Food Museum

We engage visitors with where their food comes from on our 84-acre rural site. An 84 acre open air museum located in the heart of Stowmarket, Suffolk.
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31/05/2026

🍺 The 29th Festival of Beer and Brewing is coming to the Food Museum, Stowmarket and you won't want to miss it!

From Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 July, the Food Museum transforms into a haven for beer lovers, with real ales, craft beers and ciders served from the stunning medieval barn at the heart of it all.

There'll be food throughout the day and live entertainment every evening.

But first things first, secure your limited edition glass now. As seen in our reel, this year's design is one to keep. Tickets are on sale in advance, so beat the queue and grab yours before they're gone:
🎟️ £4 single entry
🎟️ £10 / £15 for all days + your limited edition glass

Thursday 2 July 5–11pm | Friday 3 July 12–11pm | Saturday 4 July 11am–11pm | Sunday 5 July 11am–4pm

Easily reachable on foot from Stowmarket town centre, or by train from Bury St Edmunds, Norwich and Ipswich. Follow the link for tickets and directions:
https://foodmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/events/festival-of-beer-and-brewing/

A huge thank you to this year's sponsors Heronbuild and Humber Doucy.

30/05/2026

Revolution is coming to Stowmarket 🔥

Jubilant! 2026 is back and this year, young people from 9 local schools are taking on the theme of Revolution. From photography to theatre performances, students have been working alongside professional artists to create bold, imaginative projects that are anything but ordinary.

Throughout June, their work takes over Stowmarket's cultural venues, turning the town into a vibrant youth arts festival. It all kicks off on Friday 19 June at 12pm in Stowmarket Market Place – and the whole community is invited to come and celebrate what young people can do.

Head to the link in our bio to find out which school's project is featured in which venue.

26/05/2026

There’s no better sign of spring than fresh eggs 🥚 Join Mrs Wilding in the latest episode of The Food Museum Presents…, our series bringing historic cookery to life through filmed recipes — created in collaboration with food historian Dr Annie Gray and historical interpreter Kathy Hipperson.

Find the full video via the link in the comments.

Made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

22/05/2026

Bread Week is almost here 🍞

From Saturday 23 May, the Food Museum is celebrating all things bread throughout May half-term, in collaboration with the Real Bread Campaign. Whether you're a sourdough devotee or a farmhouse loaf fan, there's something for everyone as we explore the past, present and future of one of the world's oldest foods.

Here's what's on:
🌾 Real Bread Ambassador Demo & Discussion — Saturday 23 May, 11am–1pm
Fourth-generation Italian baker Giovanni Di Sarno takes you through the key techniques behind real bread, from flour selection to proving and baking. A must for any bread lover.

🫓 Mill and Make Flat Breads — Tues, Weds, Thurs & Fri, 2pm
Mill your own grain into flour, make flat breads and bake them in our wood-fired oven — then enjoy with homemade pestos, flavoured oils and spice blends. Perfect for the whole family.

Follow the link to book and find out more:
https://foodmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/events/bread-week/

18/05/2026

We're still buzzing from the news that School Dinners has been named Best Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year at the 24th Museums + Heritage Awards! 🏆

Here's what the judges had to say:
"A simple subject turned into something ground-breaking — equal parts nostalgia and sharp political commentary, foregrounding children's voices to explore poverty, policy and responsibility. This winning exhibition proved that imagination and flair can outshine budget every time."

Here, our curator Katherine talks us through a little about the exhibition and guides us to what you might expect when you visit.

This project is made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and Thomas Ridley Foodservice.

School Dinners is open now until 2027. What do you remember about your school dinners? Tell us in the comments 👇

14/05/2026

We're proud to announce that School Dinners has been named Best Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year at the 24th Museums + Heritage Awards!

Thought to be the first exhibition in the UK dedicated entirely to school meals, School Dinners invites visitors to step back in time, grab their lunch tray, and explore the tastes, stories and cultural legacy of school food, from semolina and sponge pudding to Turkey Twizzlers, and the bigger questions about poverty, politics and responsibility.

This award is a testament to the incredible collaboration behind the exhibition, which has been developed with over 35 organisations and individuals, including the School Meals Service project, the Quadram Institute, academic institutions, community groups, food experts and members of the public.

A big thanks to our funders and sponsor whose support made this possible: , , and

School Dinners is open now and runs until 2027 🍽️

13/05/2026

We're so excited to welcome once again the wonderful Giovanni Di Sarno – fifth-generation master baker and Real Bread Campaign Ambassador – to lead our Introduction to Sourdough Workshop.

Over a day and a half, you'll learn everything from creating your own starter to baking perfectly crisp loaves with flour milled at the museum. Lunch is included, and you'll be baking in our gallery kitchen, surrounded by the School Dinners exhibition.

Sat 10am–4pm | Sun 10am–1pm | £170 inc. lunch
Ages 14+ (under 18s with an adult)

Grab your spot via the link:
https://foodmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/events/sourdough_workshop/

12/05/2026

We're hiring a Curator to lead our exhibition programme and champion research into our permanent collection.

This is a permanent, full-time role, working closely with our Collections & Learning Team on everything from collections management to interpretation and partnerships.

Applications close midnight, Sunday 31 May. Interviews take place 4 & 5 June.

To apply, head to the link in the comments.

08/05/2026

As we reach the end of International Compost Awareness Week, we wanted to share what’s been happening at the Museum! 🌱

Thanks to support from Master Composter scheme, Suffolk Waste Service and , we have been able to improve our very own compost system here on site. Led by our Operations Manager Matthew, we’ve been collecting food scraps from the café and green waste from around the grounds, think tree cuttings, garden trimmings, and more, and turning them into something brilliant for the soil.

The compost area is really taking shape, with the sleepers going into position, and we’re excited to share that it will be fully finished by the end of the month.

Would you like to get involved in activities like these? Why not consider volunteering with our estate team! It’s a wonderful way to get outside, breathe in the fresh air, learn new skills, and be part of a welcoming community right here at the Museum.

Head to the link in our bio to find out more about volunteering.

Address

Food Museum, Crowe Street
Stowmarket
IP141DL

Telephone

01449 612229

Website

http://www.foodmuseum.org.uk/

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