The Denver Museum of Nature & Science‘s new and highly anticipated exhibition, Chocolate: The Exhibition, will run from February 12th 2016 through May 8th 2016!
Chocolate: The Exhibition, traces the history of chocolate from its earliest cultivation in the rain forest to its rise in the modern world. The exhibition explores that history with video, interactive displays, photos and more than 200 artifacts.
The exhibit will feature displays such as a (man- made) tropical rainforest with a cacao tree replica, a display of sculptures and carved vessels, and chemical residue in pots helped scientists trace the roots of chocolate to the ancient Maya, an Aztec marketplaces, the evolution of chocolate in Europe, the manufacturing of chocolate, the exploration of the relationship between growing, selling, and consuming cacao and finally chocolate today.
Chocolate: The Exhibition Special Events
- Valentine’s Day Mashup, Sunday, February 14th 2016 from 6:30pm – 9:30pm. Ticket prices $20 Member, $25 Non-member (as featured in our Valentine’s Day 2016 Denver guide). The Denver Museum of Nature & Science planned an evening that places two Valentine’s favorites in the spotlight: love and chocolate! First, enjoy the lecture “Even Educated Fleas Do It” with Paula Cushing, curator of invertebrate zoology, and Jeff Stephenson, zoology collections manager. They will offer an amusing take on sex in the animal kingdom. Just as you might give a fine box of Godiva to your sweetie, other animals make food offerings to sweeten the deal. You won’t want to miss finding out what a male praying mantis offers his true love! Then, visit Chocolate: The Exhibition where you’ll discover how chocolate journeyed from a humble cacao bean to the ultimate Valentine’s treat. Ticket includes cash bar, dessert, and admission to the exhibition. Cash bar and desserts begin at 6pm. Purchase tickets at: bit.ly/1OW9rK7. Adults Event
- The Science Lounge: Chocolate, Thursday, February 18th 2016 from 6:30pm – 9:30pm. Ticket prices $13 Member, $15 Non-Member. Science has never tasted so sweet! Indulge in mouth-watering demonstrations, tastings, and tongue teasers. Trace the history of the world’s favorite sweet in Chocolate: The Exhibition, test your own taste buds, practice palate drills to challenge your mouth and nose, and don’t forget the creamy cocktail at the bar. Purchase tickets at: bit.ly/1UwK6aX. Adults Event
- The Ooey Gooey Science of Sweets, Saturday, February 20th 2016 from 6pm -8pm. Ticket prices $20 Adult Member, $25 Adult Non-Member, $15 Junior/Child Member, $20 Junior/Child Non-Member. A night of the delicious science of chocolate. Get creative with your taste buds, like combining salty and sweet in chocolate covered bacon, then taste chocolates through the ages while checking out the exhibit. Purchase tickets at: bit.ly/1VwDyJL. Family-Friendly Event
- Crowdtasting: The Science of Beer and Food Pairings, Friday, March 25th 2016 from 6:30pm -9:30pm. Ticket prices $38 Member, $43 Non-Member. Option 1: Begin your evening with entry to the exhibition followed by a tasting and voting session at 7:30pm or Option 2: Begin your evening with a tasting and voting session followed by entry to the exhibition at 7:15pm. Sign up to be a part of an exclusive focus group led by Dr. Nicole Garneau, Museum curator and taste expert, and her partners from the American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC), the Brewer’s Association, and Cicerone. You and your fellow beer nerds, citizen scientists, and foodies participate in tastings designed by the Museum’s culinary team and in return, give feedback on your experience. Following the focus group, hear the voting results and what it might mean about the science of taste. Includes beer tastings, hors d’oeuvres, and admission. Purchase tickets for option 1 at: bit.ly/1nugxvS. Purchase tickets for option 2 at: bit.ly/1QN5slv. Adults Event
- Coffee & Chocolate, Thursday, April 7th 2016 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Ticket prices $40 Member; $55 Non-Member. Challenge your palate to an exercise in bitter, sweet, salty, and the infamous umami with roasting experts Koan Goedman and Kevin Nealson and the Museum’s taste experts. With Huckleberry Roasters as your host, experience the full range of your tongue’s tasting capabilities while savoring locally roasted coffees paired with a variety of delicious chocolates and other delightful treats. Purchase tickets at: bit.ly/1VwDf1E. Adults Event
Admission to the exhibit itself throughout its run is FREE with the price of admission to the museum. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver 80205. Hours of operation are 9am – 5pm daily. For more information about Chocolate: The Exhibition visit: www.dmns.org/chocolate-the-exhibition.