On our journey to Venice, we made a stop in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Though the Museum of Broken Relationships (Muzej prekinutih veza) came up in nearly every guidebook, it hadn’t been included on our itinerary. As it happened, we stumbled upon it while exploring the Upper Town—just after riding the funicular up the hill and catching the noon cannon fire from the Lotrščak Tower.
So how are relationships exhibited in this museum ?
First, a Taylor Swift song seems appropriate here, enjoy it while browsing. By the way, click on any photo to view a bigger version of it.
Nestled in Zagreb’s historic Upper Town, the Museum of Broken Relationships offers a poignant exploration of love lost and lessons learned. Founded in 2010 by former couple Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić, the museum began as a traveling art project in 2006, showcasing personal items left behind after breakups.
The overwhelming response from audiences worldwide led to the establishment of a permanent home in Zagreb, where visitors can engage with the tangible remnants of others’ emotional journeys.
The museum’s collection comprises over 3,500 donated items, each accompanied by an anonymous story detailing the relationship’s end. Contributors from around the globe send in objects ranging from cuddly toys to underwear, each symbolizing a unique narrative of love and loss. Donations can be made in person or via mail, and the museum also offers a virtual platform for sharing stories and images, allowing for a diverse and ever-evolving exhibit.
Beyond its Zagreb location, the Museum of Broken Relationships has extended its reach through traveling exhibitions in cities like Tokyo, San Francisco, Berlin, and Paris.
In November 2024, a new permanent location was inaugurated in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
In 2017, the project collected confessions from Tokyo and visitors were invited to shape their “Goodbyes” into paper planes.
Click on the photo to view a bigger version of it.
The museum taps into a universal voyeuristic curiosity, allowing guests to glimpse the intimate details of others’ lives. Simultaneously, it offers donors a therapeutic outlet to process and share their experiences. This dual function makes the Museum of Broken Relationships a unique and emotionally resonant destination.
Below are several exhibits and excerpts of their stories:
“My boyfriend and I would imagine the kind of house we would have in the future and enjoyed passing our time making miniature furniture pieces … In the end, before we got around to painting the furniture, we decided to break up.”
Duration of relationship: 1 year and 3 months, Jeju, South Korea
This is the printout of the spectrum of a star in the Orion constellation which is 26 light years from earth. It was given by one astronomer to another astronomer on her 26th birthday, who were in a relationship.
1 year, Beijing, China
“It is 300 days too long. He gave me his mobile phone so that I couldn’t call him anymore.”
July 12, 2003 to April 14, 2004 – Zagreb, Croatia
During our visit, we found the museum more crowded than anticipated, likely due to its prime location along a popular tourist route. Visitors moved quietly through the space, engrossed in reading the heartfelt notes accompanying each exhibit.
While some stories lacked depth, the wide range of contexts—from romantic breakups to familial estrangements—provided a comprehensive look at the many forms of relational loss.
Among the shop’s offerings, the museum has published a book featuring selected exhibits paired with their stories. Because the museum occupies only a few rooms in what was once a private home, it cannot display the full breadth of its holdings. The book, however, provides a more comprehensive view of the collection.
We think the museum is truly unique. It made tangible the complexities of human connections, while offering solace and understanding to contributors and satisfying the casual nosiness of visitors. This was an unexpected find on our trip.