Future of Food at the Science Museum

25^th July 2025

Umar Ali

Umar Ali

25 July 2025

Future of Food is an exhibition that explores the timeline of mankind’s relationship with food: it first looks into how growing and producing food have changed over the years, then outlines the ways that current methods impact the climate, nature and society, and finally offers insights into exciting new techniques that could facilitate more sustainable practices to meet an ever-increasing global demand for food.

After setting the scene with a section highlighting the issues with today’s food production processes, the meat and potatoes of the exhibit are split into two sections, Biotech and Ecology. The former half explores scientific breakthroughs that could transform the way food is produced, and the latter half considers ways that farming and fishing practices could be refined with science to be more sustainable.

Both parts go into great detail about several exciting innovations, covering a lot of ground in a relatively short space, but the exhibit’s clever layout and considered presentation allow it to break complicated social, economic and scientific concepts down into bite-sized, digestible chunks.

Future of Food features over 100 historic and contemporary objects to provide fascinating visual aids, including massive scale models, samples of food science old and new, several pieces of equipment and the occasional taxidermy animal thrown in for good measure. There are also several movies, long and short, that provide even greater detail for anyone who wants it (or cushions for anyone who wants a sit-down).

It also wouldn’t be an exhibit at the Science Museum without plenty of interactivity, and Future of Food brings plenty of visitor participation to the table, including flaps to flip, buttons to press, a poll to answer and even a multiplayer game to experiment with. There’s something here for every kind of learner, and the physicality of the exhibit directly immerses its audience in the act of learning, making visitors a direct part of the wider conversations at hand.

Overall, Future of Food is a wonderful, thought-provoking look into one of the most important facets of humanity’s uneasy relationship with the natural world – putting food on the table – exploring a wide smorgasbord of scientific endeavours with generous servings of fun and style. It’s comprehensive without being overwhelming – a difficult balance to strike, but one that ensures museum-goers will leave the exhibit equipped with the knowledge to make more informed decisions about their food habits.

Umar Ali
Photos: Courtesy of the Science Museum

Future of Food is at the Science Museum from 24^th July 2025 until 4^th January 2026. For further information or to book, visit the exhibition’s website here.