ZAGREB - A new museum of laughter is offering to put people through the spinner to wash away the negativity of modern life.
Visitors to the HaHaHouse in the Croatian capital Zagreb are blasted with a puff of white smoke once they step inside to blow away their worries before climbing into a "giant washing machine".
The "centrifuge of life" then whips them away Willy Wonka-style down a twisting slide into a pool filled with little white balls where their journey to a happier place starts.
Its creator Andrea Golubic said she had the idea for the museum during the pandemic when many were feeling down, depressed and isolated.
Visitors press a button to be "disinfected from negativity" as soon as they step inside the museum, which has eight interactive zones.
One has a rubber chicken choir cheerfully cackling out hits like ABBA's "Dancing Queen", there is a karaoke room with distorted voices and a "Sumo Arena" for wrestling in puffed up costumes.
There is also some serious history of humour from ancient to modern times told through theatre, film or the net.
The museum also explains humour styles, from word play, slapstick, toilet and dark humour to satire with the help of some choice one-liners.
Golubic said the HaHaHouse is drawing everyone from small children to the elderly, with grown-ups seeing it as a good excuse to play at being kids again themselves.
"All those who still feel a bit of childish joy and embrace their inner child, will recharge themselves," she insisted.