I love quirky museums. Sure, famous works of art and historical artifacts are ok, but a museum offering a departure from the regular fare always gets my attention. Upon learning about the Museum of Broken Relationships, it went immediately to the top of my must-see list for our day visit to Croatia’s capital city Zagreb.
Review: The Museum of Broken Relationships
After a one-week tag-along trip on Steve’s business in Krakow, followed by nine solid days together boating and cycling along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, what better way to cap off our concentrated time together than with a visit to The Museum of Broken Relationships? We had an 11-hour layover in Zagreb on our way home. Realistically, we had time to visit one attraction, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and stroll through the city centre. This museum was easy to get to, took an hour and a bit to visit, and its premise is something to which virtually everyone can relate. It was well worth the visit.
Why Broken Relationships?
The introduction at the start of the exhibition states that we don’t fully acknowledge the experience of a relationship’s end. We recognize marriages, funerals, and even graduation farewells. However, despite the emotional turmoil that often comes when a relationship is over, we deny ourselves any formal recognition of the experience of love and loss.
The museum’s collection began in Croatia in 2006 and began as a touring exhibit. People immediately took to it and started contributing their own breakup stories. It now has a permanent home in Zagreb at the Kulmer Palace in the city’s historic Upper Town. There is also a location in Hollywood, California. The museum’s website allows for a virtual visit of the collection as well.
How Do You Exhibit Heartbreak?
The museum divides the collection according to relationship related themes. People from all over the world have contributed to the collection with their personal relationship-ending stories and artifacts. Some relate to brief childhood crushes, others to relationships that have ended due to betrayal or abuse. There is a section devoted to problem relationships with parents and relationships that have ended as the result of death. Some of the displays include objects that were significant to the relationship. A few include audio or video recordings.
It’s like a voyeuristic visit into someone else’s life
The combination of reading a person’s story and seeing the personal object that played a central part in the relationship has a surprisingly emotional effect. The fact that people contribute to the museum’s collection as a way to symbolically move on also gives each exhibit poignancy.
It’s not all sad
You would think that a visit to this museum would be unbearably maudlin. It might be if you were in the midst of a breakup, but several of the exhibits are either quite matter-of-fact, and others are just funny. I could relate to a few of the stories, recalling my own broken relationships. On balance, I came away with a feeling of affirmation. Even though a relationship’s end is often painful, one usually comes out of the experience having learned something.
The stories also prompted me to reflect on the value of enduring relationships, such as the kind that survives a few weeks of travelling together.
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[…] the tales are heartbreakingly sad, while others are outrageous or funny. Read a full review of this quirky museum in another blog […]
What an unusual premise for a museum. At first I thought it might be extremely depressing but after reading your descriptions and comment that it isn’t all sad, I think it might be an interesting look at relationships and life. That appeals to the writer in me.
Yes, it’s unusual premise is exactly why I had to go see it! The stories are fascinating, and some are darkly comical.
Wonderful writeup. Very informative.
Thanks so much. I really enjoyed visiting the museum.