For two weeks, there will be a museum at De Hallen entirely dedicated to the theme of happiness, with free admission for anyone who stops by between 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. From July 25 through August 8, 2026, The Happiness Museum will be located at Hannie Dankbaar Passage 25, right in the heart of West. It’s a pop-up museum, and according to the organizers, this is the very first time the city has hosted such a museum.
The concept originated in Copenhagen. There, you’ll find the permanent Happiness Museum—a 240-square-meter space founded by The Happiness Research Institute, a think tank that has been dedicated to well-being and quality of life for years. Since its opening in 2020, the museum has grown significantly in popularity, thanks in part to a room completely covered with yellow sticky notes. The exhibition at De Hallen is a temporary adaptation of that same idea.
Visitors can participate in workshops, listen to talks, and take the Happiness Walk: a walking tour through the museum that takes you through various themes related to happiness.
Inside, it’s all about participating rather than just watching. Visitors can take part in workshops, listen to talks, and take the Happiness Walk: a walking tour through the museum that guides you through various themes related to happiness. In addition, there are interactive installations that invite visitors to engage, rather than just passively wander around. The original museum in Copenhagen organizes its spaces around sections such as The Happiness Lab, The Politics of Happiness, The History of Happiness, The Anatomy of a Smile, Nordic Happiness, and The Future of Happiness—exploring questions such as where happiness originates in the brain, how countries like Bhutan have been measuring happiness for decades, and whether artificial intelligence will ever become emotionally intelligent.
On Saturday, August 1, 2026, part of the program will move to the Marineterrein for a special edition. The program there will feature art installations, Happiness Pride bingo, and a wheel of fortune, as part of the official WorldPride 2026 program. The museum at De Hallen will remain open as usual that day, so you’ll have two places to choose from to try your luck.
The Marineterrein edition, just like the main venue at De Hallen, is all about interaction: no display cases to walk past, but installations and interactive activities that let visitors get hands-on. The Marineterrein program on August 1, 2026, is part of the official WorldPride 2026 program, featuring bingo and a wheel of fortune as extras alongside the art installations.