2020 certainly won’t go down in history as the happiest of years, but Copenhagen did its best to rectify that. In the midst of the pandemic, the world’s first Happiness Museum opened in “the happiest country on Earth”—an apt spot for such a revelatory institution.
Created by the independent think tank The Happiness Research Institute, the small, eight-roomed museum is all “about the big things in life”. A visit will leave you with a deeper understanding of why Denmark has the reputation it does, the subjective nature of happiness, as well as the part hygge plays in all of this.
The museum is full of interactive exhibits, with each room dedicated to studying happiness from different perspectives. For example, The Politics of Happiness room explores the role of elections and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in national happiness, and The History of Happiness room teaches you about philosophies of happiness from Aristotle to the Enlightenment.
The Happiness Lab on the other hand, answers questions such as “Where in our brain do feelings of joy come from?” or “How does happiness change with age?”.
A statement on the museum’s website reads: “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.” And if that doesn’t inspire you to visit, I don’t know what will.
Tickets cost DKK 95 for adults or DKK 65 for children between the ages of 7-17. Find it at Admiralgade 19.