The History of Seltzer Timeline

The history of seltzer began 2,400 years ago (on a Tuesday). This history covers seltzer’s discovery as naturally carbonated water bubbling up from the ground with health-giving properties, the industrial era that turned it from a medicine for the elite to a beverage for the masses, to its incorporation as an aggressive comedic prop within a new flavor of American comedy, and so so much more. 

At the Brooklyn Seltzer Museum, this history is told across 22 milestones mapped across a horizontal timeline the width of the Museum entrance. Below, you can explore these milestones and then watch a video that shows how it was installed. 

An illustration of a Soda Lady from the late 1800s.

The History of Seltzer Timeline

In spring of 2023, an afternoon was spent building the seltzer history timeline. Watch below the many hours of work sped up to just a few minutes.

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