Pobody’s nerfect, but too quickly do we brush aside our failures and focus solely on our successes. There’s a lot to learn from our mistakes, and if not, they can still bring us a good laugh. This is where the Museum of Failure steps in with its collection of famous flops, misguided ideas, and misunderstood innovations.
The Museum of Failure will make its first-ever UK exhibition appearance in February at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 at the NEC Birmingham. The Museum of Failure invites visitors to explore how mistakes, misjudgements, and unexpected outcomes are not the opposite of innovation, but often its starting point…
This ranges from Kodak’s early attempt at a digital camera to many modern AI misfires, like Amazon’s cashier-free shops and Oral-B’s AI toothbrush. The exhibition curates examples of products, services, and ideas that did not succeed, and asks a simple question: What can we learn from what went wrong?
“Failure is not the opposite of progress; it is the engine that drives it,” said Dr Samuel West, founder of the Museum of Failure. “Every meaningful innovation is built on experiments that didn’t quite work, ideas that arrived too early, or assumptions that turned out to be wrong.
“The Museum of Failure exists to make those stories visible, so people can learn from them rather than hide them. In industries like packaging, where pressure to innovate is intense, understanding why things fail is just as important as celebrating what succeeds.”
Seeing as it’s the Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, the Museum of Failure will specifically focus on packaging innovation, from material choices and automation strategies to sustainable design and consumer behaviour. A dedicated workshop session will also show organisations how to learn from past mistakes.
The Museum of Failure will appear at Stand A11, Hall 2, as part of Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, which takes place on February 11 & 12 at the NEC Birmingham, bringing together brands, designers, converters, material specialists, and technology providers from across the packaging value chain.
To secure your complimentary ticket to Packaging Innovations and Empack 2026, head here.