Lisbon welcomes the first pop-up digital museum dedicated to happiness

At the end of May, the neighbourhood of Marvila in Lisbon will welcome a temporary three-month exhibition with the motto “Say yes to Happiness”. The Sweet Art Museum is the first pop-up digital museum in Europe fully dedicated to happiness.

It will be organised in different theme rooms with interactive and digital experiences and will include an official merchandise store. Although most of the details are being kept under wraps for now, it has been revealed that the SAM will have a massive pool with (plastic) marshmallows that visitors can dive into (the ‘Splash Mallow Pool’), a ‘Candy Wash Room’ with rotating giant perfumed lollypops, and the ‘Ice Cream Land’ where visitors will be able to discover the flavour of happiness. One of the rooms will be decorated by a young Portuguese female artist, yet to be disclosed.

Unapologetically 100% Instagram-friendly, the SAM encourages future visitors to share their best shots using the hashtags #TheSweetArtMuseum, #SayYesToHappiness and #TheSAM.

Carla Santos and Hugo Silva, the project mentors, were inspired by similar spaces that opened last year in other countries and decided to replicate the concept in a space to explore the “dream, sweet and colourful” universe. Anticipating success, they plan to take the SAM to other cities in Portugal and Europe. Madrid and London are two of the cities planned to welcome the next editions.

For each ticket sold, the SAM will donate €1 to Terra dos Sonhos, a Portuguese charity that makes dreams come true for children with chronic diseases, institutionalised teens, and senior citizens. “Our main goal is to make people happier and we want that happiness to also reach those in need.”

Admission tickets will cost €20 and will be available for sale from April onward, online (on Portuguese websites such as Ticketline) and via the SAM’s official free mobile app (to be launched soon). The ticket gives access to all rooms and the sweet tasting sessions taking place in designated areas.

Official website: Sweet Art Museum

By Sandra Henriques