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A Dutch arts collective called SETUP has launched what it calls the world’s first “Facebook Museum,” a thought-provoking pop-up exhibit aimed at encouraging users to consider life beyond the platform.
Installed at Utrecht Centraal station in July, the display combines interactive installations, humorous takeaway products, and educational pamphlets to prompt reflection on Facebook’s cultural and ethical impact. The exhibition attracted over 4,500 visitors in just a few days, and is still pretty popular on the social media.
Digital Nostalgia and Memories
One recurring theme of the exhibit is the difficulty of leaving Facebook because of the volume of personal content stored there over the years.
Museum staff shared stories of visitors who lost tagged photos or videos when friends or family members deleted their accounts, revealing how intertwined social media is with our personal archives.
Attendees were prompted to think about their own digital legacies and how they would be preserved without Facebook.
Light-hearted but Meaningful Interventions
The exhibition features satirical items such as “memorial candles” for deceased Facebook friends, edible tracking cookie products, and pamphlets highlighting Facebook’s privacy issues such as its use of user data to train AI and the removal of fact-checking oversight.
Despite the playful tone, these items serve as critical prompts about Meta’s long-term influence and users’ role in their own digital presence.
What Is the Facebook Museum Trying to Achieve?
The primary aim of the Facebook Museum is to inspire visitors to consider deleting their accounts, or at least understand the consequences of staying on the platform.
Project leader Marissa Memelink says the goal is to encourage collective ownership of cultural heritage rather than leaving it solely in the hands of platforms like Facebook’s servers. The exhibit also suggests support for alternative social media platforms with stronger ethical commitments.
Future Plans: From Pop-Up to Permanent Space
After its debut in Utrecht, the museum is set to tour other Dutch cultural events, including the Betweter Festival in September and Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven in October. Organizers hope to eventually establish a permanent location and expand the museum’s mission to include archival services and shared memory preservation.
At a time when Facebook usage is declining sharply among younger generations yet remains stubbornly addictive for older users, the museum offers a timely intervention. It reframes social media not as an archive, but as a transient, curated space.
