Museum of Food and Drink Lab

A friend and I happily stumbled on this gem thanks to Google. It was so much fun!
From what I understand, the exhibits rotate. We caught one about the science of smell, and how smell informs taste. Through this, you get to stick your nose in some tubes and experience a world of food you never knew existed!
We also learned about artificial versus natural flavoring. You even get little tasting tablets to learn through your mouth! Fascinating how marketing and propaganda informs our food choices!
My biggest complaint about this place was it was too small. I wanted more! We got through everything in about an hour. I was amazed by everything and didn’t want it to stop. If I lived in the area, I could definitely seeing doing their evening events for date nights!’

So I went here for a school trip. I didn’t have to pay but I believe it’s like $ 8 or something like that. From the outside it looked out of place. Like it didn’t belong. It was in the middle of the block and confusing to get there. When I walked in, there was a small gift shop to the right and the desk straight in front. There was 13 of us and the gentleman at the desk seemed pleasant. When we were escorted into the actual museum I was shocked. It was extremely small. It seemed like you could fit the whole place as an exhibit in another museum. The gentleman took us around to explain the exhibits and honestly. He either has a really miserable job or he just has no personality. He did not seem happy to speak with us at all. The stuff we saw was interesting but not interesting enough to hold my attention and seems more in place for children to learn about some foods but not many.
I really believe this place could me better then what it is, if they make it bigger and make it more interesting. And find someone who at least smiles once in a while.

This was great experience. It’s a small place but I enjoyed the exhibits. I will go back.

First off: Maybe my experience was colored by visits to small, struggling, and/​or independent museums in small towns and rural areas, but I think a visit to MOFAD is a-​okay for the money. The main complaint about this place seems to be the lack of exhibits. I recognize MOFAD is relatively new and they’re not going to be able to grow without funds from visits and events. MOFAD, right now, is a big, open space with a few small ‘collections.’ Don’t read further if you dislike spoilers.
The main features right now are vanilla (artificial vs. natural), MSG/​umami, and puff cereal. If you don’t like reading written displays, you’ll probably focus on the scent machines and tasting tablets. The scent machines allow you to smell and sometimes combine a variety of aromas — butter to nail polish remover. One of the most interesting parts of the visit, for me, was overhearing other people’s reactions to the same smells and tastes. The tasting tablets are sort of small and some of them were empty or malfunctioning today. None of them were particularly pleasant, but I don’t think that’s the point. They also had a little interactive station where you could taste different jelly beans and some salt water taffy samples in the gift shop. I didn’t buy anything at the time, but kind of wish I did. We made it through the whole thing in about forty-​five minutes or so.
Oh – remember to put your sticker ticket on. We were given stickers at the front desk and didn’t realize we had to wear them. I was pulled off a scent machine by one of the employees because I didn’t have mine on, had to go retrieve it from my partner across the room, and lost my place to other visitors. I think the employees standing around are there to monitor the stickers and tablet machine use (visitors are limited to three tablets of each kind).

Disappointed. I was really excited to go here. I really expected a lot more from this place. There’s still plenty of opportunities for growth since they’re fairly new. I love the concept and idea they’re trying to show case but it didn’t wow me. You can walk in and see the entire space. It just seems like a big garage. It’s 8 $ for students and I don’t think it’s really worth going for the price and travel.
Inside, the tasting tablets they had were disgusting. The machines were cool though but there was not much to explore. The limited information they have on poster boards was something I can just read on Google myself. The staff just stood around and there were no interactions. The smell synthesizers were easy to guess and a bit obvious. The Smell Synth machine was cool but there was only so much as two minutes to figure out each smell. There were different components and most of them was common sense. Cool, but not exciting enough. I could probably explore this museum within 15 minutes, that says enough.

For $ 8, you’d expect to be fed. Yet, there is no food involved. MOFAD is a unique concept, but struggles to engage it’s visitors, particularly me. Chemicals in food are not a good thing! Not at all, and neither is this museum. There should be more exhibits here, for what it costs as a question of my wallet becoming a whole lot lighter!

I loved this small museum! The material was interesting and fun. The scent mixer area is really enjoyable– we were able to test mixing different smells and see how they combine to create something completely different. They also have flavor tablets so you can understand the difference between artificial and real vanilla and umami. We left with an appreciation of how important the sense of smell is when taking in food and also with some cool knowledge about flavor creation. Really enjoyed our experience here and look forward to the museum growing and adding new features!

Located along the Greenpoint/​Williamsburg border in Brooklyn, MOFAD is a very small museum; it’s basically a large open space. I understand the mixed reviews. Visitors may go there expecting a large museum filled with lots to do. This isn’t that sort of place and they probably should charge less for admission, definitely not 10 $ per person. I enjoyed my visit to MOFAD. The staff was very nice and attentive. The exhibits were different & fun if you’re into food science. Insider tip: They have a small but very cool gift shop. It has food flavoring sprays and some other things I’ve never seen before. Definitely check out the gift shop.

