Museum of Meaningful Moments by Good Health Design

The Brief:

The Museum of Meaningful Moments (MMM) is an online exhibition and archive space created and curated by Good Health Design. MMM invites people to share small, meaningful moments from their everyday lives that may otherwise go unnoticed. It is a way to explore COVID-19 lockdowns as an opportunity for people to slow down and reflect on what matters to them. MMM aims to build an ongoing collection of appreciative moments during this globally challenging time.
The Museum (MMM) was started during the first lockdown in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2020 to spotlight small moments of appreciation while life came to an abrupt standstill. This was a time when all Aotearoa New Zealand came together through a shared experience. MMM is designed so that people of all ages and from all walks of life can contribute. It enables experiences, observations, insights, and stories to be shared in whatever form people wish to share — for example, a photo, video, artwork, or something else entirely. Taking time to recognise, capture, share and reflect on small moments creates a greater appreciation for them. MMM creates a space for bringing these moments together and helps us to refocus on the simple things that bring us joy as we tackle uncertain times.

Design Response:

MMM is a point of connection between small occurrences in everyday life, translating them into a shared space online. Participants are able to ‘drop in’ to the website or Instagram collection at any point and respond to prompts by submitting photos or drawings and sharing stories with our community. When viewed as a whole, these shared moments are a reminder that while our everyday experiences may be unique to us as individuals, our collective experience at any given moment varies, and what we notice or appreciate may be different from one person to the next. MMM helps remind us of the importance and enjoyment of these “small moments”, especially when larger challenges may seem much more out of our control.
MMM periodically releases new prompts through the website and Instagram page, creating a continuation of moments, no matter how big, small, or simple. The prompts range from introspective – “What is something you are thankful for?” to observational, “Show us your drawer of random things.”

We have had additional engagements with the physical world through activations like our VHS TV set, Post Box, and Tell-a-Phone booth. These activations capture technology that is making its way into obsolescence by engaging communities through nostalgia and novelty – a conviviality that encapsulates MMM’s ethos. Those who encounter these activations are invited to contribute to MMM by recording a message in our Tell-a-Phone booth or dropping us a post-card in the MMM Post Box, creating a site-specific experience that grounds their stories in that specific moment.
As a design research group, we also see MMM as an opportunity to explore the simultaneous collection and dissemination of stories using a creative method and widely accessible platform. Participation in MMM is quick. Dissemination of responses is live. These submissions continue to build on an archive of moments that can be used to help build meaningful rapport between individuals or different groups, and for ongoing research and exploration. While the act of sending a submission may feel inconsequential, as a collective whole, MMM supports the ongoing building of community.
MMM would like to invite our DA readers to contribute a moment or story in response to any of their prompts. Check out their website and social media below to get involved.

Collaborators:

Design Studio/Lab: Good Health Design
Creative Directors: Stephen Reay, Cassie Khoo, Imogen Zino, Ivana Nakarada-Kordic
Design Team: Cassie Khoo, Janette Ng, Alyssa Tang, Andrea Mendoza, Bianca Mendoza