In a trendy format with international success, a new space where TikTok and Instagram lovers can indulge in a two-hour selfie-taking experience has recently opened its doors in the heart of Florence. Welcome to the Selfie Museum.
The author Hayley Daffern at Florence’s newly opened Selfie Museum. Ph. @marcobadiani
With more than 70 installations created by over 400 artists from across the world, the exhibition is organized in a quirky, maze-like manner that will keep you entertained and have you asking yourself what’s next? throughout. Rooms and corridors dotted with fairy lights, colourful plastic balls, mirrored walls and psychedelic backdrops are just some of the selfie spots to choose from, but the possible outcomes are endless, depending on the angle and framing of your camera shot.
Photographer Marco Badiani at Florence’s newly opened Selfie Museum
Ironically, the Selfie Museum’s main selling point is that it’s not really a “museum” at all. It’s more of an interactive experience in which the visitor becomes the artwork. In short, you and I are the missing pieces of the puzzle; that is, the true work of art is not in the installations themselves, but in the way you place yourself in them. Without actually immersing yourself in the action, the multifaceted rooms serve virtually no purpose other than looking insta-worthy. Besides, the idea of creating a show with the sole aim of encouraging posts on social media is also a great marketing strategy.
Several of the photo sets at Florence’s newly opened Selfie Museum. Ph. @marcobadiani
A five-minute walk from piazza del Duomo, the Florence Art Lab in via Ricasoli plans on sticking around until March 8, 2022. So, whether you’re out with the kids, on a first date, or purely looking for something fun to do with your friends in the Duomo area, this non-museum-like exhibition is worth a visit.
