Ketch-up on more than 150 years of H.J. Heinz Company history inside the History Center’s Heinz exhibition.

Discover how eight-year old Henry John Heinz started his iconic business by growing produce from his mother’s garden in Sharpsburg and selling it to local grocers. Learn the story behind the slogan “57 varieties” and Heinz’s innovations in marketing, packaging, and food safety. Through hundreds of artifacts and interactive displays, the exhibit showcases the Heinz Company’s evolution from a small food purveyor into one of the most recognizable international brands in the world.

Exhibit Must-Sees

  • A larger-than-life, 11-foot ketchup bottle comprised of more than 400 individual bottles alongside a display of more than 100 historic bottles that shows the evolution of Heinz products and packaging.
  • Innovative displays on the history of Heinz, including videos chronicling the genealogy of the family and an interactive table focusing on Heinz’s international popularity.
  • Video loops of vintage Heinz TV ads from around the world.
  • A display of iconic Heinz pickle pins, including the first pin from the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago;
  • Rare artifacts from the History Center’s collection, the largest of its kind in the world, including H.J. Heinz’s desk set and H.J.’s hand-written ledger, recipe book from 1869, rare memorabilia, and hundreds of Heinz bottles.

The History Center gratefully acknowledges the Kraft Heinz Company for its generous support of the Heinz exhibit.

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“57 Servings From the Heinz Table” is a colorful retelling of early Heinz company history — in 57 short chapters — using the History Center’s many images and artifacts, timed for the company’s 150th anniversary. The Heinz story is also a case study showing how the characteristics of an individual such as founder H.J. Heinz can shape the enduring values of a major corporation. Purchase online or at the History Center Museum Shop.