About The National Food Museum
Everyone Eats
And when we’re not eating, we’re often thinking about our next snack or meal. Eating is one of life’s great pleasures, especially when we share a table with family or friends. The National Food Museum will celebrate and explore the extraordinary power of food to bring people together to nourish our lives and our planet while examining the effects of how food is grown, produced, and processed.
The National Food Museum is the first nationally significant museum to explore America and Americans through the lens of food: what we eat, what influences our food choices, and how food affects our health and the environment. Working in collaboration with a team of curators, educators, designers, culinary historians, environment experts, and climate visionaries, the National Food Museum creates and produces traveling and online exhibitions and public programs that reach visitors in Washington, DC, across the country, and beyond. As we work to secure a permanent physical home, the National Food Museum is committed to presenting interactive and experiential learning that brings the flavor of food to life while making connections for visitors between the food they eat and the impact of those choices on themselves and our planet.
The Museum's Goals
A world where food and how it is grown contribute to healthy people, a sustainable planet, and a more vibrant culture.
To Inform
To Promote
To Encourage
A peek into the future National Food Museum
Eating is an essential, integral part of who we are as individuals, as families, as societies, and as humans. Yet, until now, there has not been a national gathering space dedicated to this most fundamental element of our lives. The National Food Museum is such a space, offering guests of all ages an opportunity to celebrate the pleasures of food, its history and significance, its effect on the environment, and on our own bodies. Finally, the table is set for visitors to engage in a lively conversation about the foods we love and the ways food impacts our lives and our planet.
FAQ
ask us
anything
Does the National Food Museum have a physical location?
The National Food Museum’s goal is to have a permanent physical home. In the meantime, we present digital exhibitions, educational resources, and traveling exhibitions that reach audiences across the United States and beyond.
Why is food the focus of an entire museum?
Food connects every aspect of our lives. It influences our health, culture, economy, environment, and communities. By understanding where food comes from, how it is produced, and how our choices affect people and the planet, we can make more informed decisions for ourselves and future generations.
Is the National Food Museum open to the public?
Yes. Our online museum is available anytime, allowing visitors to explore exhibitions, videos, articles, and educational resources from anywhere. As new traveling exhibitions and public programs are announced, details will be shared on our website.
What can I explore on the website?
Visitors can discover interactive exhibitions, educational articles, videos, reports, and features covering topics such as:
- The history of food and agriculture
- Nutrition and public health
- Climate change and sustainable food systems
- Food cultures from around the world
- Food marketing and consumer choices
- Animal welfare and food production
- The future of food
Is the National Food Museum a nonprofit organization?
Yes. The National Food Museum is a 501-c-3 nonprofit organization dedicated to public education about food, health, culture, and sustainability.
Can I volunteer or partner with the museum?
We welcome opportunities to collaborate with educators, college students and recent graduates, researchers, museums, nonprofits, foundations, and other organizations that share our mission. Please contact us through our website to discuss partnerships, sponsorships, or collaborative projects.
