Marie Chiem, the creative force behind Calgary’s first Selfie Museum, shares insights into her unique venture that blends modern art with interactive, social media-friendly experiences. Located at 140 – 17 Ave SE, the Calgary Selfie Museum offers curated installations designed for perfect selfie moments.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Calgary Selfie Museum! We are an interactive modern art gallery that has specially curated installations and backdrops designed for selfie taking.
What made you want to do this work?
I went to Denver and beside my hotel was the Denver Selfie Museum. The name peaked my curiosity and I discovered something really cool that Calgary doesn’t have yet. I also happened to have a building in downtown Calgary sitting empty. lol
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
Calgary was lacking in an entertainment based venue designed specifically for selfies which these days are not only for fun and memories but also for content creation on social media platforms such as Instagram.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
Although our venue is suitable for everyone, our targeted demographic are women ages 18-45 who are active on social media. We are pet friendly! So we also target fur friends.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
All of our revenue currently is from admissions whether it’s from our one hour entry fee or party/private event booking. You can go online and book a session or walk in (subject to availability). Once you arrive, we set you up with a clicker (Bluetooth selfie remote) for fun and easy selfie taking. We give you a quick demonstration of how to use our tripods with ring lights. Then you can take as many selfies in whatever poses you want! We are a safe space so you are free to express yourself however you choose. On top of that, unlike traditional museums, we encourage interacting with our installations to give an immersive experience. Instead of simply viewing art, you become part of the art!
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We are located at 140 – 17 Ave SE (corner of southbound Macleod Trail and 17 Ave)
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
We happen to be the only selfie museum in Calgary right now so there’s no one to compare to. But if we were to compare ourselves to selfie museums in other cities and what the difference between us are, I would say the answer would be that “the Calgary Selfie Museum caters more to Calgarian’s taste. We like things that are interesting but also thought provoking and has emotional connection vs something that’s just “cool”. There needs to be deeper meaning in the art installations.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
Easy answer, the best part of what we do is having everyone leave with big smiles on their face. We love it! 😍 we thrive on comments such as “we had so much fun!” And “that’s so creative!” And “what a cool concept!”
Hard answer… fortunately we haven’t run into anything we would define as being the “worst part” as we’ve only had good experiences so far. But if I had to pick one experience it would be untangling the fishing line from the Enchanted Flower Garden installation. They get tangled up pretty well! We found one of our clickers in it. Lol
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
The joke I’ve been telling people lately is “Building a selfie museum was not easy, but the reason why I really wanted to do it was because…I thought it was going to be 😅 🤣🤣🤣
Where can we follow you?
Instagram! @calgaryselfiemuseum
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
Not technically a business but a non-profit. Victoria Park BIA – David Low.
