Consider this my warped idea of a post for Valentine’s Day, but I thought why not since the day is about relationships. The Museum of Broken Relationships is about love gained and lost.
If you’ve suffered from a broken heart or cut off ties with anyone or anything, the exhibits in this travelling museum will strike a chord with you and tug at your heart. On the plain, black-and-white photocopied handout given out at the museum, it says that the museum offers ‘the chance to overcome any emotional collapse through art creation’. The museum came to Singapore from 8 – 19 Jan 2009 as part of the M1 Fringe Festival.


Exhibits are made up of objects donated by people like you and I. These objects are embedded with memories and emotions of the past which the donor wants to let go off. It’s a form of catharsis. The exhibition has been showcased in Croatia, Berlin and Singapore was its first stop in Asia.
The museum was conceptualised after the demise of the relationship between founders Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic, both of whom were born in Croatia in 1969. This is their attempt to ‘create and preserve an international collection of our human emotional heritage’ and to show that ‘despite all cultural differences and political beliefs, we all share a common human experience’. Here are some exhibits that I took pictures of.


“It lasted 300 days too long. He gave me his mobile phone so I couldn’t call him anymore.”


“You talked to me of love, gave me small gifts every day; this is just one of them. The key to the heart. You turned my head; you just did not want to sleep with me. I realized how much you loved me only after you died of AIDS.”



The message written by the donor of the wedding ring picture above.


Yo Quiero Ser Tu Sol








The museum wasn’t big in size, but it was certainly big in heart. There were old love letters and letters sent to an ex- as a form of closure. There were many others that had stories which were overwhelmed with sorrow and loss. Others might slip a slight smile on your face brought on by its bittersweet nature. Some will wash waves of nostalgia on you. Nonetheless, there will be something you can identify with. Lonely and broken hearts will know we are not alone.
If you fancy donating something, you can get the details on how to do so from the website. The Museum of Broken Relationships is not the most famous and biggest of exhibitions, nor were the exhibits worth very much monetarily, but it’s certainly one of the most poignant I’ve visited.
Happy Valentine’s.