I think it is safe to say that happiness is something many of us could use a little more of as of late, considering what we have already encountered this year. COVID-19 has undeniably put a bit of a damper on many of our spirits, and it seems as though we have become overly focused on the negatives in our society as opposed to the positives.
Despite how shitty 2020 has been thus far, there is some positive news I am happy to share; the very first happiness museum has opened in Denmark, according to an article from The Good News Network.
“Happiness, like art, is often subjective, but unlike art, happiness isn’t something you’d expect to find hanging in a museum. Or, at least it wasn’t until an entire museum devoted to happiness opened in Copenhagen this past July.
“The Happiness Research Institute—yes, there really is such a thing—is the driving force behind the new project. According to their mission statement, the independent think tank’s goal in exploring why some societies are happier than others ‘is to inform decision-makers of the causes and effects of human happiness, make subjective well-being part of the public policy debate, and improve [the] overall quality of life for citizens across the world.’
“On July 14, 2020, with strict COVID-19 protocols in place, the 2,585 square-foot museum made its debut. With a current maximum capacity of 50, visitors are invited to explore happiness from a global perspective that includes historical insights on how the concept of happiness has evolved over the ages, and the ways in which varying regional cultures define the term.
“The museum houses a vast collection of donated artifacts that represent happiness to people from around the globe. ‘We might be Danish or Mexican or American or Chinese, but we are first and foremost people,’ (CEO Meik Wiking of the Happiness Research Institute) told CNN. ‘It’s the same things that drive happiness no matter where we’re from, and I hope that people will see that in the exhibition,'” the article states.
I think this is one of the most interesting things I have heard about in terms of museums; what an appropriate and appreciated development.
ontheedgeofeverything 