Inspired by the original Museum of Broken Relationships in Croatia, America now has its own Smithsonian of Sorrow to call its own. “The Museum of Broken Relationships explores broken love and other human relationships — what they mean to us, what they tell us about what we share and how we can learn and grow from them,” explains the museum’s website. “It is composed of objects donated anonymously by members of the public from all over the world. Each exhibit is an object (some of them ordinary, some of them extraordinary) and a story, which together recount a watershed event in someone’s life. The exhibits reflect the full range of human emotions. Some are sad; but many are amusing and hopeful and remind us that people change, grow and recover. Love relationships may end; relationships with family members, business partners, cities, religions and even with our former selves may end. But we learn and move on. The dislocation of a broken relationship may be isolating, but the experience is universal. No one is alone in this. Most people have kept some object, memento or souvenir somewhere that, because of its meaning, they do not want to throw away. The Museum is always accepting donations. Giving it to the Museum provides a donor with an opportunity to tell their story anonymously and share it with others. The reasons for doing so may range from therapeutic relief to simple closure.” To plan your own visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships in Los Angeles check out their website at BrokenShips.la and see the map below.
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Welcome to the Museum ?: @ayjayhunnie #brokenships

A photo posted by Museum Of Broken Relationships (@brokenshipsla) on Sep 10, 2016 at 3:39pm PDT

Have you been thinking about donating but haven’t found the time to pop your item in the mail? Bring it in person, and get into our first museum lecture – for FREE. Next Monday, we kick off our Live a Little lecture series with an open house and sit down with the Museum’s curators. Tickets are free with either the purchase of another lecture in the series or with a donated object and story. RSVP for your spot through the direct link in our bio. **Please note that donations may ONLY be accepted with completed and signed paperwork, available at brokenships.la** #brokenships

A photo posted by Museum Of Broken Relationships (@brokenshipsla) on Sep 13, 2016 at 1:29pm PDT

Our lecture series kicks off a week from today! Join us 9/19 for Wine with the Curators. Admission to this lecture is free with the purchase of any other lecture in the series (2 for 1)! Details and RSVP through the link in our bio. ?: @tommi_xc #brokenships

A photo posted by Museum Of Broken Relationships (@brokenshipsla) on Sep 12, 2016 at 12:33pm PDT

“My ex and I were together for 2.5 years. I traveled around Europe by myself for 1.5 months at age 24. I got drunk and had a completely black out hookup on the last night of the trip. Was miserable about it. Wrote about it in my journal on the flight home to get it off my chest and contemplating what the right thing to do would be. Don’t tell him…what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Tell him…honesty is the best policy. The first 10 minutes I was home, he read my journal while I was in the shower. I got out of the shower and there was the page ripped out of my journal and he was gone. He ignored me for 2 weeks and then broke up with me over text message. I moved out the next day and he hasn’t spoken to me since.” – – #brokenships #wcw #writtenconfessionwednesday

A photo posted by Museum Of Broken Relationships (@brokenshipsla) on Sep 7, 2016 at 4:52pm PDT

A beautiful new submission we received through an in-person donation this week ?: by our Director @hydeordie #brokenships

A photo posted by Museum Of Broken Relationships (@brokenshipsla) on Sep 1, 2016 at 1:19pm PDT

Wedding Dress in a Jar 7 Years San Francisco, California After seven years together, five of them married, my husband told me that he felt stuck and that he “probably” didn’t love me anymore. ?: @ddurch #brokenships

A photo posted by Museum Of Broken Relationships (@brokenshipsla) on Aug 25, 2016 at 2:34pm PDT