Billed as 'an interactive experience for social media', the Swedish capital's 'Youseum' has no artwork hanging on a large white wall and its entry price (around 29 euros) is closer of an amusement park.

"Here you can take 'cool' photos and create 'cool' content for your Instagram or your Facebook, and if you're on TikTok you're in the perfect place to do it," Sofia Makiniemi, the manager, told AFP. one of the site managers.

Behind her, the "Emojis Room" is filled with blue and yellow balls representing the inescapable smileys.

Children play in the "emoji room" of the Youseum, a selfie "museum", on April 4, 2022 in Solna, near Stockholm Jonathan NACKSTRAND AFP

In the dozen other themed rooms, you can bury yourself in candy-colored foam sticks in a room evoking the French Riviera, strike your best pose under neon lights, or sit on a giant pink swing to her next profile picture.

"There's lighting, TikTok music, sweets, all the things we love," savors 18-year-old Zeneb Elmani, who came to visit with a group of friends.

The high schooler likes that the place has the "2020s era" atmosphere.

"Too Late to Worry"

Located in a shopping mall, the Youseum “is an interactive museum where you can create the art you want to see,” defends Ms. Makiniemi.

In the "You are the Moon" room of the Youseum, a selfie "museum", on April 4, 2022 in Solna, near Stockholm Jonathan NACKSTRAND AFP

After the first two spaces launched in the Netherlands by commercial real estate giant Westfield, Sweden is the second country to welcome one.

It opened in mid-March in a gigantic company "mall" in Solna, a suburb of Stockholm.

Others are announced in Germany or Dubai.

The era of social networks and its procession of influencers and influencers also comes with growing warnings about their dangers for the mental health of adolescents and young people, especially girls.

"It's a big part of our society today, so why not try to make it more creative?", defends Sofia Makiniemi.

The young high school girls visiting that day do not worry about this kind of thing.

In the "Underwater" room of the Youseum, a selfie "museum", on April 4, 2022 in Solna, near Stockholm Jonathan NACKSTRAND AFP

"I think this place is cute for people who love taking pictures. It's so cute here, oh my God it's so cute," exclaims Chaymae Ouahchi, 18.

However, she does not see herself as an influencer and claims to be "a very secretive person".

Some “boomers” might cough at the idea of ​​calling a place dedicated to the trivialized practice of telephone self-portraiture a “museum”.

Others, like Bill Burgwinkle, a 70-year-old teacher who came with his niece, think you just have to accept it.

"I think it's too late to worry. The world is like this now", he notes, and this kind of place there is little improbable "seems to fulfill its function".

© 2022 AFP