Known for her bestselling cookbooks, including Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and accessible cooking television shows that fundamentally transformed American home cooking, culinary icon Julia Child taught many about the importance of joy, curiosity, and perseverance in the kitchen. Starting September 27, the Minnesota History Center will host Julia Child: A Recipe for Life, a traveling exhibition produced by Flying Fish in collaboration with Napa Valley Museum, that celebrates the famous chef and the legacy she left behind.
Featuring collections of personal objects throughout Julia Child’s life and interactive displays, the immersive, multi-sensory exhibition chronicles her journey from her California upbringing to her successful and inspiring culinary career in France and the U.S. Between the turns that take visitors from one part of her life to the next, the exhibition includes a detailed recreation of Julia Child’s unforgettable dining experience at La Couronne, a towering model of the influential cookbook that she penned with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, and an interactive replica of her The French Chef television kitchen. In one part of the exhibition space, display copper pots also stand next to descriptions of some of Julia Child’s most famous recipes—like her coq au vin or crème renversée au caramel (caramelized custard)—with technology that simulates the scent of those dishes for visitors to take in once they lift off the lids.
Annie Johnson, museum manager at the Minnesota History Center, said that the chronological layout of the exhibition offers a fuller glimpse into the people, places, and memories that compose her life story.
“I think that most people weren’t really introduced to Julia and her story until mid-career when The French Chef went on TV, and this exhibition starts with her childhood and really tells the whole arc of her story,” Johnson says. “People are going to learn a lot of information about her and her background and her relationships…beyond just her funny, larger-than-life commitment to cooking.”
In addition to the photographs and mementos that document the life of Julia Child, the exhibition includes an exclusive section titled “Minnesota Cooks: Small Bites from the Collections.” Showcasing several vintage cookbooks from the Minnesota Historical Society’s collection, the special feature delves into the state’s culinary history by highlighting its important faces, traditions, and values.
“A lot of us now get our recipes from the internet, but I think many of us do have those memories, or have a box somewhere, of those spiral-bound, food-stained community cookbooks, maybe the Betty Crocker cookbook from here in Minnesota, which has a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking right next to it,” Johnson says. “To me, there’s just such an interesting connection and juxtaposition—that you have this very professionally trained, meticulous style of French cooking right next to the Lutheran Church cookbook from your grandma’s hometown that has her recipe for marshmallow salad. They were both such important parts of people’s kitchens, and that’s really exciting and charming and meaningful.”
Alongside the exhibition, the Minnesota History Center plans to coordinate programming with local chefs and authors to supplement the visitor experience, including a free conversation featuring Paula Johnson, one of the original collectors and keepers of Julia Child’s home kitchen, on the exhibition’s opening day. Details of other upcoming events will be posted to its event calendar online.
The exhibition will run through May 31, 2026.
Dining and Cooking