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Durham's new selfie museum takes the art of selfie photos to the next level

Selfies reign on social media! A new business in Durham is all about making those self-portrait photos look even better.

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By
Monica Laliberte
, WRAL executive producer/5 on Your Side reporter
DURHAM, N.C. — It's no secret that selfies reign on social media, and a new business in Durham is all about making those self-portrait photos look even better.
Selfie Symposium co-owner Faith Jones and her partner recently opened the business in Durham's Renaissance Center on Fayetteville Road.

Jones said she hopes to help guests create their best possible selfie photos in a "no judgement zone" with a "good vibes only" atmosphere.

"That's really important to us, that you are free to be yourself," she said.

Durham's new selfie museum takes the art of selfie photos to the next level

Jones said she's not the first to turn the idea into a business, adding "this has been kind of big in Europe for a while and it's just starting to come to the United States."

With social distancing precautions, Jones keeps the limit to 10 guests at a time. For $30, they can take as many selfies with different backgrounds as they want for one hour.

With COVID-19 restrictions loosening and vaccination rates climbing, Jones feels the timing to launch this Black-owned, woman-owned and veteran-owned business couldn't have been better, especially when so many are still "selfie-absorbed."

Jones said each background at the museum is like a work of art. Several are hand painted with bold colors and strong contrasts, and one background includes a gilded throne.

"Everyone is royalty here, so you have the opportunity to be a king or queen or a princess," said Jones.

Another background is simply white walls but with a bicycle dangling from the ceiling. Some pose in front of the upside-down bicycle while others turn their camera upside down to make it appear as though they are doing a hand-stand on the handlebars.

"We've got the 'house divided,'" said Jones, referring to a college sports-themed background. Half of the space is painted in Carolina blue with a UNC logo while the other is painted in Duke blue with their Blue Devil logo.

Jones has extra space where she plans to host group events like children's birthdays, engagement parties and bridal showers.

Hours are Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. and Thursday and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

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