After about 45 minutes at the museum, I'd say the experience is best done in a multi-generational group to spark conversations about the past, present, and future.
The Museum of Failure
The Museum of Failure is a collection of ambitious, but failed innovations curated by Sweden-based psychologist Samuel West.
The collection is on display in New York City until May 14, 2023.
Standard admission to the museum is about $22 per person during the week, and $29 on the weekends.
The exhibitions consisted of inventions from the past 400 years. There were creations on display from as far back as the 1600s and as recent as 2022.The Ford Edsel (1958-1960) lost the automotive company around $350 million after it was negatively received by consumers who found the car unattractive.
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NuSpoons were nominated to appear in the museum by their inventor who created the foldable paper spoons meant to be a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic."It was a good idea, but they're actually pretty difficult to fold," a museum staff member told Insider.
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McDonald's Arch Deluxe (1996-1997) was a $300 million investment for the fast-food giant, but its ad campaign showing children disgusted by the sandwich fell flat.The chain intended to create a burger with a more "grown-up taste," but failed to appeal to customers.
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The Nintendo Power Glove (1989-1990) was the first mass-marketed wearable video game controller, but functionality issues led to its swift downfall.Items at the Museum of Failure were scored on innovation, design, implementation, and the fail-o-meter that rated failures on a scale from one to 10.
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I was surprised to see the Segway (2001) on display as they're still sold, but some items were failures because they simply didn't live up to the hype.The Segway was meant to be the new way humans got around when it was unveiled over 20 years ago. Although it didn't replace cars or bikes, you can still purchase one.
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On the walls of next to the exhibitions, there were posters dedicated to entrepreneurs who famously failed on their rode to success."Make America Fail Again," this poster read next to a display of former president Donald Trump's failed business ventures.
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"It's quite violent," a staff member commented on the interactive Hula Chair (2007-2010) meant for exercising while at your desk.Guests of the museum sat in the chair only to be surprised by the intensity of the hula motion it made when turned on.
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The Uroclub (2008) was one of the more disturbing displays I came across. As the name suggests, it's a golf club and urinal in one.The Uroclub was featured on season 1 of ABC's Shark Tank, and was invented by a urologist.
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Although the museum is suitable for all ages, there's a section dedicated to adult inventions like the Spray-on Condom (2006-2008) and Hooters Air (2003-2006).The Spray-on Condom was invented by the German Institute for Condom Consultancy in an effort to create a condom that fits everyone perfectly, but it failed to address awkward application issues like the three-minute dry time. Hooters Air was an airline created by the famous restaurant chain, but the company failed to thrive in the sky.
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The "Failure in Progress" poster featured more recent inventions that could still succeed or flop - but it's too soon to tell.
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These see-through Lululemon yoga pants ultimately cost the company around $67 million in 2013 after founder Chip Wilson commented that the product wasn't for larger women, according to the museum.Not all failures were utter flops. Lululemon may have suffered in 2013, but the brand is still popular with young female shoppers.
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The 3D TV (2010-2017) gained popularity in the late 2000s — especially with the release of James Cameron's "Avatar" — but studios weren't really interested in shooting 3D productions."It's been a walking corpse for the last couple of years, and now 3D TV finally looks dead," CNET proclaimed in 2017.
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The museum's "Wall of Oreos" featured countless flavors the cookie brand attempted to launch without much luck – even if some were cult favorites.Some of the failed flavors, according the museum, include key lime pie, jelly donut, and mint.
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Google Glass (2013-2015) was another example of a successful company taking a big swing with a new invention and ultimately missing the mark.The "smart glasses" boasted a built-in camera, internet access, and voice controls, but they came with a hefty price tag of $1,500.
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Before snowboards arrived in the 1990s, there was the Monoski (1981)."It could possibly work in powder, but I don't understand why anyone would use it on regular ski slopes," a ski rental operator told the Museum of Failure.
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At the end of their tour, attendees were encouraged to share their own failures with a notes left on this wall."Many people regret not doing something, over doing it," a staff member told Insider.
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"Pronouncing 'amphitheater' (as) 'ampli-theater' for 30 years," one failure note read.While some failures were more serious and expressed deep regret, others were small blunders with a comedic tone.
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