My true review would probably be 3.5, but I have a feeling this museum will only improve!
As a true foodie, I love the concept behind this museum. I actually thought the Flavor exhibit was really interesting and had a lot of fun interactive things (maybe it makes me sound like a 5 year old, but I love the tasting tablets with different flavors)! Everyone was super friendly and helpful too, which always helps.
I do wish it were bigger… hopefully they can expand somehow. I just thought it was a bit pricey for only one room. Hoping that will change in the future!

New museum in Brooklyn! They are closed on monday and tuesday so check time before coming. This is a sponsored exhibition so you have to pay entrance fee. For students it’s $ 8!
The venue is not as big as moma or other manhattan museums. It’s a big one room so you can see everything in the exhibition in one sight. They had some good information regarding flavors and food with some creative and interesting activities. I don’t wanna say too much and give everything away.
I think if you are around this area, why not pay a visit.

Small but informative and interactive museum. It’s a must-​go for any food lover. When I went, the exhibition was mainly about flavouring (i.e. real, natural, artificial, etc.). They had little pellets to demonstrate certain tasting flavours, and scent machines that allows you to explore smells and combinations of different things that resembles another food type. It’s difficult to explain them perfectly in words until you experience yourself – I feel it’s worth to go experience yourself! They have a MSG exhibit, which is really interesting since it’s such a staple ingredient in American and Asian restaurant food. They have a cute gift shop with adorable food related products as well. It doesn’t take too long to take a look around. I’m excited to see what other projects this company will present to the public in the future.

I can appreciate the attempt to educate the public about food, flavor, and the science behind it. I was so excited to go here, and as soon as I get there it”s nothing but a warehouse converted into «museum» which I personally think that it’s more like a high school science fair.
There is a fee to go in, I believe it was $ 10 or something like that. Once you are in, there are different exhibits some of them are interactive and some of them are tasting flavor pellets.
Please don’t waste your time, money and energy to go to this place. It’s really not worth it.

This is a 3.5 rounded up review.
Super fun idea and really thoughtfully designed museum, but as many other reviewers have noted. This is quite a small museum. BUT you can still squeeze quite a bit of fun out!
You enter to a video describing the history of food and drink and then move onto the meat of the exhibit which is a slew of tasting tablets (little gum ball like machines that dispense flavors like vanilla, seaweed, apple, and more) as well as awesome «smell-​o-​scopes» that compare the smell of skunks, bananas, strawberries. You name it!
The docents are just getting ramped up it seems, but the more experienced ones definitely help guide you through the flavors (:
All in all it takes about an hour to go through the exhibit.
You can buy tickets in advance online or walk in.

This unique museum just opened in October 2015. It’s small but interactive.
You’ll get a peak into the flavor industry, first learning about where tastes come from (a mix of senses), as well as the history about vanilla and artificial vanilla. There are also little nooks to learn about other related topics like MSG and umami.
The most interesting part to me was the interactive space, where you can smell things in isolation but then, when matched together, turn into something else totally recognizable, like cola or buttery popcorn.
The tablets around the exhibits, too, are interesting, though I didn’t like most of the tastes and ended up wanting to just wash my mouth out.
For $ 10, I was a little disappointed, but I appreciate that the spot is unique and that I learned something new. This museum could be done quickly, in 15 minutes, or maybe 30 minutes — but no longer than that.

MOFAD was a great experience and I have to disagree with some of the bad reviews that are here. Yes, the museum/​lab is kind of small and this is information you can read online, but the hands on experience is not something you can get through browsing the internet.
The combination of informative displays, videos, smells and tasting tablets is very insightful and we learned a lot about how flavors are developed. Can you tell the difference between authentic vs artificial smells? My friends are I spent a good amount of time reading the information, but the tasting/​smelling was the fun part. The staff is friendly and gave us the list of off the menu flavors scavenger hunt (ask them for it!) My favorite was probably the coca cola flavor, a combination of the citric acid tablet, sugar tablet, orange essential oil smell, lime essential oil smell, cinnamon essential oil smell and vanilla extract smell.
This interactive museum is highly recommended!

This was a fantastic experience and I really enjoyed it. You learn about how smells influence your own perception of food while also learning about the flavor industry. It really changed my perception of certain smells. I never really understood what «umami» was until I tasted the MSG tablet. Now I’m noticing it in a lot of things. It’s not a super large exhibit, but if you actually stop to read and do everything, you can easily spend an hour there like I did. I went with friends, but it’d also be good for a date, as there’s loads to talk about. Highly recommended.

MOFAD is a cool addition to the NYC museum circuit. It’s surprising there hasn’t been a food museum in the past, and with food obsession at an all-​time high, it’s the right moment for it! The exhibit focuses on flavors and how they are made, and allows you to compare natural and lab-​made flavors via smell synths and tasting tablets. It’s a good interactive experience; it makes you feel like a kid, while learning something too! It’s a fun place to check out, and they will be changing the exhibit at some point, so check this one out while you can.

