When you’re in a relationship, certain objects take on special significance. But what happens when you break up, or you move away, or someone passes away? What do you do with the object? Do you keep it? Toss it? Sell it? Stab it with a kitchen knife?

The Monday Project's friend, Sean, reading one of the stories.

The idea for the Museum of Broken Relationships began when an artist ex-couple, themselves going through a breakup, wondered that very thing.

The first permanent museum opened in Croatia in 2010, followed by its Los Angeles sister in 2016. The museum is filled with objects -- donated from people across the globe -- that held some sort of significance in a now broken relationship.

Accompanying each object is its story and, at the top of the story, the number of years the relationship lasted.

You can see things like a pair of silicon breasts, donated to the museum by a woman whose boyfriend convinced her to get the implants, and who wore and hated them for nine years.

Some of the stories of relationships ended are sad, some are heartbreaking, others are funny and hopeful. Some are hopelessly romantic, like the two astronomers who fell in love: on her 26th birthday, he gave her the spectrum of a star in the Orion constellation. The star, pi3, is 26 light years away from Earth, meaning light left that star the day she was born, took a 26-year journey, and arrived on Earth just in time for her birthday.

It’s not the be-all, end-all of L.A. museums. But, if you’re a tourist trying to choose between this and Ripley’s, go Museum of Broken Relationships all the way. And, if you live in Los Angeles, it is definitely something to add to your list. If nothing else, it’s a beautifully charming idea for a museum.

Have fun and invite an ex you’re still on good terms with to be your date.

Or, if your fresh out of a relationship, you can go to http://brokenships.la/about/ and donate an item of your own.

Take Note:

It’s a good place for photo ops.
You can get parking validation for the Hollywood and Highland Parking lot for $2.
There a great little gift shop section with Museum swag and a selection of great photography books.

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