The Cabinet of Animosities

The Museum of Broken Relationships in Croatia has one of the most unusual collections in the world.

It exhibits objects left behind at the end of love affairs… shared belongings, mementos and gifts.

Donors part with these talismans for many different reasons, from exhibitionism to grief to simple curiosity.

The Museum’s founders, Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić, believe the act gives individuals a way to formally mark a break-up.

We have rituals for most significant life events – marriages, funerals, graduation ceremonies – but until now, nothing to recognise the end of a relationship.

In this playful and surprisingly hopeful audio-guide for radio, Cathy FitzGerald takes a tour of the Museum’s woebegone collection and meets the broken-hearted lovers who have donated objects from around the world.