Don't have an account?
That’s right, we are always on the lookout for delicious recipes made with AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate products. Simply create a member account and submit your recipe today!
Our finely grated baking chocolate is specially crafted to melt with ease. Replace with powdered chocolate 1:1 in any of your favorite recipes.
Peruse through our curated list of free educational resources from our Historic Site Partners. There’s something for everyone young and old.
Our grant application period for 2026 is now closed!
Relive the highlights and special moments from the Heritage Chocolate Society 2025 meeting.
The Heritage Chocolate Society celebrated its 22nd annual meeting on February 19-20, 2025 in Washington DC. Established in 2003 by American history advocate Forrest E. Mars, Jr., the Heritage Chocolate Society was created to further the study of chocolate’s diverse history and its impact on culture in the Americas, both past and present. For the past 22 years, the meeting has brought compelling, noteworthy, and best-in-class speakers to inspire, connect, and equip attendees from America’s most iconic history and culture museums to make a lasting impact on their visitor experience.
This year’s meeting, The Future in Motion, focused on Engagement, Purpose and Relevance. We explored how museums can use their facilities in creative ways to gain members and serve the public. We also discussed how museums can continue to grow their power as agnostic civic centers as well as how to embrace and use the new AI revolution. Please enjoy the Grant Winner videos, Event Sizzle Reel, and Speaker Presentations as well as Photographs from the event and all its activities.
Learn how historic and cultural organizations, universities, and education services created programs, activations, and teaching opportunities through the 2024 Forrest E. Mars Jr. Chocolate Grant Awards.
Take a look at the highlights from HCS 2025!
Presented by Clarissa Carr, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Historic Preservation Program, College of Design, Construction & Planning, and Laura Marion, Collections Coordinator, Governor’s House Library, the University of Florida
Presented by Kim McCann, Program Developer, Conner Prairie Museum
Presented by Chidima Ifeh, Graduate Researcher, Montana State University
Presented by Beth Hill, President & CEO, and Stuart Lilie, Vice President of Public History Fort Ticonderoga
HCS 2025 featured a compelling group of speakers. Please enjoy their presentations.
New consumer technologies are poised to bring radical changes to every industry—including museums. David Pogue, Emmy-Winning CBS Sunday Morning Correspondent, NOVA Host & Former New York Times Columnist, presented a funny, fast-paced snapshot of what we’ll gain, what we’ll lose, and what beliefs will shift into something we’ve never seen before.
Jason Steinhauer, Public Historian, presented insights into how public history leaders must prepare for the AI-dominated future to remain relevant to key stakeholders, to include legislators, policymakers and the public.
As the United States approaches the quarter-millennium mark, we need to provide learners of all ages with the skills and dispositions required to undertake the hard work of democracy. Sarah Jencks, Jane Kamensky, and Carrie Kotcho focused on historic sites and history museums as engines of civic capacity building and democracy renewal.
Mars Global Responsible AI Chair Carol Van Den Hende covered how organizations can harness Gen AI’s capabilities while safeguarding against ethical risks, such as misinformation, bias, and data privacy concerns. She highlighted the urgency of implementing ethical guidelines, robust frameworks, and governance to ensure AI systems are fair, explainable, and transparent.
Following years of purposeful reimagination, Virginia’s oldest museum is experiencing a renaissance—with record-setting attendance and statewide engagement. Jamie Bosket, President & CEO, Virginia Museum of History & Culture, shared how an institution-wide effort has positioned the museum for an increasingly bright future.
Elizabeth Merritt, Founding Director, Center for the Future of Museums, presented an overview of significant shifts in culture, technology, and policy that will influence museum operations in the coming decade and suggested actions museums might take in the face of these challenges.
Made By Us Executive Director, Caroline Klibanoff, and Youth Engagement Manager, Alex Edgar shared program updates and “need to know” information about what’s coming up for America’s 250th, as well as the top takeaways from Civic Season and Youth250, outlining the many resources available for historic sites to improve their offerings, prepare for the future and harness the creative, passionate power of young people in their area.
In this session, the National Archives and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, along with their technology partners and collaborators shared how they are pioneering in the AI space to reimagine permanent collections and exhibits as well as create personalized, interactive experiences for their visitors.
Gabrielle Wesley, Chief Marketing Officer, Mars Wrigley North America shared how leaders can help their organizations meet the changing needs of their guests, ensuring relevancy and affinity in a fractured landscape.
