Museum of Failure
Nokia N-Gage by J-P Karna/Wiki Commons
A museum devoted to failed innovations and flopped business ventures, the Museum of Failures has garnered international attention for its specialized collection of ideas that just didn’t pan out. It’s designed to be educational in a way that teaches the important role that failure plays in the innovative process as well as how businesses can avoid unnecessary failures by learning from past mistakes. The idea for the museum came when the curator visited The Museum if Broken Relationships in Croatia.
More than seventy failed products and services are on display. Among the items are:
Apple Newton: From 1993, one of Apple’s first attempts at a personal digital assistant, a type of tablet meant for handwriting recognition, but the software was subpar and the device had a very short battery life.
Bic Cristal for Her: Bic Cristal pens are the best-selling in the world, but the company found trouble selling their spin-off Bic Cristal for Her, a similar pen to the original but apparently designed specifically for women.
Google Glass: a pair of smart glasses that allow the user to access and view the internet from the lenses. They were criticized for potential privacy rights issues for their ability to record people in public without permission or use facial recognition software on others.
N-Gage: Nokia tried to trump the Game Boy Advance by creating a handheld gaming system with telephone capabilities, but the buttons were better designed for a phone and didn’t work well with the games. Due to its taco-like shape, it has become known as Taco Phone.
There is also a temporary exhibit for the Museum of Failure in Los Angeles, California in the Hollywood and Highland Center.
More than seventy failed products and services are on display. Among the items are:
Apple Newton: From 1993, one of Apple’s first attempts at a personal digital assistant, a type of tablet meant for handwriting recognition, but the software was subpar and the device had a very short battery life.
Bic Cristal for Her: Bic Cristal pens are the best-selling in the world, but the company found trouble selling their spin-off Bic Cristal for Her, a similar pen to the original but apparently designed specifically for women.
Google Glass: a pair of smart glasses that allow the user to access and view the internet from the lenses. They were criticized for potential privacy rights issues for their ability to record people in public without permission or use facial recognition software on others.
N-Gage: Nokia tried to trump the Game Boy Advance by creating a handheld gaming system with telephone capabilities, but the buttons were better designed for a phone and didn’t work well with the games. Due to its taco-like shape, it has become known as Taco Phone.
There is also a temporary exhibit for the Museum of Failure in Los Angeles, California in the Hollywood and Highland Center.
