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The Hormel Spam Museum
 



ABOVE:
Above are a couple of shots of the Hormel Spam Museum. It is connected to some administrative offices of the Hormel company, and the whole building was converted from a former K-Mart store.

LEFT:
A farmer taking his pigs out for a walk. Great shades of Fred Ziffel.

A parking lot full of what could be interpreted as being Spam cans.

The welcome desk at the Spam museum. To the right of the photo, down the hall, can be seen Spam samples being given out.

I wait to get my own Spam samples. There are a variety of different types of Spam being made these days, including Spam Lite, and low sodium Spam. There is also turkey Spam.

The world sits within a part of the Spam universe, over the doors of the main entrance.

Looking back, towards the main entrance, and the welcome desk. They take Spam very seriously here, or do they? There is a bit of tongue and cheek here, two parts which, by the way, are not included in Spam. Though the museum gets into quite a bit of detail on the subject (they have nothing to hide, as it turns out), Spam is essentially made from pork shoulder, mixed with ham. All of the odd rumors about what is actually in Spam, are untrue.

The Spam counter. Spam is pretty popular with breakfast, and as a part of many other dishes. Here at the counter, you can learn all about it.

A bunch of us settling in at the Spam counter. The service here is a bit flat.

For a little look at various Spam dishes, you simply check out the menu. The egg yolk is a roller ball, and the pat of butter is a mouse button.

The Spam theater, where you can watch the grand opening of the Spam Museum, as well as countless commercials, advertisements, renditions of songs about Spam, and musical performances by the Spameetes, and the Hormel Girls. There is no concession stand; but Spam is being served inside.

For a trip down memory lane, there are some vintage articles from the early days of the Hormel Company

Some of the furniture salvaged from the original Hormel company offices.

Some appointments from the original Hormel provisioners.

Though Spam has always been in the familiar square can, the label has changed over the years. Even so, yellow and blue have always been the Spam colors.

Yes folks, it's the Hormel puppet theater. A little button on a safety rail starts the show.

Yet another display commemorating the pervasive military role of Spam.

This is what really made Spam a household word. The military used it in bulk, and shipped it everywhere. It was convenient, would not spoil, was securely wrapped, and did not require cooking. The zip tops, meant that you did not even need a can opener. The inclusion of General Eisenhower, may be a bit optimistic. I suspect that generals did not exactly eat a lot of Spam.

Your basic outdoor cafe in Korea, and W.W.II. Spam was definitely on the menu here.

You too, can go inside of a giant can of Spam, and see just what else in in there, and how Spam is made.

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