MOFAD is a swell place, and a must-​see for any lover of food and food science. It has the energetic atmosphere of a creative start-​up moreso than that of a formal museum, which makes it a great environment for groups, kids, families, or even just friends looking for a fun place to hang out. The current location is small, only room enough for one exhibit (currently «Flavor: Making it and Faking it») but the design is clean and beautiful and there’s definitely a ton of growth on the horizon for this place.
The content of the «Flavor» exhibit is well-​researched and enlightening, presented in a really accessible way. It’s obvious that the MOFAD creators want to educate and entertain. And even though the exhibit sheds light on some facts behind controversial subjects (such as artificial flavors or MSG) it clearly doesn’t push any kind of agenda.
In addition to its exhibit, MOFAD also regularly features fantastic special events & programs, such as lectures by food guru Harold McGee, MOFAD founder Dave Arnold, guided tours for kids and families, and workshops like make-​your-​own sauerkraut or bitters.
Of special note is also the museum gift shop. The merchandise is gorgeous, and features not only MOFAD original items (shirts, aprons, re-​usable water bottles, postcards, etc) but also unique products made locally — including edibles! (taffy, fish sauce, and more) There’s also a fantastic selection of cookbooks.
I’d absolutely recommend coming to see the «Flavor» exhibit while it’s running, and getting on the MOFAD mailing list to keep tabs on what the future holds for this place. Paying $ 10 to spend an hour looking around the MOFAD Lab is not only a reasonably-​priced way to get some culture, but it also helps lay the groundwork for this place to grow and become a really awesome part of the Brooklyn community and beyond. That’s a win-​win in my book!

I was rather disappointed by this. Yes the tasting and smelling is fun for about 15 minutes. The reading of the history of MSG and etc. maybe another 15… but after that you are pretty much done. For 10 dollars (even in New York), I expect more entertainment and learning.
Yes the exhibits in it of themselves is interesting, but there SO MANY MORE potential for exhibits. Got it this is a small space, but they have barely exploited it at all.
SO… no to taking a girl here — (even if she is a foodie)…
No to taking kids here — (not enough stimulations)
Only go here if you are super bored and have 10 dollars to burn

If this place doesn’t scream a lofty sense of importance I don’t know what does. I can’t believe I spent my hard earned money to take a 5min tour. As soon as you enter you are reminded about the big money that was injected into this place and how little this place has to offer to the community. I could’ve learned more browsing the Internet in five minutes. This place is a bore and undermines the richness that a museum offers.

This place is awesome! They use all of the senses to show you the history of food. There are small tastes of flavors, movies to watch and listen, interactive exhibits to touch, and even smells of many things. Questlove, the lead drummer for the Roots, is one of the people who set this all up. He is awesome, and you can see the creativity to the highest level.

One room museum what a waste of time and money. Charged me 10.00. Not much exhibits. They should not charge anyone to pay

So glad I found this awesome new spot! The Flavor exhibit was really cool, with the ability to smell and taste many varieties of flavor. Lots of info posted around in a neat layout. It’s small, but packed with lots of information and is only $ 10 admission.
Can’t wait to return for the next exhibit and perhaps some events!

This place is more of a «lab,» and their bigger museum is set to open in a few years.
Anyways-​we got to enjoy some leftover Halloween candy in the front when we came in, hehe. I liked the food exhibits and just reading and learning about various topics from vanilla and vanillin, MSG, umami, etc. You get to taste all sorts of tablets that include MSG for instance, taste salt, tomato, mushroom, vanilla, vanillin, etc. I liked that part!
You also get to smell different scents, and compare actual scents to the man made ones. They also have a lil’ video you could watch, and the place is filled with staff to answer any questions you may have, etc.
Overall, it’s an interactive space that’s really interesting and fun to learn from! Oh, and they have a cute tiny gift shop as well.

This was so well done! We headed out on Saturday to check out their opening exhibit about flavors and smells, and were so glad we did!
The museum space is small, which is actually a benefit because you have a sense of really being able to explore and thoroughly experience each exhibit piece. For this current exhibit, they had so many different opportunities to smell and taste things – and the interactivity of the displays actually worked!
The timed tickets ensure that the place isn’t too crowded, and you really feel that you can easily get access to each thing to read, taste, and smell. The big machine where you can combine different smells to see what results was amazing – I could’ve spent all day there. And I loved the displays where you get to smell synthetic and natural sources of a compound and try to tell the difference. Really, it was all so interesting!
If you can get tickets to this, you absolutely should.

We had such an amazing visit to MOFAD’s opening exhibit «Flavor». Such a creative space, so much potential, excited to see what comes next! New York city finally has a food museum and it couldn’t be in better hands.