What was it about?

This Pop Up Museum explored the theme of Taking Risks. We invited people to bring an object symbolizing a personal, professional, or physical risk taken in their life. We wanted people to have fun sharing their risky stories with one another, and to gain new perspectives on the ways in which taking a risk–big or small– can change one’s life.

How did it go?

Usually, Pop Up Museums are totally public. Its inclusiveness is part of its radical charm—it’s free and open to all. But this time we collaborated with NextSpace, a coworking community who provides a professional atmosphere and networking opportunities upon membership, to throw a Pop Up Museum during their weekly happy hour. The Pop Up Museum was open to NextSpace members only, allowing the museum to be a fun twist on their private social event.

Within a few minutes of setting up, members began filling the frames with risk-taking tokens and writing stories on blank labels. Not everyone who showed up to the happy hour knew to bring something to share, but that didn’t stop them from participating. Inspired by the theme and other exhibitors, people pulled objects from around the room and placed them in frames, coming up with stories on the fly. An impromptu pop up pursued.

This spontaneous thinking demonstrates how the Pop Up Museum encourages people to rethink the stuff and space around them. The common workspace became a playful gallery. After doing this personalized pop up, we realized the Pop Up Museum is a great format for groups who want to add a dash of structure or creativity to any social event. One man mentioned he was inspired to have a Pop Up Museum at his next dinner party.

Simple, yet malleable, you can tailor the museum to fit your event— including private parties.

Links

Check out the digital exhibit on pinterest:

Learn more about the event on our blog