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The world’s first Happiness Museum launches in Denmark

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museum of happiness

The Happiness Research Institute has opened the world’s first Happiness Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is led by Meik Wiking, author of The Little Book of Hygge.

The Happiness Museum, which is curated by The Happiness Research Institute, explores the geography, politics, history and future of happiness, the anatomy of smiles, and Nordic happiness.

Denmark is one of the best places in the world when it comes to wellbeing, happiness and quality of life, according to the UN World Happiness Reports.

Meik Wiking, CEO of The Happiness Research Institute, told Web24 News: “We had this great interest in our work, but we did not have a place where we could reveal our happiness.

“We sit eight people in an office at the computer, but people hear the words ‘Department of Happiness Research’ and then think we sit with dogs and sofas, drink hot chocolate and fun all day.

“That’s why we created a place where we can send people, if they want to be wiser about happiness,” added Wiking.

Geography, politics, history and future of happiness

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The Museum of Happiness has the capacity for 25 visitors at a time during the coronavirus pandemic. It also features interactive activities, mental experiments and artifacts of happiness.

Visitors will take part in exercises involving light and chocolate, and will even be presented with a Matrix-style dilemma of whether to take the blue or red pill.

“We believe that being here together, enjoying the moment, is a form of happiness because we are creating our memories for the future,” said visitor Maria Have.

“We Danes often hear that we are among the happiest people in the world. Here, we want to enter, give nuances and convey what it really is,” said Wiking.

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Bea Mitchell

Bea is a journalist specialising in entertainment, attractions and tech with 10 years' experience. She has written and edited for publications including CNET, BuzzFeed, Digital Spy, Evening Standard and BBC. Bea graduated from King's College London and has an MA in journalism.

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