NEW DIGITAL EXHIBITION "FOOD TASTE BETTER AT SEA" IS COOKING

Themes Highlight Aspects of Food and Dining Aboard America's Flagship
The Conservancy’s forthcoming digital exhibition, "Food Tastes Better at Sea: Food and Dining Aboard the SS United States" is cooking and it is going to be a delicious dish.
 
While the cuisine of the 1950s and 1960s is a nostalgic throwback for those who experienced it aboard America’s Flagship, it can also be examined with historical curiosity, and sometimes disgust and amusement, by younger generations.
 
This riveting digital exhibition will center on four primary components*:
  • What’s on the Menu
  • Innovation and Technology
  • Back of House
  • Setting the Table

Today we want to whet your appetite with a preview of the work our curatorial team has been doing to prepare for this next insightful, informative, and engaging digital exhibItion.
"What’s on the Menu” will draw heavily from the Conservancy’s extensive archival collection of menus from the SS United States’ transatlantic crossing and Caribbean cruises. Our team will highlight contemporary trends in dining reflected in the on-board menus, as well as passenger memories of the food and dining experience. Through archival photographs of the onboard dining spaces and the many cocktail receptions, luncheons, and dinners held aboard the Big U, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the SS United States’ First Class Dining Room.

“Innovation and Technology” will spotlight some of the revolutionary features of the ship that enabled a modern dining experience, such as the cutting-edge “Radarange,” (pictured above) and the extensive food storage infrastructure that enabled the wide variety of dishes available while at sea. This technology was integral to creating the food experience passengers expected on board the SS United States, and enabled the ship to serve a wide variety of tastes and dietary needs, such as providing kosher dining options, speaking to the broader American values of inclusion and diversity apparent throughout the design of the ship and promotional materials.
 
The “Back of House” portion of the exhibition will showcase the people who worked onboard creating fantastic and memorable food experiences for grateful passengers. Chef Otto Bismark and his crew of cooks and stewards were integral to the dining experience. This section will also explore the standards and practices of shipboard food service, as well as memorable "sea tales" from crew involving food and alcohol.
 
In the final section of the exhibition, entitled “Setting the Table,” the Conservancy will showcase its vast collection of tableware from the SS United States. Including some unique and exciting items not regularly on public display.
 
We look forward to sharing these stories and more with you soon. While we’re preparing the exhibition, we would love to hear from former passengers and crew about your memories dining aboard the Big U, or from any supporters who may have unique physical objects connected to the dining experience. CLICK HERE to contact our curatorial team.
*NOTE: Exhibition theme titles are working titles only and subject to change prior to the launch of public programming.
ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE - FOR AMERICA'S FLAGSHIP
 
The Big U Can Be Found Across Decades of Popular Culture
The SS United States has always been a part of popular culture. During her service career, the Big U was a symbol of the nation and a regular for advertisers looking to sell everything from motor oil to boot polish and designer goods.

Beyond being an advertising platform, America's Flagship had a staring role in multiple motion pictures, including the 1966 comedy "Munsters, Go Home!" and of course, Walt Disney's "Bon Voyage."

Earlier this year, the SS United States was featured prominently in the opening scenes of a Super Bowl commercial created for Thomas Jefferson University, and recently, a supporter in North Dakota wrote to the Conservancy about the joy he has each time he sees the SS United States during episodes of the popular reality TV program "Parking Wars."

As we await the launch of our next digital exhibition, you can explore the intricate, exciting, and often beautiful visualizations of the SS United States in advertising and how these advertisements affect our understanding, experience, and memory of America’s Flagship and her namesake nation in our 2021 digital exhibition, Advertising the United States: Discovering America's Flagship Through Prints, Posters and Advertisements.

MORE FROM THE SS UNITED STATES CONSERVANCY
Do you follow the Conservancy on social media? If not, you're missing out on exciting and engaging content, like this stunning image of the SS United States that we recently shared from Hidden City Philadelphia.

You can find the Conservancy at @SSUSC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Along with incredible images of the SS United States from her service career and today, you'll also find content from supporters, updates on our curatorial program and fascinating videos produced by our team and others.

While you're there, be sure to invite your friends to join the cause.

Looking for a delicious treat? These delicious cookies are hand crafted by renowned Williamsburg, Virginia, chocolatier Mary Griffiths. Each freshly baked chocolate chip cookie features one of three edible images of the SS United States or a logo celebrating United States Lines. 

These fun treats can be bought either by the dozen or in a three-dozen package featuring each of the designs, making them a perfect way to show your support and spread word of the SS United States at your next party! The Conservancy also receives a generous contribution with every purchase!

THE BIG U CONTINUES TO INSPIRE...

"This ship has so much history... Every time I drive to South Philly and make the left-hand turn onto Columbus Boulevard from Oregon Avenue, I am gobsmacked by the sight of this beauty."
- Carol, online supporter