The Wait is Over!

Please Touch Museum finally has an answer to the burning question from four-year-old visitors, “When can I play in the supermarket?”

After more than 18 months of planning, development, and construction, a brand-new market experience, Food & Family, will be open for play starting December 15, 2021. The exhibit, doubled in size from the original Market, is made possible by The GIANT Company’s $1.2 million investment in Please Touch Museum.

The opening day celebration of Food & Family on December 15 will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. and visit from our friends at GIANT who will have special giveaways for the children who play in the exhibit on this historic day while supplies last. Please Touch Museum members can make a reservation for the opening day celebration before they are available to the public. General admission visitors are invited to make a reservation to this special day starting on November 22.

Learning Through Play in an Entirely New Way

In this new 3,650 square foot exhibit, children will learn about the journey of food from source to gathering place and its importance in cultures, communities, and traditions. The immersive experience encourages multigenerational learning and inspires children to use their imagination through creative role-playing opportunities in three interconnected content areas.

The Shopping Market

In addition to “shopping” the aisles in the grocery store, children can also become “employees” in the store by wearing specially-marked aprons and providing customer service as a stock person, checkout cashier, or working in the deli, the meat and seafood department, and in-store pizzeria. As a sign of the times, children can also become a “Shop @ Home” worker by gathering food for “customers” who ordered online from home.

The Kitchen

Children can work together in a hybrid home and industrial kitchen (complete with brick fire pizza oven!) to prepare food to share with others. At a baking and cake decorating station, kids can create confections for family celebrations, and little chefs can “prepare” breakfast, lunch or dinner using pots, pans and food disks featuring dishes from a variety of cultures. The area is complete with a touch screen “smart fridge” to create a shopping list of items to purchase for home or to donate to a local food bank.

The Festival

Food is more festive when gathering with friends and neighbors. Children can learn about community by gathering in the festival area for a block party where they can find a food stand that changes cuisines seasonally, a food cart, a grilling station and game tables with tic-tac-toe and checkers.

Food & Family is a collaboration between Please Touch Museum and The GIANT Company and its For Today’s Table^TM brand platform, which celebrates families gathering around the table to enjoy a meal and connect in meaningful ways. This new exhibit provides opportunities for families to learn where food comes from, how to prepare and share food, and how food connects people and communities.