17. The Museum of Food and Drink

exterior of MOFAD, coolest museums in nyc
MOFAD educates on food and drink.

It’s not very often we encounter museums where we can utilize all our senses. The concept behind an institution dedicated to food and drink, The Museum of Food and Drink, came from founder Dave Arnold. Then in 2013, the museum’s first exhibit, BOOM! The Puffing Gun and the Rise of Cereal was born, with a 1930s-era cereal puffing gun touring around the city. The museum gained more support to follow, especially after keeping the MOFAD Lab active with touring school programs and other pop-up exhibitions.

The museum offers intriguing discussions with historians such as Making It Here: A Local History of Flavor, such as how the first Oreo was developed at Chelsea Market since it used to be a factory complex for Nabisco. What’s also intriguing is the museum emphasizes looking at the importance of immigration and other cultures behind the foods we eat, such as their menu for “Chow.” During the pandemic, Although it is temporarily closed, the museum provides all virtual programs that are educational and cultural on its main website.