On Oct 28, 1986; the morning after the Boston Red Sox lost the World Series, Barry Levenson embarked on an unusual kind of personal therapy. He began collecting mustards, something to take his mind off of the tragic loss. As his collection grew, people heard about it and wanted to see it. Finally, in 1991, he decided that this collection was a real museum. He quit his job (as an assistant attorney general for the State of Wisconsin); and opened the museum/mustard shop in April 1992. That’s when the (now) National Mustard Museum was born.

The making of an immersive experience

In the museum, you can see Barry’s sunny collection and then in the gift shop you can TASTE hundreds of mustards. Barry also leads tours that feature singing the POUPON U fight song (a fictitious university where mustard makers go to college). 

 

Now, over 6,100 different kind of mustards from around the world are on display. So are mustard ads, mustard pots, mustard tins, the world’s only mustard vending machine; and a news article about a woman whose house burned down while she made a run to the store to buy ketchup. Barry’s favorite installation is their displays of antique mustard tins.

Triumphs and turbulence

When asked about his biggest challenges while setting up and running the National Mustard Museum, Barry admits, “Money. It may sound crass but making a living from the museum/shop has always been a challenge.” On the flip side, Barry is appreciative of the condimental friendships he has made – and the satisfaction of seeing so many smiles on so many faces.

The museum and the shop are now two separate entities – the shop (and online store) is now owned by someone else and the museum, is a nonprofit. Barry wishes he would have set it up as separate entities much earlier. Having survived for more than a quarter century and having gained credibility with the food world in general and the mustard world in particular, the Mustard Museum is only becoming more visible and popular. Head on over and as Barry puts it, “Stay away from that red stuff!”

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Immersive Food Experiences – An exploration of the food-inspired experiential pop-up phenomenon across the globe.  If you’ve experienced an immersive space of food – let us know! Tell us about your experience at info@sugarandspace.in