The MUSE Science Museum in Trento, Italy, has opened its latest exhibit, "Food Sound: The Hidden Sound of Food," inviting visitors to explore the surprising connection between sound and the culinary experience. Available for viewing from February 22, 2025, to January 11, 2026, this innovative display seeks to immerse audiences in how sound influences perception and enjoyment of food.
According to museum director Patrizia Famà, the exhibit showcases how the sense of hearing, often neglected, plays a significant role in our food experiences. "If neuroscience has revolutionized many disciplines, from psychology to economics, it has also transformed our approach to cooking and food consumption," she noted. This fascinating concept encourages visitors to wear headphones and engage with the exhibit interactively, prompting them to reflect on the connections between sound, dietary choices, and neuroscience.
The idea for the exhibition emerged from curator Vincenzo Guarnieri's observations of children listening to the noises made by frying potato chips during a factory tour. The children described the sound as reminiscent of crying baby, which sparked Guarnieri's thought on using sound to raise awareness about food.
The exhibition comprises five thematic sections. The prologue explains how we perceive sound and the brain processes it, moving through various topics including childhood memories associated with cooking and dining experiences. Visitors will encounter soundscapes evocative of different dining locations—from casual trattorias to Michelin-starred restaurants—culminated by explorations of how sound influences emotions linked to food consumption.
Each sound played exhibits specific properties of food, stimulating psychological connections. For example, researchers like Massimiliano Zampini from the University of Trento have demonstrated how alterations to the sound made when chewing fruit or snacks can shift perceptions of freshness and crispness. Zampini’s insights reveal, "the amplification of sound emitted by the bubbles of sparkling water increases its perception of effervescence. Our studies have shown connections between auditory attributes and qualities like crunchiness. By modifying the chewing sound of potato chips, participants found the chips to be crisper and fresher. Likewise, changing the noise made by biting through an apple can alter how one perceives its quality."
The exhibition not only focuses on physiological factors but also delves deep within the psychological expectations we form around sound. The popping sound of a wine cork suggests quality, just as the familiar "crack" we yearn for when breaking chocolate signifies indulgence. Sound frequencies also evoke distinct tastes, with higher tones often associated with sweetness and lower ones with bitterness.
Impact across environments is another key aspect of the exhibition. Various studies indicate music styles influence consumer behavior significantly; for example, classical music can encourage patrons to spend more on high-end wines, whereas familiar pop tunes do not yield the same result. A seemingly inconsequential detail, like background music, can create specific expectations and standards within dining and shopping experiences, as highlighted by Zampini, who states, "in one wine shop, the French music boosted sales of French wines, whereas German tunes influenced choices toward German varieties, all without customers being aware of the underlying influence."
Unlike anything seen before, the "Food Sound" exhibition offers visitors not just educational aspects but sensory surprises as well. By actively engaging senses through sound, visitors are invited to broaden their appreciation of food, recognizing the importance of hearing as part of the eating experience.
This exhibit at MUSE is just the tip of the iceberg when it pertains to exploring our sensory connections with food. It aims to shine light on how much we absorb through more than just vision and taste, provoking thought and conversation around our collective dietary experiences. By blending science and artistic interpretation, the MUSE presents food as not merely what we consume but as part of a fuller sensory experience.