Two outstanding museums devoted to coffee!
Coffee is certainly much more than a simple drink - among other things, it has given rise to the creation of museums of outstanding interest all over the world.
The history of coffee contains a lot of interesting information. Whether we are talking about crop cultivation, or even information about its history, its evolution, or the impact of human culture, coffee gathers a host of stories about different sciences and activities, such as gastronomy, history, economics, social and political sciences, even music, literature and cinema.
It is no exaggeration to think that just the elements of the coffee would be enough to fill a whole museum. This is how the founders of two special museums devoted to coffee, Brazil and Austria thought!
Museu do Café Brasileiro Santos, Sao Paolo, Brasil
Coffee plays a very important role both in the economy and in the history of Brazil. It is typical that the Latin American country has been the world's first producer of coffee for more than 150 years, while coffee is included in the national emblem of the country - many of the Brazilian cities have been established following the geographical distribution of the coffee plantations. Coffee beans are an integral and very important part of the national history of the country.
All of this, and much more, looks at the Brazilian Museu do Café Brasileiro located in Santos, Brazil. The city of Santos itself is particularly important for the development of coffee trade, since its port has been for years the main export center of precious coffee beans, which were often called "Santos".
The Brazilian Coffee Museum is housed in a beautiful 1922 building, which was the building of the state coffee monopoly. The central room of coffee auctions, with beautiful stained glass and valuable paintings, has been virtually untouched, giving visitors the opportunity to make a real trip in time, while a information center about coffee is housed on the ground floor. Of course, a wealth of scientific information about coffee awaits visitors, covering all stages of coffee, from cultivation and processing to serving and extraction, to interactive exhibits of all ages. The museum's facilities include a barista school, and there is plenty of coffee to try out - the Museum's coffee offers countless tasteful choices of coffee from every corner of Brazil, as well as specialized staff who will inform you about choosing the right blend.
Wiener Kaffeemuseum, Vienna, Austria
Closer to us, a museum in a European capital characterized by the most elegant coffee shops of the entire continent: the Wiener Kaffeemuseum in Vienna.
Situated in a city such as Vienna, characterized by a rich and distinct coffee culture, Wiener Kaffeemusem places a special emphasis on the social and cultural dimension of coffee. The soul of the Museum is Viennese Edmund Mayr, who took the initiative to create the Museum looking for ways to house his very rich collection, consisting of hundreds of rare and historical pieces of coffee, such as roasting machines, grinding mills, coffee makers from different countries and seasons, as well as valuable printed materials such as advertisements, ornaments and more.
In addition to the permanent collection, interesting temporary exhibitions are housed in the Wiener Kaffeemuseum, while the building often hosts concerts, book presentations, and specialized coffee seminars. Lucky visitors sometimes have the opportunity to enjoy informative guided tours by Edmund Mayr in person!
If you ever find yourself in the exotic São Paulo or the charming Vienna, take off two hours and browse through two original and unique museums. Until then, you can bring the flavors of Sao Paulo and Austria's coffee closer by choosing a Brazilian single origin coffee such as Cosmai Buena or Illy Monoarabica Brasil or a blend inspired by the coffee shops of Vienna by Julius Meinl! Enjoy!
