The Mandela Effect
What is the Mandela Effect?
The “Mandela Effect” is a term used to describe the strange and fascinating phenomenon in which large groups of people remember an event, fact, or detail differently from how it actually occurred.
The origins of the Mandela Effect
The expression “Mandela Effect” was first used in 2009 by paranormal researcher Fiona Broome, after she discovered that many people — herself included — clearly remembered Nelson Mandela dying in prison during the 1980s, even though he was actually released in 1990 and became President of South Africa.
Broome’s discovery quickly spread online, as others began sharing similar mismatched memories: from the spelling of the Looney Tunes cartoon to the existence of an non-existent eyeglass on the Monopoly mascot. These examples revealed that memory can be collective, fallible, and surprisingly creative.
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Why is the Mandela Effect so interesting?
The Mandela Effect fascinates psychologists, historians, and the general public alike because it challenges how we understand memory, reality, and truth. It invites us to ask: How do we know what we know?
Some interpret the Mandela Effect as evidence of false memories and the brain’s reconstructive nature. Others see it as a reflection of cultural evolution — how myths, media, and shared narratives shape our sense of reality. Whatever the interpretation, the phenomenon opens a unique window into the human mind and the power of collective imagination.
Explore More at the Memory Mandela Library
At the Memory Mandela Library in Geneva, we collect studies, testimonies, and cultural references related to the Mandela Effect. Our goal is to help visitors explore how memory shapes history — and how history shapes memory in return.
Dive deeper into the mystery of memory. Visit us at Quai des Mémoires 12, 1207 Geneva, or browse our digital collection online.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change de world.”
- Nelson Mandela
Memory Mandela
Located near Lake Geneva, Memory Mandela is a one-of-a-kind library with a collection specialised on the Mandela Effect, collecting studies, papers and other publications discussing this phenomenon.