Baked Bean Museum of Excellence facts for kids
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| Location | Port Talbot, Wales, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Food museum |
| Key holdings | Popular culture items related to baked beans |
| Founder | Barry Kirk |
The Baked Bean Museum of Excellence was a special museum in Port Talbot, Wales, United Kingdom. It was a private museum, which means it was owned by an individual, not the government. This unique museum officially closed its doors on June 30, 2023.
Who Started the Museum?
The museum was created by a man named Barry Kirk. He loved baked beans so much that he legally changed his name to Captain Beany. He did this using a "deed poll," which is a legal paper that lets you change your name.
Captain Beany's museum was very unusual. It was set up inside his own home! He used his living room, bathroom, and kitchen to display his collection. Captain Beany is also known for raising money for charity every year.
What Was Inside?
The museum was filled with all sorts of items related to baked beans. You could see old food cans with different labels. There were also many advertising items and special promotional items. These are things like toys or gifts given out to promote a product.
The collection included items from famous food brands. These were brands like Heinz, Crosse & Blackwell, Branston, HP, and Van Camp's. There were even items connected to the funny character Mr Bean.
Captain Beany collected over 500 different items for his museum. He spent more than £10,000 to build up this amazing collection.
No Gift Shop?
Unlike most museums, the Baked Bean Museum of Excellence did not have a gift shop inside. If you wanted a souvenir, you had to find Captain Beany. He would set up a market stall on weekends. There, he sold special items related to the museum and his Captain Beany character.
Museum's Impact
The museum was officially recognized by the Association of Independent Museums. A famous comedian, Danny Wallace, was a supporter of the museum. In 2018, the museum was quite popular. It was ranked as the fourth most visited attraction in Port Talbot by TripAdvisor.
In 2010, Captain Beany thought his was the only museum in the world just for baked beans. Later, in 2019, the Heinz company opened its own "Beanz Museum." This was a special pop-up museum in Covent Garden, London. It was only open for a few days, from August 30 to September 1. This museum celebrated Heinz's 150th anniversary.
See also
- Museums in Wales
- Tourism in Wales
