Through Oct. 30, the Spirits Museum in Stockholm presents its 2019 exhibition “The Future of Food & Drink.” The show explores mid-20th-century visions of futuristic food, current culinary innovations and expert predictions for what we might be eating and drinking over the next 30 years.
“It can scarcely have escaped anybody’s notice that we stand at the dawn of a transition comparable to the Internet revolution,” said Ingrid Leffler, director of the Spirits Museum. “We’re seeing near-daily reports on how food production and our eating habits affect the planet and our health. Our contribution to the debate is this exhibition, which is intended for the whole family and for anyone curious about how we will be eating and drinking in the future.”
The exhibition is organized into three sections: Future 1950, Future 2019 and Future Dreams 2050. Future 1950 presents post‑war beliefs about industrial and chemically processed foods, a period when convenience and technological progress were celebrated and people imagined lab‑grown meat and genetically altered crops as part of everyday life.
Future 2019 focuses on current technologies and trends shaping today’s food systems, from aquaculture and precision agriculture to zero‑waste cooking and inventive uses for food byproducts, sometimes showcased through creative concepts like cocktails made from rescued ingredients.
Future Dreams 2050 gathers perspectives from culinary experts to offer informed forecasts about future foodways, highlighting possible shifts in production, sustainability, flavors and dining culture over the coming decades.
The museum has also developed special material for children. As families move through the exhibition, young visitors can collect clues, solve puzzles and earn a small reward at the end, making the experience both educational and interactive.
Overall, “The Future of Food & Drink” combines historical context, contemporary practice and forward‑looking ideas to spark conversation about how innovation, environment and culture will shape what ends up on our plates and in our glasses.