Prosthetic breasts, human dreadlocks and the severed receiver of a payphone: Just a few of the items you'll find at the upcoming Museum of Broken Relationships.
The Los Angeles museum, which aims to put heartbreak on display, is set to open in Hollywood this May, but to give a taste of its collection, museum founders hosted their first public pop-up event this week.
Despite the sad stories behind the exhibits, the mood at downtown's trendy Ace Hotel at the preview event was anything but somber. The crowd mingled, cracked jokes and shimmied to thumping DJ sets in between examining the eclectic range of items displayed around the hotel rooftop. Hundreds of people, including some semi-famous faces trickled in throughout the evening.
The good vibes may have had something to do with the general atmosphere of the event -- overlooking the glittering downtown skyline as drinks flowed and garden lights twinkled -- or perhaps the semi-voyeuristic high that comes along with peeking at other people's once-prized possessions and most private thoughts.
Each of the items on display was a donated remnant of a broken relationship -- most, though not all, romantic -- and was accompanied by a poignant backstory; the winning lottery ticket purchased by a man's lifelong best friends without him; the paper roses brought by a girlfriend to her boyfriend's workplace, only to be told they'd never heard of him; the wedding dress of a jilted wife who didn't know what else to do with it, so she shoved it in a pickle jar.
One of the many striking items on display @brokenshipsLA: a wedding dress in a pickle jar pic.twitter.com/vESz5QpFZU— Olivia Niland (@OliviaNiland) March 29, 2016
The items came from around the world -- Belgium, Brazil, Ireland, Spain, all over the United States -- emphasizing the universality of a broken heart, and the global appeal of dissecting other people's experiences. The Museum of Broken Relationships has other international ties, too, having been created by a former couple in Zagreb, Croatia in 2006, where it existed as a traveling show before becoming a permanent museum in 2010.
It was after visiting the original location while on vacation in Croatia that John Quinn, president and founder of the Los Angeles museum, was inspired to bring the concept back to California. Now, with the help of director Alexis Hyde and assistant director Amanda Vandenberg, the Los Angeles team is banking on the bittersweetness of failed relationships to draw visitors to a museum in Hollywood.
Some @brokenshipsLA items are from #LosAngeles; others donated from countries including Belgium, Ireland & Brazil. pic.twitter.com/IxvMhuCjlJ— Olivia Niland (@OliviaNiland) March 29, 2016
"To confront the objects and stories in person is a different animal than thinking about the concept abstractly," Hyde told Mashable. "It builds camaraderie -- strangers at the events all sharing their favorite object and telling stories that they were reminded of. It’s a welcome permission to be vulnerable with new people.”
The 5,000-square foot museum will hold about 100 items, including several pieces from the permanent collection. The Los Angeles location has received as many as 20 items in the mail each day since announcing the opening, Hyde said, adding that there has been a surge in donations following each of the four pop-up events around Los Angeles. The previous events have all been invite-only.
"We get the usual, love notes and heart shaped stones and dried flowers. Recently, we got in a woman’s late husband’s cologne bottles," Vandenberg said. "So much of what we receive is precious and preserved, gifts and keepsakes. But the cologne bottles are almost archeological, mostly used up and covered in a think layer of bathroom grime that comes with wear and tear. These weren’t what was precious while he was alive – they’re what was left behind. And you know they must smell like him, even after he’s gone. That one was moving.”
Some descriptions of the @brokenshipsLA items are brief. Some, like this one, are much more detailed. pic.twitter.com/RgPHYkueJl— Olivia Niland (@OliviaNiland) March 29, 2016
For some visitors who previewed the museum's offerings this week, the experience offered a sort of cathartic opportunity to reflect on their own broken relationships. Others, including Angelenos Candice and Sean, who met at her best friend's wedding the night before and decided to make the event their first date, found their relationship focus to be a bit more forward-thinking.
“Now that I say it out loud it sounds like a bad idea," Sean said laughingly, having invited Candice to the event after visiting the original museum in Croatia. "It’s captivating. A lot of the stories are sad, but it’s nice.”
The exact opening date and admission price for the Los Angeles location will be announced soon, Hyde said, as will at least one more pop-up event before the museum opening.
Ultimately, Hyde and Vandenberg said the Los Angeles Museum of Broken Relationships will aim to provide visitors with a relatable experience -- regardless of their current relationship status.
“In a world where our lives our increasingly digital –- conversations moved to text or email, photos stored entirely in the cloud –- everyone knows the sensation of holding onto physical mementos," Vandenberg said. "Everyone collects these little pieces of their lives that are tied to that unforgettable trip you took, that once in a lifetime experience, that person who left our lives too soon. We can’t help but treasure these instances of tangible ephemera."