Grand opening of the National Poultry Museum

The National Poultry Museum, an endeavor over 15 years in the making, opens today, May 8, 2009.

Throughout the 1800s, and even into the 1900s, raising poultry was a casual, backyard hobby. Flocks were small, egg production levels were low, and the quality and availability of meat was dependent on what month it was, says the National Agriculture Centre.

Over the years, however, the poultry industry has managed to transform itself from an amateur affair into a professional, big dollar business with a yearly production value of close to US$30 bln.

When you go to the grocery store, the variety of affordable, high quality poultry products for sale is almost mind boggling. You can buy chicken, turkey, duck, or goose meat; buy a whole bird or just parts; buy the meat boneless, bone-in, skinless, or skin-on; buy it breaded, frozen, precooked, or marinated…the options are endless. In regard to eggs, you can buy them white, brown, or multi-coloured; buy free range, cage-free, nutrient enhanced, or even pasteurized; you can even buy just the yolks or just the whites.

The museum will teach visitors the “Evolution of an Industry”.

The grand opening of the National Poultry Museum at the Agriculture Hall of Fame takes place today at the museum site, 630 Hall of Fame Drive, Bonner Springs, Kansas 66012.