Julia Child donated her kitchen to the Smithsonian in 2001. She had been in it exactly 40 years, since 1961. Here is her kitchen still in place in her Cambridge, Mass., home, before it was disassembled and moved to its exhibit space in Washington, D.C. On the Smithsonian’s website, Childs talks about how the kitchen included many favorite things that made her happy — as a kitchen should, even one that’s been the site of a famous TV series. (I presume those are tracks for cameras and lights we see on the ceiling.) Another interesting thing I spotted on the Smithsonian website: For the exhibit, the Smithsonian’s graphic team re-created the speckled linoleum kitchen floor originally in the Childs kitchen by making color copies then laminating them onto other flooring in a repeat pattern. Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian.
COMMENTS WILL RE-OPEN on MONDAY, DECEMBER 2. For the first time in, like, 13 years, I am taking a real vacation from the blog, to spend un-distracted time with family. As part of this, Commenting on the blog is paused. Meanwhile, please enjoy reading all the many stories in our archives -- and come back Monday, Dec. 2 when I will launch our annual giveaway of a vintage ornament wreath made by Georgia Peachez -- and when comments will reopen so you can enter to win! HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!
Gabbie says
I love this kitchen. It’s timeless.
Frank says
This kitchen has what so many of the newer cookie-cutter, granite/stainless steel laden, remodled kitchens don’t have–personality.
MidCent Keith says
Julia’s kitchen has inspired my basement kitchen redo. Currently there is a 1959 Norge oven and some 1972 small dark laminate cabinets. I bought some replacement raised panel oak cabinets at Re-Store which will work well, but was thinking of painting them for a more retro look to go better with the oven. Julia’s kitchen has convinced me this is the way to go. I love that Julia kept her old cabinet even when replacing her 24″ wide wall oven with a 30″ model – so frugal.
IJustWasntMade4TheseTimes says
I saw this at the Smithsonian back in 2006, it is just amazing. Obviously, I didn’t pay any attention to the flooring and I sure wish I would have! The small picture you have shown is an exact duplicate to my kitchen flooring & countertops. Why people put flooring on their counters back then is beyond me, but that’s what I’ve got. I only wish it were in better condition!
Patrick Coffey says
I think the exhibit is cool…I live right outside DC in Northern Va. and will have to go in to look at the exhibit in person. Pam those tracks in the ceiling that you pointed out are not for cameras they are for lighting. If you have ever wondered how they get the over the head shot of whats cooking in the pots on the stove during a cooking show, they d0 it by hanging a mirror on the ceiling and tilting one of the floor cameras up to catch whats going on in the mirror (just one of the many things I have learned being a volunteer cable access tv producer for 15 years here in Fairfax County). To be honest though as neat and homey as I think Julia’s kitchen is I still say yours is far groovier Pam.
pam kueber says
Thank you, Patrick. Any kitchen that is used and loved is homey.
tenantproof says
I checked out Julia Child’s kitchen on the Smithsonian and I think she has a Elkay Lustertone double sink with integral backsplash and integral drainboards. Does anyone know for certain if this is indeed the brand.