Barbecue is a much-loved part of American food culture, with different areas having their own special flavors and cooking styles. From the Carolinas to Texas, there's a lot to learn about how barbecue styles are different across the country — and what better place to learn than at a museum! Planned to open next spring in Kansas City, Missouri, the Museum of BBQ says it will be the world's first museum dedicated to teaching visitors about the history and culture of the cooking style. "Barbecue is a feast for your senses," says food writer Jonathan Bender, who is opening the museum with chef Alex Pope. "Here in one of the BBQ capitals of the world, we're creating a place where you can immerse yourself in the stories of barbecue." The museum will have rooms based on different barbecue styles, and what it calls "the main American regions of barbecue" — the Carolinas; Memphis, Tennessee; Texas; and Kansas City. There will also be an oversized pot of "barbecue beans" for kids to play in, and a gift shop where visitors can buy things like barbecue spices, sauces and aprons. Bender says the museum will be a place "where barbecue comes alive." Kansas City is one of the barbecue capitals of the world, home to more than 100 local barbecue restaurants and many barbecue competitions. The city's barbecue style is famous for its "burnt ends" — charred pieces of slow-cooked beef brisket — often served with a thick, sweet, tomato-based sauce. But the best styles and flavors are often debated among lovers of the cooking style — which is something the museum may help to encourage among its visitors! "Barbecue isn't just food. It's culture," Bender told CNN Travel. And the founders hope visitors will come away from the museum with a new appreciation for barbecue and the community it creates.