Do you consider yourself a cheese critic? Can you appreciate the beauty of a good gouda? Have you ever wondered how your favorite food went from cow to curd? If so, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up five museums for caseophiles worldwide.
Photo Credit: Amsterdam Cheese Museum
Amsterdam Cheese Museum
Visitors at the Amsterdam Cheese Museum will find themselves immersed in cheese heaven. In addition to offering a tasting featuring everything from traditional gouda to Klaver’s creamy Wasabi, the museum has no shortage of information on famous Dutch cheeses, and knowledgeable guides are on hand to answer any pressing curd questions. The world’s most expensive cheese slicer is on display here, and there’s even a photo booth where you can dress up as a traditional Dutch farmer.
Photo Credit: National Historic Cheesemaking Center and Museum
National Historic Cheesemaking Center and Museum
It’s not surprising at all that Monroe, Wis.—nicknamed America’s “Swiss Cheese Capital”—is home to the National Historic Cheesemaking Center and Museum. Visitors can explore a restored 19th century cheese factory once run by Swiss immigrants. Even more exciting, if you visit on the second Saturday of June, you can observe master cheesemakers making a 90-pound wheel of everyone’s favorite holey cheese the way it was done more than a century ago.
Maison du Camembert
Nestled in a quaint village in France’s Normandy region, the Maison du Camembert is entirely dedicated to—you guessed it—Camembert. Considered an integral part of French gastronomic heritage, the creation of this soft cow’s milk cheese dates back to the late 18th century, and museum visitors can learn all about its history and production. The Maison du Camembert also showcases a collection of more than 500 decorative labels (the museum owns 210,000 total) that have been used to promote this quintessentially French product over the years.
Photo Credit: The Corporation of the Town of Ingersoll
The Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum
Ingersoll, Ont., located about 100 miles west of Toronto, may be a small, inconspicuous town, but in the late 1800s, it had a thriving cheese and dairy scene. This industry was so important to the town that a replica of a 19th century cheese factory was erected in 1977 and it’s now part of the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum. Visitors can learn about the story of a 7,300-pound wheel of Oxford County cheddar produced by three local factories in 1866 and the success it brought to the region.
Photo Credit: Allansford Cheese World
Allansford Cheese World Museum
Without dairy farmers, there would be no wedges and wheels. The Cheese World Museum in Victoria, Australia, gives credit where it’s due and pays tribute to the country’s hardworking, curd-producing men and women. The museum is part of the Allansford Cheese World complex and is run by Warrnambool Cheese & Butter. Visitors can learn about the local history and participate in a complimentary tasting of Warrnambool’s cheddars.
Featured Photo Credit: Meg Marks | CC
Rachel E. McLean
Rachel is an editorial intern at culture for Spring 2017. She is Junior at Boston University studying Journalism and Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations. Known as "the cheese queen" among friends, she's had a passion for fromage from a young age.
Plymouth Cheese has a neat little museum upstairs as well, being the original site of Coolidge’s cheese factory and the second oldest in operation in the US. I urge folks to check it out if ever in VT!