The Happiness Museum has opened in Denmark, which was named the second happiest country in the world this year after Finland.
The museum is situated in Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital. It seeks to literally bring happiness to life.
‘We all seem to be looking for happiness – but perhaps we are looking in the wrong places. We have gotten richer as societies but often failed to become happier. Therefore, the Happiness Research Institute decided to create a museum where we can bring happiness to life,’ says the museum’s official website.
The museum was created by The Happiness Research Institute, which is essentially a think tank that has focuses on happiness, quality of life and well-being.
The facility comprises of eight rooms that broach the subject of happiness. Each room has a different perspective of the topic and overall the museum showcases how happiness is part of our daily lives.
‘Our hope is that guests will leave a little wiser, a little happier and a little more motivated to make the world a better place,’ says the website.
One of the exhibits in the Happiness Museum is a world map of happiness showcasing the ranking of each country.
The World Happiness Report has published its annual ranking of the globe’s countries with Nordic countries always placing in the top 10.
‘From 2013 until today, every time the World Happiness Report (WHR) has published its annual ranking of countries, the five Nordic countries – Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland – have all been in the top ten, with Nordic countries occupying the top three spots in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Clearly, when it comes to the level of average life evaluations, the Nordic states are doing something right, but Nordic exceptionalism isn’t confined to citizen’s happiness.
‘No matter whether we look at the state of democracy and political rights, lack of corruption, trust between citizens, felt safety, social cohesion, gender equality, equal distribution of incomes, Human Development Index, or many other global comparisons, one tends to find the Nordic countries in the global top spots,’ reads the report for 2020.
Tickets to the museum cost DKK 95 (R252). Visitors are encouraged to bring a smartphone along so that they can take part in the science of it all. There are questionnaire and other interactive experiences to take part in.
To find out more, visit the museum’s website here.
Image credit: Instagram/ @thehappinessmuseum
