Chocolate museum of Colmar – My opinion on Choco Story

What is Choco Story in Colmar?

Choco Story is a “chain” of museums dedicated to chocolate, created by the Van Belle family, passionate about chocolate. Brussels was the first in 2004, followed by other openings in Vienna or Prague for example.

Production and transformation of cocoa, history of chocolate, benefits for the body or industrial production or pastry makers: we were surprised by the size of the museum and especially by the time we could spend there, easily 1 hour 30 minutes.

A museum of chocolate with very different worlds

Throughout the visit of Choco Story, we find ourselves in various universes, so no weariness!

First, we cross a cocoa plantation and its containers ready to be shipped all over the world. Then, we are introduced to the production of cocoa today: the main types, its harvesting and drying of beans, the countries that produce the most… Even the importance of fair trade and fair remuneration is discussed.

Then, we follow thehistory of chocolate by entering the mystery of a Mayan temple… They were the first to transform cocoa into a paste similar to chocolate. They used it to pay homage to their gods.

On the first floor, there is a Spanish galleon, the royal courts, an old pharmacy or a scanner in the style of “Jules Verne”. Each space is punctuated by collections of objects: Mayan and European tools for making chocolate in the 16th century, Mayan objects and works of art, foamers and chocolate makers…

On the first floor, the industrial production and the chocolate today are put in the spotlight. In a “chocolate” cabaret atmosphere, we admired costumes completely made of chocolate. Or how to combine beautiful creations with gourmet food. Really, we’d eat it! On this floor, we also discover the modern process of chocolate creation invented by a certain… Van Houten! Sounds familiar, right? We go through the actual process of going from the bean to the chocolate and we admire a superb showcase of chocolate molds, depending on the occasion (Saint-Nicolas, Easter, Christmas…). Another showcase displays various vintage chocolate packaging and advertising.

At the end of the tour, a large map of Alsace lists the main artisanal chocolate makers in the region. I must admit that I found my favorite chocolate makers in Mulhouse!

A super interactive chocolate museum

Did you think that the loulous would be bored maybe? No, everything has been planned to make sure that young and old have a good time with games and great experiences.

At the entrance, we are given two chocolates and a special audioguide. Throughout the visit, it not only allows you to trigger explanations in each room by scanning QR-Codes, but it also serves to trigger the various interactive animations.

The animations are triggered once per person: it avoids the queue! There are quizzes, games, movies, photo booths… For example, we only eat the chocolates when we get to the place where a chocolatier tells us the recipe. In fact, there are several places where you can eat chocolates 😉 Without revealing everything, you can attend an exchange between a conquistador and a Mayan king, smell the different ingredients used in the composition of the chocolate, have your picture taken in the decor of your choice, open small cabinets that hide noble dishes, especially for hot chocolate, scan your body to peel the benefits of chocolate,…

In short, a very good immersive experience for food lovers and the curious, whatever their age 🙂

My pictures of the chocolate museum in Colmar