was prepared to mock The Beach, which is this strange art exhibit turned play space at Amalie Arena, but it turned out to be utterly charming.

Kids of all ages dive into a 3-foot-deep pool filled with 1.2 million white plastic balls.

And that’s it. Simple, silly fun.

The Beach looks like a bubble bath, sounds like a carnival and feels like a party.

Interested? The Beach Tampa is open from noon to 8 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays at Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr., downtown Tampa. Tickets are free, but they must be reserved on-line. Free parking at the South Regional Parking Garage. thebeachtampa.com. ticketmaster.com.

You know what caught my eye? Everyone seemed to be smiling.

Smiling and playing. Smiling and laughing. Smiling and struggling to swim, crawl or flop around in these goofy white balls.

When I waded over to interview Maralyn Robertson, a Tampa mom who grew up in Sarasota, I almost trampled her 12-year-old son.

“He’s under there somewhere,” she joked. “He’s having a blast.”

Robertson and her 5-year-old daughter were playing with a beach ball in a corner of the pool, which has mirrored walls. All of their reflections seemed pretty happy to be there.

“It’s fun and it’s free,” Robertson said. “And now we don’t want to leave.”

If you have kids, grandkids or friends who enjoy acting like kids, I would recommend a road trip to Tampa.

The Beach will be open to the public daily through Aug. 25.

If you like to take photos and selfies, like everyone else in the world, here’s a tip: Wear dark or colorful clothes. In white, you’ll fade right into the background.

Snarkitecture?

The Beach was designed by Snarkitecture, a New York studio, and opened last year in Washington, D.C. This year’s Florida appearance was sponsored by the Vinik Family Foundation, which is led by the owners of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Snarkitecture website explains that this project “abstracted both the natural and cultural elements of the beach to create a reduced, monochromatic environment.”

I don’t know about all that, but The Beach is a lot of fun and a little strange.

I saw dads tossing their kids into the pool and moms doing perfect back flops next to them. When you take a break, it’s tempting to lean back on a wave of balls and let the beach music wash over you.

“Good Vibrations” sounded just about right.

— By Thomas Becnel