Throwback Spotlight: The Chocolate Exhibit at the Field Museum, Chicago (2002) to a Deliciously Educational Experience

Throwback Spotlight: The Chocolate Exhibit at the Field Museum, Chicago (2002) - a Deliciously Educational Experience

Back in 2002, the Field Museum in Chicago offered something truly irresistible: Chocolate, a traveling exhibition that blended history, science, and culture with everyone’s favorite indulgence. This wasn’t just about sweet tooths and sugary snacks — it was a deep dive into the 3,000-year-old story of chocolate, from its roots in ancient Mesoamerica to its role in modern pop culture.

Visitors were treated to an unforgettable sensory and intellectual journey. The exhibition featured everything from pre-Columbian ceramics and ritual objects to ornate European silver chocolate services and vintage 20th-century advertising. There were even early vending machines that sold Hershey bars for just one cent and chocolate cigarettes in brightly colored wrappers (yes, that was a thing).

But Chocolate was more than a visual feast — it was a full-on experience. The Field Museum hosted a series of engaging lectures and talks by historians, anthropologists, food experts, and chocolatiers.

These sessions covered topics like:

• The role of cacao in ancient rituals

• How chocolate became currency in Aztec society

• The science behind fermentation and flavor development

• Chocolate's transformation in Europe after the 16th century

• The rise of chocolate in modern industry and pop culture

  
  

One of the most memorable guest speakers was author Joel Glenn Brenner, who discussed her groundbreaking book, The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey & Mars. Her talk offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at the rival chocolate empires that shaped the American candy landscape — a fitting complement to the exhibit’s broader themes of innovation, secrecy, and obsession in the chocolate industry.

Guests even got to hear from a variety of pastry chefs, their passion for chocolate was palpable and inspiring, especially as they discussed its versatility in everything from ice cream and cakes to cookies and fine confections.

One of the most fascinating bits of trivia? Americans consume about 12 pounds of chocolate per person each year in the United States — a fact that brought many smiles and knowing nods from visitors.

Whether you were there for the anthropology, the artifacts, or just the fun facts about Valentine’s Day candy, The Chocolate Exhibit offered something for everyone. It reminded us how this beloved treat has evolved — from bitter ceremonial drink to sweet global obsession — and how it's shaped by culture just as much as it shapes it.

A sweet memory from Chicago’s museum scene that’s still worth savoring today. 🍫