Tasting local history

Abstract

This article discusses how museums can disseminate the cultural history of food by cooking, tasting, and sharing meals. The article builds on vast data from a food culture project (SPIS Ma/eD) conducted in Lolland-Falster, the southeastern part of Denmark, between 2020 and 2023. The analysis centres on three key findings: the social aspect of sharing experiences and meals, the dialogical dissemination of cultural food history, and sensory engagement through cooking and tasting. The article concludes that cooking and dining together with other museum visitors enriches the museum experience and transforms it into a highly sensory and social event that links history to the present everyday life of the participants. The SPIS Ma/eD project also demonstrates the value of integrating food culture into the communication and dissemination practices of museums. This integrated approach to the local community, educational institutions, and innovative events has created a model that may inspire other museums.