Next month, the first phase of the Museum of Food and Drink will begin with the opening with a lab in Brooklyn exploring the science between natural and artificial food flavorings.
Visitors to the “Flavor: Making It and Faking It” exhibit will discover what food manufacturers really mean when they say “natural” and “artificial.”
The exhibit will serve as a preview for the larger vision of MOFAD, an attraction which founder Dave Arnold hopes will eventually be akin to the Smithsonian or the Natural History Museum, but for food.
Once complete, the museum will be billed as the first of its kind, tracing the culture, history and science of food through edible, interactive exhibits.
In the meantime, take a tour of some of the museums that already exist around the world, which pay homage to everything from fries, cheese to instant noodles.
Kimchikan Museum, Seoul
Reopened in April as the Kimchikan Museum, visitors learn about the history of kimchi, spicy fermented cabbage which is a staple of Korean cuisine, and its importance in Korean culture.
The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, Osaka
A noodle lover’s dream, the Instant Ramen Museum brings visitors to the birthplace of instant ramen, Ikeda, where chicken ramen was first invented in 1958. In addition to learning about how it’s manufactured, visitors can also create their own cup noodle soup as part of the tour.
Le Frietmuseum, Bruges
As the birthplace of the French fry, the Frietmuseum will take visitors through the history of the humble potato, and how it came to be chopped and thrown into a vat of grease to become the fry we so cherish today.
Deutsches Currywurst Museum Berlin
Devoted to Germany’s unofficial snack food, the currywurst sausage, the museum is interactively designed, allowing visitors to watch a virtual Currywurst making, smell the spices used to flavor the sausages at sniffing stations, and of course, sample the stuff at the snack bar.
The Dutch Cheese Museum, Netherlands
Located at the Alkmaar cheese market, the Dutch Cheese Museum is a shrine to the country’s flagship cheeses, Edam and Gouda, and is housed on the second and third floors of the local, historic weigh house.
Visitors learn about the country’s cheese-making history and tradition through a collection of historical artefacts, utensils and images.
Guinness Storehouse, Dublin
Recently, Ireland’s most popular tourist attraction was also named the best tourist attraction in Europe, by industry leaders at the World Travel Awards Europe. The storehouse beat out nominees such as Buckingham Palace, the Acropolis, and the Eiffel Tower.
In addition to learning about the history of Guinness, visitors can learn how to pour the perfect pint in six steps at the Guinness Academy.