Not everyone puts museums in their itinerary when travelling. After all, there are many ways to experience a country's culture than just eyeing exhibits and artefacts. Truth be told, it's not everyone's cup of tea. But what if instead of traditional menageries, you focus on a different type of museum experience? Would that change your perspective on museum-hopping?
We're talking about food museums. With food enjoyed as a shared experience all over the world, many food museums have popped up in almost every region. The best part? In some of them, you can have your fill of palate-pleasers while getting some edutainment.
So whether you're a certified foodie or just someone who wants to hit the best eats in town served with some culture trip on the side, here are some food museums all over the world that deserve a place in your itinerary.
The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum in Yokohama, Japan
Every region in Japan has its own variation of ramen. But unless you plan to scour every city in the country to have a taste of their unique take on this national dish, we say Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum is your best stop. Aside from housing nine renowned ramen shops with different regional specialities on their menus (including non-pork and vegetarian options), the 1958 replication streetscape aesthetic of the museum's basement floor — which commemorates when the world's first instant ramen was made — also transports you to Japan's Showa era like never before, making it a memorable eating and culture-tripping experience in one. The retro vibes of the place make for great 'Gram backdrops, too!
The Frietmuseum in Bruges, Belgium
How much do you love fries? Well, it seems like someone loved it enough to build a shrine dedicated to it in Belgium. Founded in 2008, The Frietmuseum is the first and only museum (at present) focused on all things potato fries. From answering typical fry FAQs like 'Is it really from France?' or 'How did fries come to be?', this multi-level museum housed in the historic Saaihaile building takes your potato history to a whole new level, with exhibits talking about its origins from 10,000 years ago. It also has exhibits on the condiments it typically gets served with from all over the world and has a sampling deck in one of its cellars.
