Interpreting Food at Museums and Historic Sites

Food is such a friendly topic that it’s often thought of as a “hook” for engaging visitors – a familiar way into other topics, or a sensory element to round out a living history interpretation. But it’s more than just a hook – it’s a topic all its own, with its own history and its own uncertain future, deserving of a central place in historic interpretation. With audiences more interested in food than ever before, and new research in food studies bringing interdisciplinary approaches to this complicated but compelling subject, museums and historic sites have an opportunity to draw new audiences and infuse new meaning into their food presentations.

You’ll find:

• A comprehensive, thematic framework of key concepts that will help you contextualize food history interpretations;
• A concise, evaluative review of the historiography of food interpretation;
• Case studies featuring the expression of these themes in the real world of museum interpretation; and
• Best practices for interpreting food.