National Mustard Museum facts for kids
The museum in 2019
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| Former name | Mount Horeb Mustard Museum |
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| Established | April 6, 1992 (original location) November 2009 (new location) |
| Location | Middleton, Wisconsin |
| Type | Food museum |
| Accreditation | April 5, 1992. |
| Collection size | 5,601+ items |
| Founder | Barry Levenson |
The National Mustard Museum is a really unique museum located in Middleton, Wisconsin. It's famous for having a huge collection of prepared mustards. People often list it as one of the most unusual museums in the United States.
Contents
Discovering the World of Mustard
How the Museum Started
The idea for the museum came from a man named Barry Levenson. He used to be a lawyer for the state of Wisconsin. In 1986, his favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, lost a big game. He felt sad about it and started collecting mustards to cheer himself up.
His collection began with just a dozen jars. Now, it has grown to more than 5,600 mustards! These mustards come from over 60 different countries. The museum also has hundreds of items related to mustard. It shows how mustard has been used throughout history.
What You Can See and Do
The museum has many different kinds of mustards on display. You can find sweet hot mustards, mustards made with fruit, and even super spicy hot pepper mustards. There are also mustards with horseradish and those made with spirits.
The collection includes many French and English mustards. But you'll also see mustards from lots of other countries. About half of the museum's space is a gift shop. Here, you can try free samples of many mustards from a special refrigerated case. The museum also sells mustards by mail.
A Taste of History
The museum first opened its doors in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, on April 6, 1992. It later moved to a bigger spot in October 2000. In November 2009, the museum moved to Middleton and changed its name to the National Mustard Museum.
The museum has been featured on TV shows like Unwrapped on the Food Network. It has also been talked about on National Public Radio.
Visiting the Museum
It's free to get into the National Mustard Museum! It is usually open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, it is closed on certain holidays. These include Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
