Food Is the Main Dish as Key West Preps to Highlight Florida Keys Cuisine
Photo: Key Lime Pie Postcard in the Key West Art & Historical Society Collection
Not that glorious Key Lime Pie isn’t enough! There are many other treats capable of representing the food of Florida Keys. Mango and Citrus and Conch everything, Cuban sandwiches, Bahamian BBQ, plus so much more. Cuisine of the region will take center stage in a national touring museum collaboration coming to Key West in early 2026. – Editor
Florida Humanities, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), has launched a new exhibition partnership program, “Exhibition Starter Kit: FOOD.” The partnership has selected the Key West Art & Historical Society as an inaugural recipient. In total, eight nonprofit organizations received funding from Florida Humanities in June 2024. These nonprofits will create exhibitions that capture local narratives on food, utilizing resources and support from the Smithsonian.
Exhibition Starter Kits provide a Smithsonian-developed framework to guide selected venues through the development of local humanities-based exhibitions using their own collections. While working on their exhibition project, funded venues will receive guidance from the Smithsonian. These venues will learn how to design and develop compelling exhibitions that highlight their local history and culture through the lens of food.
“Peeling back the layers of our local and regional food, you uncover a much larger story centering around the Key West’s diverse community,” says Dr. Cori Convertito, curator for the Society. “We are elated to have been selected by the Smithsonian and Florida Humanities to be one of eight partners in the state. It’s an opportunity to tell the abundant Florida Keys food story that has been shaped by a mixture of Indigenous, Bahamian, Cuban, and international peoples.”
