Note: This exhibit is now closed.
The Clark County Historical Museum, VANCOUVER, in cooperation with Humanities Washington, will host the local showing of Key Ingredients: America By Food, a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition which delves into the historical, regional and social traditions that merge in everyday meals and celebrations of the American table. The exhibition will be on view beginning July 26, 2008 from 3-5 PM and continuing through September 14, 2008 and will give the Clark County Historical Museum an opportunity to celebrate the region’s food heritage. The Bank of Clark County and The Columbian are the local sponsors helping to bring the exhibit to Clark County.
The Clark County Historical Museum and the surrounding community has been expressly chosen by Humanities Washington and the Smithsonian Institution to host Key Ingredients as part of the Museum on Main Street project – a national/state partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The exhibition will tour 10 communities in Washington State during 2008-2009.
Through a selection of artifacts, photographs and illustrations, Key Ingredients examines how culture, ethnicity, landscape and tradition influence the foods and flavors we enjoy across the nation. The exhibition looks at the evolution of the American kitchen and how food industries have responded to the technological innovations that have enabled Americans to choose an ever-wider variety of frozen, prepared and fresh foods.
An interactive website, www.keyingredients.org, has been developed in conjunction with the exhibition. The site invites people across the country to share their family recipes and food stories, learn about other food traditions and identify favorite small town eateries.
“We are very pleased to bring Key Ingredients to our area,” said Susan Tissot, Executive Director, Clark County Historical Society & Museum. “We hope that it will inspire many to become even more involved in the cultural life of our community.”
“Allowing all of our state’s residents to have access to the cultural resources of our nation’s premiere museum is a priority of Humanities Washington,” said Ellen Terry, Director of Grants and Exhibits. “With this special tour, we are pleased to be working with the Clark County Historical Museum to help develop local exhibitions and public programs to compliment the Smithsonian exhibition.” Such events include:
- July 26, 2008, 3-5 PM opening reception (free and open to the public) which includes a street fair on 16th street between Main and Broadway that features local restaurants and other food related organizations with festivals. The exhibit opening also includes the kick off of a Classic Cook Book Sale which includes gently used cook books for sale.
- English Estates Winery, Vancouver, WA is releasing a special label wine that features the historic 1909 Carnegie Library building that houses the Clark County Historical Museum on the label as a fundraiser for the museum. The Pinot is $24.00/bottle (includes sales tax) and for every bottle sold, EEW will donate $4 to the museum.
- August 11, 2008 at 12 noon special luncheon honoring the forgotten women of the schools, the Lunch Ladies.
- August 21, 2008 7 PM lecture by Dr. Candice Goucher, History professor at Washington State University Vancouver, Food for All Ages: What the Meals We Feed Our Children Reveal About Washington State History.
- September 4, 2008 at 7 PM lecture by local Chef Aaron Chapin, Culinary Footprints of Clark County.
- September 27, 2008, 10 am – 4 PM Clark County Historical Museum’s fifth annual Harvest Fun Day. Free, family oriented even
Key Ingredients is part of Museum on Main Street (MOMS), a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation, and local host institutions. To learn more about Key Ingredients and other MOMS exhibitions, visit www.museumonmainstreet.org. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress. Local support to bring Key Ingredients to Clark County is provided by the Bank of Clark County and The Columbian.
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This exhibit opened February 3rd, 2011 and closed on October 29th, 2011.
Note: This exhibit is now closed.
Note: This exhibit is now closed.