Last month, I visited the Smithsonian National Museum of American History for the first time. A Julia Child fan for many years, there was one exhibit in particular I had to see first. In 2001 Julia Child donated the kitchen from her Massachusetts home to the museum. In addition to being her personal space, it was also where the last three of her 1990s television shows were filmed, with she and her guests using her actual home cookware.

The 280-square-foot space is preserved exactly as it was when donated. Visitors are not allowed to actually walk through the kitchen, but there are several glass-plated viewing sections where guests can peer inside and take photos.

The exhibit also includes various items from Julia’s life and career, including her signaling mirror from her time in the OSS in World War II, her degree from the Cordon Bleu, a 1961 edition of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, a 1996 Emmy and more.

Julia’s work in food television made her a forerunner in the industry, paving the way for other household names. The exhibit pays tribute to some of these, including Emeril Lagasse.

  Though Julia Child’s kitchen was my favorite display, the actual FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000 exhibit is much larger and offers much more to learn regarding America’s culinary history and culture. From remarkable post-war food technology and the rise of the supermarket to the origins of American wines, guests explore it all.

 

— Holly Riddle, assistant editor