Wrather West Kentucky Museum celebrates its centennial by hosting traveling Smithsonian exhibit “FOOD: Transforming the American Table”

MURRAY, Ky. – The Murray State University Libraries are pleased to celebrate the centennial of the Wrather West Kentucky Museum by bringing the traveling Smithsonian Exhibit “FOOD: Transforming the American Table” to the community for the fall season. Along with this free exhibit, which opens August 20, Wrather will also host a series of associated community events connected with the theme of the exhibit, including an interactive lecture with chef Sara Bradley and a food tasting event.

Julia Child’s home kitchen, with its hundreds of tools, appliances and furnishings, serves as the opening story of the museum’s first major exhibition on food history. From the impact of new technologies, to the influence of social and cultural changes, the exhibition explores the transformation of food and drink in post-World War II America, as well as what we know (or think we know) about what’s good for us. The public is invited to take a seat at a large, communal table in the center of the exhibition to share their own thoughts and experiences about food and change in the United States.

Visitors to the museum will also be able to enjoy an accompanying local food exhibit curated by Murray State University students.

In addition to the new exhibits, the community is also invited to several events which will be held at Wrather throughout the fall:

• Aug. 26, 7 p.m.: Chef Sara Bradley Interactive Lecture – Join Sara Bradley, Paducah native, chef and proprietor of the Freight House restaurant in Paducah, winner of Food Network’s 2023 “Chopped: All American Showdown” and runner-up in “Top Chef: World All-Stars,” for an interactive lecture about her experience on “Top Chef” and owning one of Paducah’s premier restaurants. Free to the public.

• Sept. 9, 4:30-6:30 p.m.: Food Tasting Event – Visit the Quad on Murray State’s campus to sample a variety of foods showcasing highlights of American cuisine and prepare to view the Smithsonian’s “FOOD” exhibit, carefully curated by Murray State University students. $15 per person. Guests may pre-register online at bit.ly/foodexhibit or the day of the event.

• Nov. 7, 6 p.m.: Kelley Fanto Deetz Presentation – Join scholar and author Kelley Fanto Deetz for an evening discussing themes from her book “Bound to the Fire: How Virginia’s Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine,” which was named as one of the top ten books on food of 2017 by the “Smithsonian Magazine.” Free to the public.

Wrather Hall was the first permanent building constructed on the campus of Murray State in 1924. In the early years of the University, the building was used for campus classes, chapel, pep rallies, debates and plays; it also housed the bookstore, post office, a dining room, science laboratories and the administrative offices. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 18, 1975. Shortly after that, the facility was extensively renovated and dedicated as the Wrather West Kentucky Museum. It opened as the museum on Sept. 22, 1982. 

The museum underwent a major renovation in 2022. Its mission is to highlight and promote an understanding of the social, cultural and economic development of west Kentucky and the Jackson Purchase. Acquisitions, exhibits and special programs support this mission. Both permanent and changing exhibits are open to the public at no charge. Open hours in the fall are Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m., plus select evenings and weekends. Class visits can be scheduled by appointment via Meg Smith (msmith223@murraystate.edu).

“It’s a real treat for visitors whenever Kentucky Humanities helps engineer a collaboration between Wrather Museum and Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, and we’re absolutely delighted by our most recent one, ‘FOOD,’ that will open to the public in August 2024,” said Dr. Jeff McLaughlin, Murray State University Libraries Special Collections and Exhibits director. “All of our companion programming came together through the efforts of Murray State students, either those in the museum studies minor or paid workers at the museum, and they have gained valuable experience that will help prepare them for careers in cultural institutions after graduation. There’s something for the entire community here, and we especially encourage parents of school-aged children in particular to bring the family out to enjoy a Smithsonian exhibit right here at home.”

This exhibit and related events are made possible in part through the support of local sponsors. For more information about sponsorship opportunities, or to support the Wrather West Kentucky Museum in other ways, contact Brandon Anderson, development director for Murray State University Libraries, at banderson26@murraystate.edu or 270-809-3001.