Opening:
Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Community Reception:
Saturday, January 24, 2pm-4pm
Food & Family: African American and Intercultural Traditions in Santa Monica
Food & Family traces the impact of the Great Migration and global immigration on Santa Monica’s culinary landscape. Through the lens of shared meals, recipes, and community gatherings, the exhibition examines how food fosters a sense of belonging, connection, and cultural continuity.
Drawn from the archives of the Quinn Research Center and the Santa Monica History Museum, Food & Family features photographs, oral histories, cookbooks, utensils, maps, and other materials that reveal how everyday cooking helped define home and identity for generations of Santa Monica residents.
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By examining the intersections of migration, memory, and culinary tradition, Food & Family provides new insight into Santa Monica’s cross-cultural history. The exhibition underscores how cooking and sharing food—whether within families or across neighborhoods—remain vital expressions of community and identity.
Share Your Favorite Recipe or Food Memory With Us….
This exhibition reminds us that food unites people from all walks of life. It not only provides nourishment but can be a bridge to bring cultures and generations together to see ourselves as part of a larger community.
-Carolyn Edwards, Co-Founder, Quinn Research Center
Food & Family is presented in the museum’s Quinn Gallery, established under a partnership with the Quinn Research Center, an archive for Black Family History.
About SMHM:
Since 1975, we’ve been sharing the rich, diverse history of the Santa Monica Bay
Area. We are committed to serving the community by providing access to dynamic exhibitions
highlighting the depth and complexity of collective history through our extensive collection of
historical objects and an exceptional image archive. We offer ongoing programming, pop-up
exhibitions, and community events.
About the Quinn Gallery:
The Quinn Gallery is a partnership of the Santa Monica History Museum and the Quinn Research Center (QRC). The Quinn Gallery advances the museum’s commitment to inclusivity as we conLnue our mission to share the history of the Santa Monica Bay area.
Location: 1350 7th Street, Santa Monica, California 90401
The QRC is an archive of Black family history and Santa Monica Bay culture. It was established by Carolyne and Bill Edwards as a tribute to the legacy of Dr. Alfred T. Quinn, a prominent Santa Monica Black educator and community leader.
