Food Museum wins national award for School Dinners exhibitio

The Food Museum, Stowmarket is delighted to have been crowned Best Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year (budget less than £80,000) for its School Dinners exhibition, at the 24th annual Museums + Heritage Awards.

The awards, which were held on 14 May 2026 at the Hilton Park Lane, London are a celebration of the very best in the world of museums, galleries, and cultural and heritage visitor attractions.

Thought to be the first exhibition in the UK dedicated entirely to school meals, School Dinners invites visitors to step back in time, grab their lunch tray, and enjoy a spoonful of nostalgia. From semolina and sponge pudding to Turkey Twizzlers and lumpy custard, the exhibition explores the tastes, stories and cultural legacy of school food - as well as the big questions it raises about poverty, politics and responsibility. The exhibition opened in April 2025 and runs until 2027.

“I am delighted that our exhibition has been recognised with a national award,” says Museum Director, Jenny Cousins “Most people have memories of school food, good or bad. But have they stopped to think about how what - and how - they were fed may have affected their life and relationship with food? The exhibition contains all the things that you will love, and love to hate, alongside some things that you may find surprising.”

The exhibition was developed in collaboration with over 35 organisations and individuals, including the Quadram Institute and the School Meals Service, as well as academic institutions, community groups, food experts and members of the public, bringing a breadth of voices and perspectives to the subject of school food.
School Dinners has been made possible with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, and exhibition sponsor Thomas Ridley Foodservice.

You can visit the School Dinners Exhibition at The Food Museum until 21 February 2027. The Food Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm (and Mondays in the school holidays and bank holidays). Stowmarket is accessible on the train between Norwich and London, making the museum an easy day out from across the region. 

For more information, visit The Food Museum website