Museum of Failure Exhibition Coming to the UK Next Spring
The Museum of Failure, a travelling exhibition, is set to come to the UK next spring. Its founder, Dr Samuel West, describes Britain as the spiritual home of the museum. The exhibit will showcase UK-born items such as the Titanic, Sinclair C5, the NHS national IT programme, Dyson's Zone, Amstrad, The Body Shop, and Brexit.
The exhibition aims to normalise failure as a necessary aspect of innovation and learning rather than ridicule. It highlights the importance of risk-taking in solving major problems. Notable examples featured include precursors to success like Apple Newton and Google Glass, along with well-known missteps such as Betamax versus VHS.
Ben Strutt, who conducts workshops on turning failure into strategic advantages, believes the museum could change conversations by normalising failure. However, psychologist Fiona Murden cautions against celebrating failure too positively, noting that attitudes toward failure vary culturally across countries such as China, South Korea, the US, and Britain.
Currently, the venue for the UK exhibition is not yet confirmed, which adds uncertainty regarding the exact timing and location of the event.
