Julia Child: A Recipe for Life to be the inaugural exhibition of
The Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture (“the MAC”)
(St Helena, California) Napa Valley Museum announces an opening date for its much-anticipated new location: The Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture (The “MAC”). This flagship location opens at 607 St Helena Highway, St Helena, in the former Dean & Deluca building, next door to Michelin-starred Press Restaurant. The MAC presents major exhibitions by iconic artists along with explorations of significant historical and cultural movements, including the entertaining original exhibitions for which the museum has gained international acclaim.
The new museum will share a portion of the building with Under-Study, culinary marketplace and counter-service café created by the PRESS Restaurant team.
The MAC will open on April 18, 2025, with Julia Child: A Recipe for Life, an exhibition exploring the life and career of the famous chef, author and television personality who made French cuisine accessible to American audiences. Produced in partnership with Flying Fish, one of the world’s leading exhibit producers, the exhibition provides an experience that stimulates all the senses, building on the ideas explored in the Museum's earlier exhibition, France is a Feast: The Photographic Journey of Paul & Julia Child. This expanded successor dives deeper into the key ingredients of Julia’s personal journey—her insatiable curiosity, tenacious spirit, and passion for teaching—which became part of the American culinary revolution, profoundly transforming American cuisine, food culture, and broadcasting.
“Julia Child's legacy continues to inspire new generations to learn to cook and pursue their dreams. As one of the most comprehensive portraits of Julia’s story, Julia Child: A Recipe for Life is a not to be missed exploration of her journey and continued influence,” said Todd Schulkin, Executive Director of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, a Foundation created by Julia to carry on her contributions to the food world.
Pivotal, inspiring moments in Julia’s life are highlighted along with the family and friends who supported her life and career, offering a more intimate view beyond her iconic status as a television personality and author. Visitors will experience interactive spaces like The French Chef television studio, where they can operate a vintage video camera, mix “ingredients”, and feel like part of the show. Photographs by Julia’s husband, Paul Child, are also included, along with her personal correspondence and favorite kitchen tools. A special addition just for Napa Valley visitors is Julia’s traveling demonstration kitchen, which belonged to her friend, legendary winemaker Warren Winiarski and is now on loan from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.
“Our mission was to celebrate Julia Child’s profound impact on American culture and offer an immersive and enlightening visitor experience. Together with the Napa Valley Museum, we’ve crafted a journey that pays tribute to Julia’s culinary prowess and honors her tenacity and unwavering spirit,” said Jay Brown, Principal & Managing Director of Flying Fish.
“This traveling exhibition launched in May of 2023 and has already been embraced by nearly 400,000 visitors across the East Coast and Midwest, but this is the first time it will be seen in California – Julia’s birthplace,” says Laura Rafaty, Napa Valley Museum Executive Director. “We couldn’t think of a more fitting exhibition to launch our new flagship Museum location than a tribute to the woman who turned American televisions into her teaching kitchen, challenging us to “master the art of French Cooking” and more. Whether you are a chef, a home cook, or just love food, The MAC invites visitors to learn more about the beloved broadcasting and culinary pioneer, and experience the joy, humor, and heart Julia brought to the kitchen along with her famous sign-off: “Bon appétit!”
How to see it:
The exhibition will be on display in the Ron and Diane Disney Miller Gallery at the Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture (“The MAC”) from April 18, 2025, through March 8, 2026, at 607 St Helena Highway, St Helena California 94574
Open 7 days a week from 10-5.
The MAC Admission Prices:
Adults: $25.00
Youth (6–17): $15.00
Children (5 and under): Free
Napa Valley Museum Members receive 20% off MAC Admission
For more information, please visit napavalleymuseum.org/exhibition/julia-at-the-mac/
An Opening Celebration will be scheduled on a date to be announced soon.
Julia Child: A Recipe for Life is a traveling exhibition produced and toured internationally by Flying Fish, in collaboration with the Napa Valley Museum, under rights granted by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts and The Schlesinger Library, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, and generously sponsored by the Kuo Family Fund.
Media:
For media inquiries about the exhibition, Napa Valley Museum and The MAC, please contact Sarah Gillihan Communications, Sarah Gillihan, sjg@sarahgillihancomm.com
For media inquiries about Flying Fish, please contact Anna Clark at anna@flyingfishexhibits.com.
High resolution images are available here
About Napa Valley Museum
For over 50 years, the Napa Valley Museum has offered diverse cultural experiences of art, nature, and history through exhibitions, educational programs, and creative activities to engage Museum visitors of all ages, languages, and interests. With two locations: Napa Valley Museum Yountville and Napa Valley Museum of Art & Culture (“the MAC” opening in 2025) plus its NVM On Tour division, the Museum has emerged as a leading incubator of fun and approachable world premiere exhibitions like France is a Feast, Dangerous Games, and Tiki Dreams. It also stewards a permanent collection of art, artifacts and objects evidencing the history, culture and geology of the region. With hands-on participatory installations and deep explorations of iconic artists from Picasso to Walt Disney, plus showcases of regional artists, cultural movements, and historical treasures, the Napa Valley Museum values knowledge, promotes understanding, and celebrates all forms of creative expression.
About Flying Fish
At Flying Fish, we believe that exhibitions can achieve more. As a leading producer of traveling exhibitions for over a decade, we collaborate with world-class museums and science centers to create extraordinary and impactful experiences. Our exhibitions have impacted more than ten million visitors worldwide, highlighting the wonders of science, history, culture, and more, and we are committed to making exceptional and authentic content accessible to all while generating new, sustainable revenue for our clients. By empowering institutions to share their stories globally, we amplify their missions and broaden their influence.
For Museums. By Museums.
flyingfishexhibits.com
About The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts
The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts was created by Julia in 1995 and became operational in 2004. Its mission is to honor and further, Julia’s legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding where food comes from, what makes for good food, and the value of cooking.
About Schlesinger Library, Harvard Radcliffe Institute
Schlesinger Library is the leading center for scholarship on the history of women in the United States. As a part of Harvard Radcliffe Institute, they are devoted to catalyzing new research and to sharing it broadly with scholars and an engaged public.
radcliffe.harvard.edu/schlesinger-library
About the Kuo Family Fund
The Kuo family’s ancestry can be traced back to the Tang dynasty’s famed military general Kuo Tzu-i (697-781). The Kuo Family Fund is established in honor of the Kuo family's legacy and its support for programs driving positive community impact. The Kuo Family Fund makes grants to support community and cultural programs, liberal arts education scholarships, and local non-profit wellness initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area
MEDIA
CONTACT Mike Falkow; mike@meritusmedia.com; 213-841-9050
