big mac museum

The Big Mac Museum

For sandwich enthusiasts and fans of McDonald’s, the Big Mac Museum is a must see. Other mainstays of American culture such as baseball and rock and roll have their own museums, so why not the legendary sandwich that has become so iconic over the decades?

Believe it or not, the Big Mac was not always part of the McDonald’s menu. In fact, it was introduced in 1967 by franchise operator Jim Delligatti at his Uniontown, Pennsylvania location, and this was only after two years of development. To honor the occasion of the Big Mac’s 40th birthday, Mr. Delligatti opened the Big Mac Museum in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania (less than an hour from Hidden Valley) in August of 2007. Quite unlike other boring institutions, this museum is also a fully functioning McDonald’s restaurant and Play Place.

In addition to collections of McDonald’s memorabilia from the last half century, visitors will find multiple flat-screen television sets playing McDonald’s commercials that have aired over the years. The centerpiece of the restaurant, however, would be the museum’s 14 foot tall Big Mac replica, which comes complete with two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, all on a sesame seed bun. Also of interest is an exhibit on the various types of packaging used by McDonald’s over the years, ranging from paper wrappers, to the styrofoam cartons of the 1980s and 1990s, and the current environmentally friendly containers. The museum has a number of other exhibits that are sure to intrigue and delight fast food enthusiasts.

The Big Mac Museum is located at 9051 Route 30 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh. It is open from 4:30am to Midnight on weekdays, 4:30am to 1:00am on Saturdays, and 5:00am to 11:00pm on Sundays. Visitors should bring their appetites.