FOOD MUSEUM
The history of man’s relationship with food throughout history is chronicled in this Thanjavur museum, which spans from the hunter-gatherer period to the earliest farming villages, which date back to 13000 BCE. The topics of farming, grain storage, and food security are highlighted since they are closely related to how we ate in the past and how we eat today.
India’s first food museum
The inaugural Food Museum in India is a new attraction in Thanjavur. The Museum gives visitors a tour of India’s food delivery systems, agriculture, and cuisines.The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) in Bengaluru collaborated to build the Museum as an innovative project. The aim is to highlight the problems related to food storage and to digitally represent the situation of foodgrain production in India and around the world.Via video conference, Mr. Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution System, officially opened the museum. Atish Chandra, the Managing Director and Chairman of FCI, joined him for the occasion.
Thanjavur as birthplace of the FCI
Due to its historical significance to the FCI, Thanjavur was selected as the location for India’s inaugural Food Museum. Thanjavur, known as the cultural hub of the state, holds a special place in the origins of the FCI, as it housed the organization’s first office on January 14, 1965. The Museum now stands proudly within the premises of the FCI Divisional Office in Nirmala Nagar, Thanjavur, serving as a tribute to the FCI’s enduring commitment to ensuring food security in India.
Why Thanjavur?
Thanjavur holds great importance not just as a cultural hub in Tamil Nadu, but also as the location of the inaugural office of FCI, which was established on 14 January 1965. Over the past five decades, this corporation has been instrumental in safeguarding national food security. The museum, unveiled by Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal, is considered to be a unique addition to the country and a valuable asset to the tourist sites in Thanjavur.
What exactly is there to see at the Museum?
Food Storage : The Food Museum showcases a wide range of food storage techniques that have been created and utilized throughout the years, not only in India but also globally. In addition to this, the museum presents an exhibition on the foodgrain production landscape in India and worldwide, shedding light on the challenges related to storage.
FCI Operations: The Food Museum showcases a range of technological features employed by FCI to enhance efficiency in agricultural production and distribution networks via digital displays. Among the Museum’s offerings are projection mapping, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), a touch screen kiosk, proximity and touch sensors, and a virtual reality system.
A virtual reality display and informative panels chronicle the evolution of food conservation initiatives, from historical famines to present-day food security measures utilizing traditional and contemporary storage techniques. A large-scale exhibit showcases the complete journey of rice cultivation, from planting the seed to serving it on a plate. Lastly, an engaging quiz is offered for those eager to test their knowledge after learning new information.
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