This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the brand-new Museum of Failure in Brooklyn, New York. The museum’s name indicates exactly what it has on display, items that were created and ultimately failed to gain widespread popularity.
The museum is located in the Industry City neighborhood of Brooklyn, which is a destination in itself, but the attraction is worth a visit if you are in the area. I took a stroll down memory lane as I meandered through the exhibition space, weaving excitedly past kiosks displaying products that I recalled from my childhood.
Most of the items on display seemed to have been developed in the 70s and 80s. In fact, I found it interesting that I used to own some of the items, which ranged from failed Oreo cookie flavors to cars such as the DeLorean, made famous of course by the Back to the Future movies. Some products are the first generation of a particular item that failed to garner commercial success but then picked up momentum after a few updates…think Apple Computer.
The Museum of Failure was created in Sweden and Brooklyn is one of only a few cities which can boast the exhibition. While it seems to stay fun and whimsical for the most part, the museum does feature an extensive display of all things Donald Trump including his board game – which I owned – to his steak brand, and books. I’m not sure all of the books would be deemed a failure as I do remember The Art of the Deal being quite popular when it was published.
For the adventurous, take a sneak peek into the adults-only section, which boasts an interesting array of sex toys and other items.
I wish the museum was a bit more interactive but in all, it was a fun experience.
For more information and for museum hours and tickets, please visit https://thefailuremuseum.com/new-york/