Food - Overview
Part of a nation's history lies in what people eat. Artifacts at the Museum document the history of food in the United States from farm machinery to diet fads.
More than 1,300 pieces of stoneware and earthenware show how Americans have stored, prepared, and served food for centuries. Ovens, cookie cutters, kettles, aprons, and ice-cream-making machines are part of the collections, along with home canning jars and winemaking equipment. More than 1,000 objects recently came to the Museum when author and cooking show host Julia Child donated her entire kitchen, from appliances to cookbooks.
Advertising and business records of several food companies—such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Pepsi Cola, and Campbell's Soup—represent the commercial side of the subject
"Food - Overview" showing 4 items.
Environmental Button
- Description
- This button is from the Golden North Salmon Derby, which has been held in Juneau, Alaska every August since 1947. It is a fishing competition which raises money for a college scholarship program.
- Date made
- 1975
- ID Number
- 2003.0014.0679
- accession number
- 2003.0014
- catalog number
- 2003.0014.0679
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Environmental Button
- Description
- Growing food organically is seen as “earth friendly” as it eschews the use of pesticides and antibiotics and employs water conserving agricultural methods.
- maker
- Badge-A-Minit
- ID Number
- 2003.0014.1133
- accession number
- 2003.0014
- catalog number
- 2003.0014.1133
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Environmental Button
- Description
- Food processing companies use ionizing radiation to kill bacteria, molds, viruses, and insects in order to prevent spoilage and stop the proliferation of disease-causing organisms. Even though food irradiation was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is currently permitted in over forty countries, it is still opposed by many people who view it as “unnatural.”
- maker
- Donnelly/Colt Buttons
- ID Number
- 2003.0014.1137
- accession number
- 2003.0014
- catalog number
- 2003.0014.1137
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Environmental Button
- Description
- Like the preservation of wilderness areas, the protection of rural landscapes–including family farms–has been an important element of the environmental movement. The American Farmland Trust, an organization founded in 1980, produced this button.
- date made
- after 1980
- ID Number
- 2003.0014.1174
- catalog number
- 2003.0014.1174
- accession number
- 2003.0014
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center