In Zagreb, you can find memories of relationships that have ended in different parts of the world. The “Museum of Broken Relationships” has become a hit destination in the Croatian capital.
20:35•Updated 20:37
ZAGREB The lady from Paris couldn’t bear to look at the espresso machine in her basement, which she used to prepare her ex-husband’s beloved coffee.
A Slovenian woman got tired of looking at a badly bruised garden gnome that she had thrown at her husband’s car in a fit of rage during a divorce.
The father of a Danish family committed suicide after returning from his deployment in Afghanistan. The family wanted the father’s medals and bridal bouquets kept after the parents’ wedding out of sight.
All these and almost five thousand other objects from different parts of the world have ended up in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, in recent years. The world’s only Museum of Broken Relationships is located here.
The museum collects all kinds of objects related to broken hearts.
As a cover letter for the items, the anonymous senders include a story about the end of the relationship. Donations are common and vary from a package of pizza dough to tickets for sports games bought together.
“Safe, but far from yourself”
The idea of a divorce exhibition was developed by a Croatian couple who had themselves divorced at the beginning of the millennium. An artist Dražen Grubišić and film producer I was Vištica were wondering what to do with a small, worn-out stuffed toy that had accompanied them on their travels.
The “travel bunny” was too painful to keep, but too meaningful to throw away.
– They wanted to establish a place where other people could store such objects so that they are safe, but far away from themselves, museum director Ariana Juraić tells.
The art project immediately resonated with the audience. Grubišić and Vištica started collecting memories of others’ breakups.
At first the exhibitions toured the world, but in 2010 Grubišić and Vištica established a permanent exhibition space at the parade ground in Zagreb’s Old Town. Now it is the most popular museum in the city.
The exhibition also visited Finland in 2016.
Sadness, rage and humor
Not all objects tell of a romantic relationship. A mother whose son died has sent the boy’s room door, on which his friends have written farewell messages, to the museum.
One has had to leave his homeland, the other his religion.
Someone didn’t want to keep the “Fuck you!” – tag, but wanted to keep it in the museum. It sums up well the other messages left for former loved ones around.
The museum also has iconic Finnish objects such as an old Nokia mobile phone from 2004 or a Pikku Myy doll.
Along with sadness and disappointment, anger can be seen in the objects. For example, the “ex-axe” was sent by a Berliner who used it to chop up every piece of furniture belonging to his ex-girlfriend after she returned to his ex-wife.
“Two weeks after leaving, he came back to get furniture. They were neatly organized into small piles and pieces. He took the trash and left my apartment for good. The ax became a therapeutic object,” writes the donor.
“Visitors want to relate”
According to museum director Juraić, the most popular are objects that make you laugh. People stop at them for the longest time.
One such is an exercise bike that someone has sent from Nurmijärvi. This is how a person from Nurmijärvi writes:
“This exercise bike was originally a Christmas present for my wife. It has preset programs like Heart Recovery (doesn’t work). When I found out that he likes riding a bike much more than an exercise bike, I broke up with him.”
“He didn’t want to take the bike with him; I assume his heart is fine. The bike has been outside for a year and a half waiting for its final location. And what better place for that than this museum!”
“The cold, calculating behavior of the most important person in the world can take away your dignity as a husband, father and human being, but only for a moment, because life wins in the end. Towards a better tomorrow ;)”
According to museum director Ariana Juraić, people come to the museum to identify with the experiences of people they don’t know.
– All of us have had our hearts broken for one reason or another. Reading about other people’s experiences can bring comfort to your own life situation, says Juraić.
What item would you send to the Museum of Broken Relationships? You can discuss the topic until 23:00 on Thursday evening.