Conner Prairie’s first traveling exhibit opens to the public this month, and it aims to be a feast for the senses.
“FOOD: Science, Culture, and Cuisine,” an international multi-sensory traveling exhibition exploring the concept of food and dining, officially opens to the public on June 13. The exhibit, which aims to explore the universal language of food, encourages guests to think more deeply about the ingredients they use and their experiences with food, highlighting the intersections of food with art, health and technology.
“FOOD” represents an “exciting new chapter” for Conner Prairie, as the first of many national and international exhibits it will host in its Museum Experience Center and upper and lower exhibition galleries, Normal Burns, president and CEO of Conner Prairie, said.
“As our first national traveling exhibition, FOOD: Science, Culture, and Cuisine allows us to bring a global perspective to our guests while deepening our commitment to innovative, immersive storytelling,” Burns said in a statement. “Food is something that connects every single one of us, and this experience invites visitors to explore those connections in ways that are both meaningful and unforgettable.”
“FOOD: Science, Culture, and Cuisine” was created by Cité des sciences et de l’industrie in Paris, France, in collaboration with the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE), Allison Cosbey, senior manager of exhibits for Conner Prairie, told the Recorder.
The exhibit focuses on the three dimensions of food — including the science of cooking and ingredients; the culture surrounding eating and communal dining; and taste and its role in food pairings.
While the exhibition is not entirely focused on French cooking, it does have a very French approach to cuisine and tasting that Cosbey said she hopes will provide an “interesting and new experience for some folks in our community.”
“I think it will get people thinking about what they’re tasting a little bit more — maybe take a slower approach to dining, really savoring what they’re experiencing,” Cosbey said. “My hope is that it could even make some folks more confident in their own cooking skills through the hands-on activities that are available, so maybe some folks who thought of themselves as ‘not a cook, do not get me in a kitchen,’ they might come out with a little more confidence to maybe try something new.”
Now managed by the traveling exhibit company Imagine Exhibitions, “FOOD” is being presented at Conner Prairie with support from Corteva Agriscience to encourage further “conversations around food, agriculture, and innovation,” according to a press release.
“Corteva is supporting a lot of our agriculture and our food experiences, so they’re really excited for our guests to understand that whole trajectory of food in our country today — how it’s from the farm to your table,” Cosbey said. “This is telling a part of that story. With Corteva’s support, we’re able to bring in this exhibition that shows sort of that final part, the part that people can already connect with.”
The exhibition is also multisensory, inviting guests to engage through sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. In the main portion of the exhibit, Crosby said guests will encounter a dark chocolate tasting experience designed to highlight the nuances of taste through exposure to different types of chocolate.
Hands-on, interactive opportunities also allow guests to test their cooking skills, learn about ingredients, flavor profiles, and pairings before the grand finale presents an immersive, simulated dining experience, Cosbey said.
“Two French chefs will actually guide you through a multi-course meal that is produced all around you and on a table in front of you, and that also includes smell elements that tie into the foods that you’re eating there,” Cosbey said. “So that is really where the whole story comes together.”
There is even a section that tackles cooking myths and misconceptions while integrating real-world tips, Cosbey said. Additional elements guide visitors to reflect on how their concept of dining, or a communal banquet, is rooted in their culture and how these experiences vary across cultures.
“FOOD: Science, Culture, Cuisine” opens to the public at Conner Prairie June 13-Sept. 7. Museum members are invited to preview the exhibition a day early on June 12. The exhibition is designed specifically for school-age children and families, but is open to all who are curious.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit connerprairie.org/food.
Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.
Chloe McGowan is the Arts & Culture Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Columbus, OH, Chloe has a bachelor's in journalism from The Ohio State University. She is a former IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, and has previously worked for Indy Maven, The Lantern, and CityScene Media Group. In her free time, Chloe enjoys live theatre, reading, baking and keeping her plants alive.
