5 Museums All About Alcohol
You’ve probably been to museums full of portraits and historical artifacts, but what about ones featuring beer, wine, and spirits? It might sound too good to be true, but they’re actually located all over the world. So the next time you’re visiting an account for business or taking in a new distillery or winery, why not add a measure of history to go along with your trip?
Wine Museum of Paris (Paris, France)
The wine cellars that make up the Wine Museum used to serve as wine storage for the Eiffel Tower’s restaurant, according to its website. Some of its much earlier history involved being a monastery constructed all the way back in 1493. However, the buildings were destroyed in the revolution and weren’t renovated until 1950. Now it serves as a museum housing wine and history alike.
"The museum also hosts wine tasting classes a few times a year, and the beginning classes teach you about wine vocabulary, sensory analysis, and more."
Appropriately, every type of admittance package includes a glass of wine. The museum also hosts wine tasting classes a few times a year, and the beginning classes teach you about wine vocabulary, sensory analysis, and more. If you’re a fan of wine and find yourself in Paris, definitely consider stopping by.
Spiritmuseum (Djurgården, Stockholm, Sweden)
At Spiritmuseum’s major exhibition, visitors can learn about how alcohol is produced, how it’s involved in the culture, and how it affects the senses. The museum is also home to the Face It! Exhibition featuring 69 of the 850 artworks commission by Absolut® Vodka from 1986 to 2004, including pieces by Andy Warhol.
Most interestingly, though, the museum holds annual Swedish drinking song championships and archives all of the submissions. This contest comes from the tradition of what’s called "snapvisor," which are songs sung when making a toast. You can download an English version (PDF) of a song book on their website if you want to see examples.
Havana Club Museum of Rum (Havana, Cuba)
If you’re interested in learning about the rum production process, this museum should do the trick. The Havana Club Museum’s tour will take you back to the origins of rum, starting with a demonstration of how craftsmen used to build oak casks for aging. The museum also includes a mule-driven cane mill, a steam locomotive model (used for sugarcane transport), wooden fermentation casks, and more.
At the end of the tour, you end up in the tasting room, which resembles establishments that would have been in Havana in the 1930s. This museum is a great place to learn both about rum production and Cuban culture.
The Museum of the American Cocktail (New Orleans, Louisiana)
The Museum of the American Cocktail® demonstrates the impact the cocktail has had on American culture throughout the years. The museum’s collection includes vintage cocktail shakers, Prohibition-era music, and reproductions that provide context of the time period.
If you can’t make it out to the museum, they have an online learning experience where you can read facts like the origin of the word "cocktail" and how electricity benefitted the bar scene. But if you do find yourself in the area, admission is only $10, and they also host events and seminars related to the influence of the American cocktail.
The Museum of Tequila and Mezcal (Mexico City, Mexico)
MUTEM strives to promote Mexican heritage and demonstrate the quality of Mexican products that come from agave. But it’s not your typical museum — MUTEM offers concerts, cuisine and conferences to expand your knowledge of the culture relating to tequila and mezcal.
If you’re interested and in the area, stop by for a guided tour, which can be given in a variety of languages. Then try to check out one of the musical gatherings hosted by MUTEM, featuring traditional mariachi music.
These are only a few of the alcohol-related museums out there. Have you been to a museum about beer, wine, or spirits? If so, did you enjoy your time there? Tweet at us with your favorite destinations.