A Useful Art: Canning in Montgomery County

August 15 - December, 2026

A Useful Art: Canning in Montgomery County explores the food preservation strategy known as canning through technological, social and artistic lenses. The exhibit approaches canning as an art form in two senses: as a skill or technique acquired by experience, study and observation, and as a body of objects and processes intended to enliven the mind and senses. By considering the art of canning in domestic, community and commercial settings, visitors will learn how local values and histories connect to broader themes in U.S. popular culture. A Useful Art also contains interactive stations, including jar dating and an oral history listening station that contains interview clips of Montgomery County residents who were involved in the local community canneries.