This delightful public history exhibit explores Cambridge’s once-thriving candy industry and the city’s outsized role in shaping America’s sweet tooth. From caramel and candy bars to elegant bonbons, the exhibit traces how local confectioners helped transform everyday treats into a booming industry.

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The exhibit focuses on “Confectioners Row,” a historic stretch of Main Street where many of Cambridge’s candy companies once operated—and where the pop-up exhibition was on view June of 2025.

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Created by co-curators Jeremy Spindler and Jeffrey Myers of Spindler Confections, the exhibit was developed in collaboration with the Cambridge Museum of History & Culture and the Office of Mayor E. Denise Simmons. Presented with the support of Spindler Confections & Savory Delights, BXP, Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, Cambridge Arts, the Cambridge Historical Commission, History Cambridge, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, How Sweet It Is invites visitors to experience the city’s rich confectionery heritage in a fun and flavorful new way.