Our subject is the effect of migrant food on the immigrant experience in America. It is our opinion that the influence of food has a dramatic, positive effect on helping new immigrants to feel at home in America, changing the culture and traditions of America overall, and on America’s economic situation through the exportation of American foods.

    We would like to set up the exhibit into different rooms representing separate ideas. For example, we have rooms set up for “native” American foods, and their actual origins. We will introduce a traditionally American recipe, reveal its origins, and then talk a little about the immigrants that brought it over.  We will use plenty of video feed, showing the foods in our exhibit, their preparation, and their origins. We also will provide more audio recordings than text, since our museum is aimed for a younger audience. Our goal is for the museum to be completely interactive, with props to help the audience to relate the information given to real life. One idea we have is for the children to be given baskets filled with native American foods, and as they walk around the different exhibits, trade these native foods with those originating in other countries. This is a way for the idea of cultural exchange to be made understandable to children. For older children we propose passing out small e-cards representing different food items. As they walk about the exhibit, they can plug the chip into kiosks and read a short paragraph on the process of that item, either to or from America. The last kiosk will show photos and recipes of what the food is now.

    The intended audience is going to be children’s museum that will also appeal to their parents. We hope that through interactive displays they have a better understanding of the process of traveling food. We also hope that they will be excited and interested. Foremost, however, we hope that by promoting the idea of beneficial exchanges through immigration, the audience leaves with a more positive outlook on the potential benefits of immigration. It will also help the audience to realize how different our culture today would be, because food is influential in shaping national identity.

Confucius said, "A man cannot be too serious about his eating, for food is the force that binds society together." Food connects all cultures. It is also a particularly definitive characteristic of nations. Also by mapping the travel of food throughout the world, we are able to view the patterns of migrations into the U.S. in a tangible way.

Objections may be:

It’s too childish. Although the exhibit is designed for children, the message behind the exhibit is one of global exchange and connectivity, which is a theme that even could use a greater appreciation.

Food is not directly relevant to migration. Food is directly relevant to migration because in order to make the new country their own, immigrants use food in order to feel comfortable. As time goes on, migrant food becomes a part of American life, just as immigrants become part of American life and culture.