Pulses of the World: From Modesty to Excellence.

On the occasion of the World Pulses Day 2026, the FAO Museum and Network opens a new exhibition spotlighting a powerful – yet often marginalized – set of crops for healthy diets and sustainable agrifood systems.


The exhibition, titled “Pulses of the World: From Modesty to Excellence” after the 2026 World Pulses Day theme, will be on display from 10 February to 10 March 2026 in a dedicated space within the museum, welcoming both FAO staff and external visitors.

Through an engaging display of a vast array of pulses and their end products from around the world, the exhibition invites visitors to rediscover the diversity and nutritional benefits of these crops and, uniquely, how the environment is enriched when they are cultivated. From traditional ingredients to novel food products to be displayed, it will be evident that pulses are key ingredients for healthy, modern and sustainable diets. Multimedia content complements the physical displays, offering insights into agricultural production systems, culinary traditions, innovative uses, and opportunities along the value chains for improved livelihoods, all of which are bringing pulses back to the heart of agrifood systems and the much-needed transformations.

Pulses are a subgroup of legumes, packed with nutrients and harvested for their delicious dried seeds. They include familiar favourites like beans, chickpeas and peas, but there’s a whole world of pulse types to explore! All come with great benefits for food security, nutrition and health as well as ecosystem services. Pulses are more than just nutritious seeds, they also contribute to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly those pertaining to food security and nutrition, health, sustainable consumption and production and climate change.

Building on the success of the International Year of Pulses (IYP) in 2016 implemented by FAO, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated February 10th as World Pulses Day (WPD). Since 2019, FAO has led the annual observance of this important Day.

Despite their exceptional nutritional values and immense environmental benefits, their per capita consumption has declined in many developed and developing countries. In several societies, particularly in urban areas, pulses are still associated with low-cost diets or rural cuisine. In 2026, the theme "Pulses of the World: From Modesty to Excellence" challenges misconceptions that overshadow the benefits of pulses and celebrates their true excellence and role in modern, healthy diets and sustainable agrifood systems.

The exhibition is open to the public by reservation via this online FORM.

 

Follow us on social media to explore stories, insights and highlights from the exhibition and join the conversation on pulses using the hashtags #WorldPulsesDay #LovePulses