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Dubai’s first selfie museum – The Selfie Kingdom

A room with polka-dotted walls and life-size ice pops is something you’d probably dream of and wish was real, but the Selfie Kingdom in Dubai seems to be where dreams come true.

Opened in Dubai Motor City in January this year, the hub is an interactive museum with 15 rooms to click pictures and have a great time with family and friends. This one-of-a-kind museum devoted to the art of taking selfies is an appropriate destination to visit for all selfie enthusiasts.

Students from Middlesex University Dubai visited the museum on February 27 where they got to explore several eye-catchy rooms. Rania Naffa, who calls herself “The Chief Happiness Officer”, is the founder of the colorful museum.

Rania talked about how she designed the venue due to her passion for taking selfies and interacting with people.

“I wanted to create a project where people can come in, have fun and create art. It led me to design 15 different rooms, each unique in their décor and props. I believe that when you have fun and express your real feelings, the picture turns out perfect. This was my main idea,” Rania states.

The museum is open to anyone and everyone looking to have a fun and enjoyable experience, either alone, with a group of friends or family.

“We have set up selfie sticks with adjustable lighting- this helps when you visit us by yourself. But of course, it is very nice to come with friends or family as it will be more fun. There are no limitations here – come with your baby, or even your grandparents – this place is for everyone!” explains the Jordanian expat.

Each one of the 15 rooms varies in their décor, style, and vibe. From one with disco lights, a throne room, to a bathroom strewn with dollar notes and gold coins, each room has its own specialty.

Rania’s inspiration for each room’s décor comes from wanting to have visitors shift from one mood to another easily.

“This is why I added striking colors and a different theme to each room to make them unique. Like the cloud room, angel and devil, the seesaw – you can experience different feelings but still have fun along the way,” she says.

Apart from just a spot for taking selfies, The Selfie Kingdom also caters to events like birthdays, parties and celebrations of any sort. They have also made it suitable for working and networking.

“We make sure to play around with themes. Recently, we had set up for Valentine’s Day and soon, we will also be hosting something for TikTok, Easter, and Ramadan. Our idea is to keep the venue light and fun for guests” said Rania.

T“I’ve seen families go into the cloud room and really enjoy themselves. Once there was a family that moved the unicorn from the adjacent room to the cloud room. This is the thing- everyone is so creative, it’s just amazing. They are creating art and have ideas I myself wouldn’t have thought about,” she adds.

The museum also houses a painting titled ‘Apex Knight’ by artist Emma Skinner, which has been put on display to promote environmental conservation.

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BRania goes on to explain, “Emma paints a lot of sea creatures and contributes all the money collected from selling her paintings to the protection of marine life and promoting less plastic consumption in the society. We are also trying to have the works of local artists here because we encourage creativity.”

Rania is quite content with how her vision of the museum has turned out to be. From room to room all you will see is bright smiles and hear laughter. And truly, Rania summed it up quite well: “It is a happy place”.