The Citrus County Historical Society and the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum have been awarded an Exhibition Starter Kit Grant. Supported by Florida Humanities, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), our museum will partner with the Smithsonian to research, design, and develop a compelling exhibition that highlights our local history through the lens of food and captures the unique local narratives of Citrus County residents. The exhibition is scheduled to debut in 2026 and YOU can be a part of it by participating in our first ever History Harvest, a collaborative public history project which invites members of the public to bring their documents, photographs, artifacts, and share their stories of historical interest for community research on all things related to Citrus County food.
Learn More About Our Partners
Visit the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street site to learn more about how the Smithsonian supports local museums throughout the country.
Visit Florida Humanities to learn more about Florida’s statewide, nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), firmly committed to sharing Florida’s stories by promoting a better understanding of the state’s history, heritage, cultures and literature. Florida Humanities has awarded more than $20 million in support of statewide cultural resources and public programs strongly rooted in the humanities.
A Smithsonian Exhibition for Your Town?
Florida Humanities, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution’s Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), is pleased to launch a new exhibition partnership program, Exhibition Starter Kit: FOOD. Up to ten Florida-based non-profit organizations will receive grant funding to utilize templated resources as well as virtual and in-person support from the Smithsonian Institution to create exhibitions that capture and share local narratives on Food.
Exhibition Starter Kits provide a Smithsonian-developed framework to guide selected venues through the development of local humanities-based exhibitions using their own collections and cultural content. While working on their exhibition project, funded venues will receive guidance from the Smithsonian on how to design and develop compelling exhibitions that highlight their local history and culture through the lens of food.
About the Starter Kit Program
Exhibition Starter Kit: FOOD is based on the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) exhibition “Key Ingredients: America by Food”. How does food help define your community? Most people do not give a second thought about the wealth of history and culture that shapes our dining habits and taste preferences. Our recipes, menus, ceremonies, and etiquette are directly shaped by our country’s rich immigrant experience, the history and innovations of food preparation technology, and the ever-changing availability of key ingredients. Our food traditions extend beyond our homes to encompass local restaurants, diners, and celebrations that help build a sense of community through food. Tell your local food story!
What is a history harvest?
A History Harvest is a community program designed to help museums and other historical institutions to digitize important documents, collect oral histories, and conduct research on local topics. Some topics’ history can only be researched through the recollections and experiences of individuals in the community. Museum volunteers and staff will be digitizing materials brought to the museum by the public, recording oral histories about the significance of those materials, and using the collected research to create a digital collection of resources and develop the Smithsonian Exhibit (NEED A TITLE).
How Can I Participate?
All members of the community are invited to participate. You may bring in your letters, scrapbooks, photographs, or objects to be digitized and added to the Citrus County Archives. You may also elect to sit for an oral history interview about how food has played a role in your life in Citrus County.
Contact the museum at 352-341-6428 or email lindsey.gilbert@citrusbocc.com to set up an appointment for digitizing or an interview. Also, keep any eye out for History Harvest events where you can drop in with your items for digitization.
You may also send us digital submissions through the form below. If you have documents or photographs that are already digital or want to send in a short recording of your favorite food story or memory, you can upload those files with your contact information in the form below.