4Roots Café and Food Heroes Exhibit at Orlando Science Center Connect Visitors to Farmers
In partnership with: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
At the Orlando Science Center, visitors can dive into Florida’s dynamic ecosystems, tap into the engineering design process, uncover the world of dinosaurs and now get to know Florida’s food heroes at the 4Roots Café.
4Roots Farm, located in the heart of Orlando on 40 acres, is a passion project of the 4Rivers Foundation, founded by John Rivers. The urban farm was established to teach the community how their food is grown and help them understand the critical role of a farmer. JoAnn Newman, president and CEO of the Orlando Science Center, was intrigued by 4Roots’ mission.
See more: The Florida Agricultural Museum Lets Guests Interact with Ag
A Tasty Mission
“Though initially I didn’t think the museum was a good fit for a 4Rivers restaurant, the more I learned about the museum’s mission of inspiring young hearts and minds, the more I came to appreciate the direct alignment with the mission of the 4Roots Farm,” Rivers says. “We ended up not only building a restaurant but an entire exhibit on how food is grown and the important role our farmers play in the process.”
Newman adds that the result combines the science center and Rivers’ strengths to create experiences and exhibits that tell stories while teaching.
The café features fresh, healthy, local food in a fast-casual environment. While delicious food is important, both Newman and Rivers are excited about the exhibit accompanying that food.
“We have some really cool interactive elements,” Newman says. “One piece highlights the importance of pollinators to food. We’re adding hydroponic towers that show how to grow food without soil, and there’s a beautiful garden wall. And then we have a large LED screen in the middle where we’re highlighting food heroes, including stories of Florida farmers.”
Farming Heroes
The Food Heroes exhibit is presented by Orlando Health. Its interactive stations help visitors explore where food comes from and highlight the role of good nutrition. Both the exhibit and the café aim to inspire and empower the public to improve food sustainability in their communities.
Rivers says one of the most important parts of the café is making the connection between food and farmer.
“It’s really easy to disconnect from the actual food you’re consuming,” he says. “One of my highest goals is that when a visitor is eating that lettuce or tomato, that they know where it was grown and get to see the farmer on the screen.”
Newman agrees and says she always loves when visitors experience that “aha” moment.
“The more you dive into understanding what it takes to get food on your table, the better appreciation you have for those who grow it,” she says. “When you put a face to your food, it takes on a whole new level of ‘Oh wow!’ We live for those moments.”
See more: Big-City Students Receive Top-Level Agricultural Education in Florida Schools
If You Go
The Orlando Science Center is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advanced time-entry tickets are required. Please visit osc.org/visit or call (407) 514-2020 to reserve your time and for pricing information.
The 4Roots Café is open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.