The Museum of Failure, founded by Dr. Samuel West, is set to showcase a unique collection of historical failures that shaped innovation. This travelling exhibition will soon return to the UK, featuring infamous examples such as the Titanic, Sinclair C5, and the ill-fated Fyre Festival. Through this exhibit, Dr. West aims to change society’s perception of failure, emphasizing its critical role in learning and innovation.
Failures like the “unsinkable” Titanic and the Sinclair C5 electric tricycle, which launched in 1985, serve as reminders of the risks inherent in innovation. The Titanic tragically sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, claiming the lives of over 1,500 people after colliding with an iceberg. The Sinclair C5, marketed as a revolutionary electric vehicle, failed to gain traction due to safety concerns and skepticism about electric transport.
In 2017, the Fyre Festival was promoted as an elite musical event in the Bahamas, drawing attention from celebrities and influencers. However, upon arrival, attendees found themselves confronting soggy mattresses and a lack of food options, leading to widespread disappointment among those who had paid up to £75,000 for the experience.
Dr. West’s initiative aims to showcase these and other failures to highlight their impact on future innovations. The exhibit will feature products like the Apple Newton, a precursor to the iPhone, and Google Glass, which pioneered wearable technology. “I want to reframe failure and show it is a universal and necessary part of innovation and learning,” Dr. West stated in a recent interview.
The exhibition will include a variety of British-born failures, such as the NHS national IT system, The Body Shop, and Dyson’s Zone headphones. These items, while initially unsuccessful, contributed to advancements that followed. According to innovator Ben Strutt, who specializes in turning failures into successes, “42 percent of start-ups end in failure,” often not due to the products themselves, but because better alternatives emerge.
Dr. West also recognizes that failure can have serious consequences, influenced by cultural and socio-economic factors. The exhibition, currently in Paris, has received mixed reactions. In the United States, visitors often treat the concept humorously, whereas audiences in South Korea have struggled to grasp the idea of celebrating failures.
As the Museum of Failure prepares to return to the UK, Dr. West hopes for a nuanced reception. “We need to take bold, meaningful risks to tackle the largest challenges of our time,” he emphasized, urging society to embrace failure as part of the innovation process. The exhibit promises to provoke discussion and reflection on the lessons learned from past mistakes, transforming failures into stepping stones for future success.
