Alimentarium
| Established | 21 June 1985 |
|---|---|
| Location | Vevey |
| Coordinates | 46°27′30″N 6°50′47″E / 46.45837°N 6.84646°E |
| Type | Food museum |
| Visitors | 38,936 (2024)[1] |
| Founder | Martin Schärer |
| Director | Boris Wastiau |
| Owner | Fondation Alimentarium |
| Website | https://alimentarium.org |
The Alimentarium, also known as the Food Museum, is a museum dedicated to food located in the Vaudoise town of Vevey, Switzerland. The museum is owned and operated by the Nestlé-funded Alimentarium Foundation, and is located in front of (and maintains) the Fork of Vevey.
History
In 1921, the Nestlé company established its first administrative center in a neoclassical-style building located on the shores of Lake Geneva. The company's management remained there until 1936, when it moved to a new headquarters, and moved again in 1958 to its current location.
The creation of a museum dedicated to human nutrition was announced in 1980, with its grand opening initially planned for 1982 or 1983:[2][3] the original building was then completely renovated and finally opened its doors on June 21, 1985.[4]
To mark its tenth anniversary, the Fork of Vevey, an 8-meter tall stainless steel fork was set on the shores of the lake, in front of the museum, as part of a temporary exhibition.[5] Removed at the end of the exhibition in March 1996, it was reinstated more than ten years later following a public petition.[6]
As part of Nestlé's 150th anniversary, the museum was completely renovated in 2016, including the creation of an annex and a botanical garden dedicated to edible plants.[7]
The museum is listed as a Swiss cultural property of national significance. It was established as a Nestlé-sponsored foundation and is governed by a foundation board composed of representatives from the company, the Federal Department of the Interior, and the Canton of Vaud, among others.[8]
Collections
The museum's permanent exhibition is designed around the theme of "cooking, buying, eating and digesting" and also presents the history of the Nestlé company.[4] It also offers many temporary exhibitions related to food, such as cooking workshops. The museum's restaurant also frequently offers meals related to current exhibitions.[9]
See also
References
- ^ "Annual report" (PDF). 31 December 2024.
- ^ B., Ph. (21 March 1980). "Vevey: Nestlé ouvrira en 1982 un Musée de l'alimentation". www.letempsarchives.ch. Journal de Genève. pp. 16/17. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ "Fondation Alimentarium à Vevey". www.letempsarchives.ch. Gazette de Lausanne. 6 June 1980. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ a b "A voir et à manger". www.letempsarchives.ch. Gazette de Lausanne. 21 June 1985. pp. 10–11. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ "A giant fork sculpture on the shores of Lake Leman in Switzerland". www.abc.net.au. 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ "La Fourchette du musée l'alimentarium à..." notrehistoire.ch (in French). 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ "La mue de l'Alimentarium fâche quelques voisins". 24 heures (in French). 2013-04-02. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ "Gouvernance". www.alimentarium.org (in French). Archived from the original on 2025-07-08. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
- ^ Egloff, Véronique (4 September 1996). "L'Alimentarium met les petits plats dans les grands". www.letempsarchives.ch. Le Nouveau Quotidien. pp. 28/29. Retrieved 2025-08-30.
External links
Media related to Alimentarium, Vevey at Wikimedia Commons