The words Smithsonian and Belton rarely come up in the same conversation. OK, they have probably never come up in the same sentence. But starting this Saturday, the Smithsonian Institute will come to the Belton Museum for a two-month showing of the “Key Ingredients” exhibit.

“Key Ingredients: America By Food” is a traveling exhibit that chronicles the history and culture of food in America. Thanks to the Humanities Council of South Carolina, the Belton Museum is one of five South Carolina museums to get the exhibit and the only one in the Upstate.

To celebrate, the opening reception will include the Museum, the Belton Center for the Arts and the Historic Belton Train Depot in a food-tasting event for the whole family.

“The whole exhibit, really, is about the connections we, as Americans, have with food,” said Shirah Heller, director of the Belton Museum. “It’s about the social aspect of food.”

To illustrate that, there will be three to four restaurants, including Grits and Groceries, Matty’s and Friends at the Cove, that will provide an array of samplings of food from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Historic Belton Train Depot. The food will be available for purchase and funds raised will go to the Belton Center for the Arts.

The event, Heller said, is an opportunity to prove the point of the Smithsonian exhibit and to showcase Belton and all it has to offer.

From 6 to 8 p.m., the Belton Center for the Arts will offer desserts for sale with an international flair.

“They are doing an Olympics feel with desserts from America, Mexico, Italy and France,” Heller said.

In addition, there will be many events taking place throughout the exhibit’s run including a Health Fair and farm tours in early September.

“One of the great things about this honor is that we can bring awareness to this area,” Heller said. “The Smithsonian is such a huge name and it’s great to attach Belton to it in some way.”

The opening reception is Saturday. The exhibit will be open through Oct. 4. For more information, contact the Belton Area Museum Association at 864.338.7400.