Copia Museum of
Food, Wine, and The Arts, By Jane Haworth What have the Roman goddess of abundance and Julia Childs got in common? Both are celebrated, treasured, and admired at Northern California’s intriguing and educational museum, Copia, the American Center for Food, Wine, and The Arts. Copia is located at 500 First St., in downtown Napa. Here you will find the museum is an oasis, somewhere you and your family can spend the day involved in sensory, culinary, and cultural experiences. You can explore organic gardens, view artists work, taste delicious organic dishes, sample international wines and take part in a culinary lesson all at the same location? As you enter Copia you can’t help but notice the simplicity in the dramatic water feature, the beauty in the olive grove and the abundance of the vegetable gardens. You will need to purchase a day-pass for all members of the family which will allow access into all the areas within Copia and also some of the learning programs that they are offering that day. If you go for a specific event, tickets can be purchased and reserved ahead of time and will cost more but the day-pass is then included. Your day-pass ticket includes an introductory tour of Copia where you will be shown the layout of the museum and how best to plan your visit, as well as learn the history behind the center. You can visit sensory stations, which offer mini-tasting and learning experiences that change almost daily and are themed to suit the time of year or holiday. Adults may partake in the wine tasting of the day which could be local Californian or International wines. The kids will thoroughly enjoy the long-term exhibition ‘Forks in the Road’ which gives a lively and interactive look at American food culture. Part of the thrill for your little ones is being able to name all their favorite candy bars, identifying various food related aromas and listening to the dinner chat of different cultures from around the world. Current exhibitions include ‘Wines across America’ a look at wines produced in all fifty states, Contemporary Ceramic Vessels and the Julia’s Kitchen Lounge. You can wander the galleries to view unique contemporary works of art from artists, sculptors and photographers of the U.S. or international acclaim. Keep an eye open to spot many artifacts and surprising design elements in a food related theme, like the two 8ft Greek urns made totally out of bottle caps The first with a shiny new look was made using unused caps and the second with a ancient patina was made from used ones. This Center for The Arts also has a theater where regular film nights are held and during weekends a children’s movie is shown. Inside concerts of singers and songwriters are held and resuming in June the outdoor stage is used for live performances and musicals. Look on the Copia web-site for an up to date calendar of events. Outside you will find the Edible Gardens. This is a wonderfully organized 3 acres of organic fruit and vegetable production, flowers, herbs, vineyards, and olive grove that blend harmoniously with sculptural art pieces. Here you can see smell and taste what is growing for that season. You can either take a self guided tour or join one of the daily garden tours led by a docent. The American Market Café offers a range of soups, sandwiches and salads that are ideal picnic fare that can be purchased and eaten outside in a true Californian setting. You can also find all kinds of local, culinary treasures either to take home or savor as part of your dining experience. The Wine Spectator Tasting Table features wines from all the viticulture regions from around the world. Each afternoon complimentary wine tasting is offered between 12-4pm. If you are after a fine dining experience whilst you are here the Julia Childs restaurant offers a casual yet elegant atmosphere featuring French/Californian cuisine. Many of the seasonal dishes feature organic herbs and vegetables collected from Copia’s own Edible Garden. The restaurant is open daily for lunch between 11.30 and 3pm [except Tuesday] and for dinner Thursday – Sunday between 5.30 and 9.30. You could not visit such a delightful culinary center without there being a treasure trove of a store called Cornucopia. Here you can find all the latest gadgets and gizmos to stock your kitchen, a myriad of cooking and recipe books, as well as gardening paraphernalia, things for the kids and a sensory haven of pampering treats. If possible combine your families visit to Copia when they are featuring a learning experience that interests and appeals to you. All events change seasonally so you are best advised to look on the web-site at http://www.copia.org to plan your visit. For kids they offer events like; ‘Kids in the kitchen’ a hands on cooking lesson and ‘Kids in the garden’ a dirt-digging gardening session. During February, the theme is chocolate, where Copia offers: history of chocolate lectures, a Death by Chocolate tasting experience, wine and chocolate tasting sessions, and a truffle making class. So grab your wicker basket, stock up on Deli food items and cruise down to Copia in Napa for a deliciously tasty treat and a grand day out that all your senses and family will enjoy. During February, the day-pass admission is free thanks to Copia’s generous sponsors, so take advantage of a fun memorable day out in the wine country. Admission for day-pass Open daily 10am to 5pm 500 First St, Napa CA 94559 888 51COPIA | |
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