Failures are stepping stones to success. But how often do we get to learn from them? Our mistakes train us to do better and make us aware of what we want to accomplish. One such hoard of failures is this Museum of Failure established in several cities around the world.
This initiative to create a safer and nurturing environment for those of us who are scared to make mistakes was taken forward by Dr. Samuel West, and is one of the most interesting places to visit around the world. “The main message that I want to convey through the museum, is that it’s okay to share your inadequacies, failures, stupid questions and unrefined ideas without being negatively judged”, says Dr. West.
A collection of failures
The Museum of Failure is an assemblage of failed products and services. It is home to innovations that failed to succeed, showcasing the thought process involved in building them. This provides an engaging experience for the visitors to learn from.
The museum believes in motivating people to create, innovate and learn from the roadblocks on their journey. It bestows an enhanced insight into the precarious business of development and experimentation upon folks who visit it. Accepting that we have made errors and giving a thought to its ‘what, why and how’ results in balanced growth of mindset.
Not a grin or awkward stare while talking about one’s shortcomings and acknowledging one’s inaccuracies is the kind of atmosphere that the pioneer of this museum, Dr.West desired to deliver to all those who aspire to create.
World’s best worst ideas
This museum is typically a traveling exhibition of the world’s worst innovations.
It accommodates Teleguide – a telephone with a screen – wherein you can search for numbers; The Ford Edsel – a much-awaited car with buttons on the steering wheel to change gears; DIVX DISC – a disposable DVD– you would have 48 hours to watch the movie once you bought it; Smartphones like Microsoft Kin, Twitter Peak, Iridium Satellite Phone and Amazon Fire phone;
BIC for Her – a pen designed purely for the female hand, The Rejuvenique – an electrical face mask to help you stay young, Itera Plastic Bicycle, Apple’s Newton MessagePad: A message pad that could take notes and send faxes, Coca-Cola’s diet coke, are some of the many commercial failures that are put on display.
Shedloads of inspiring inventions displayed in the Museum of Failure failed because of higher rates than expected, low demand, unsatisfactory customer response, inadequacy in meeting people’s expectations, and various other reasons.
Lessons to learn from Dr. West
Dr. Samuel West is a psychologist and has a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology. He launched the Museum of Failure in 2017, presenting over 100 innovation failures from around the world. It was first opened on June 6th, 2017 in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Seeing big companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple committing mistakes liberates people to tread on their path and take meaningful risks without worrying about failures. It is crucial to fail mindfully, consider your mistakes, and learn from them instead of sweeping them under the carpet.
Attempting to dig your way out of failure, more often than not, leaves companies getting mocked for their ignorant excuses. West says while explaining this, “Procter and Gamble’s Olestra was the calorie-free fat substitute that allowed you to eat as many crisps as you like, without putting on weight. The catch was, it gave people diarrhea, as a result of which the company rebranded it as Anal Leakage. This elevated the product from being a simple failure to being openly mocked”
Exhibitions
This interesting and unconventional museum was first started in Helsingborg, Sweden, on June 6th, 2017 which went on till September. Presently, it is hosting exhibitions in France, Shanghai, and Los Angeles. It also hosts Mini Popup Exhibits for events. These smaller versions have a total of nine artifacts along with brief trivia about their initiatives.
The exhibition in Shanghai was hosted by Department Store No.1 from January to March 2019.
The second exhibition in Sweden was started on 2nd June 2018 and closed 6 months later.
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