Shows
Museums in Strange PlacesTrailer: Humanities =A new podcast from Hannah Hethmon, creator of We the Museum and Museums in Strange Places. Produced for the Federation of State Humanities Councils, Humanities = is a show about real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. This show is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. The first three episodes are now available wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about Humanities = at statehumanities.org/podcast.Find it on your favorite platform using pod.link.
2025-09-0401 min
We the MuseumTrailer: Humanities =A new podcast from Hannah Hethmon, creator of We the Museum and Museums in Strange Places. Produced for the Federation of State Humanities Councils, Humanities = is a show about real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. This show is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. The first three episodes are now available wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about Humanities = at statehumanities.org/podcast.Find it on your favorite platform using pod.link.
2025-09-0401 min
The Educational Currency PodcastMuseums, Archaeology and Podcasting | Season 1 – Episode 10Museums – A different education career
What do bog bodies, VR and ancient history have in common for an education career?
Joining Chris and Rob this episode is the third part of the Educational Currency Team: our producer, Kate. Aside from recording and editing the podcast, Kate works in museums and as a high school English tutor at The Coaching College.
In this episode she shares her passion for all things archaeology, the story of how she came to be a curator and explores the role of museum in education outside of the formal sc...
2024-08-1532 min
Smithsonian's Stories from Main StreetSpecial: "Museum on Main Street: A Love Letter to Small-Town America" from Museums in Strange PlacesWe're excited to share an episode from our host Hannah Hethmon's podcast Museums in Strange Places. Back in 2019, Museums in Strange Places featured the amazing work of the Smithsonian's state and local partners in rural communities. Starting in Moreland, Georgia (pop. 382) in 1994, the Smithsonian, state humanities councils and local history organizations began a collaboration called Museum on Main Street to bring traveling exhibitions and humanities progams to rural communities. Since that kick-off nearly 30 years ago, more than 2,000 communities (with a median population of 8,300) have participated in the program. Museum on Main Street is all about local history...
2023-11-2940 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street12: My Vote, My VoiceApologies friends! This pod is the actual episode titled "My Vote, My Voice," which should have been originally posted back in October. "The Greater Good: Everyday Democracy" was actually uploaded. We're very sorry for this error. The other episode titles have been updated. Please listen! You have not heard "My Vote, My Voice" yet! Have you voted? What does voting mean to you? Hear from everyday Americans talking about democracy and what it means to them. In this episode, we're focusing on voting as a right and a responsibility. Listen to stories from first-time voters--young...
2023-11-1532 min
We the MuseumThe Power of Pop-Up Exhibitions (with Robert Forloney)Let’s explore the power and possibility of pop-ups: temporary or ephemeral museum-y experiences. I’m joined by Maryland Humanities’ Robert Forloney for a discussion about the Smithsonian’s traveling pop-up program, Museum on Main Street, and how short-term exhibitions allow for more play, creativity, and risk-taking.
2023-11-0830 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street11: Use Your Voice! Get InvolvedWhat civic responsibilities do we have as Americans? What do we owe to the process of democracy? What is the best way to voice our opinions and shape national and local policy? If we want to give back and do our part, where should we start? These are the questions asked and answered by everyday Americans in this episode. Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio. Hannah Hethmon is your host.
2023-11-0128 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street10: The Greater Good: Democracy EverydayDemocracy can be messy. Americans share many common values and ideals, but views on how that works out in the democratic process and in public policy can vary widely. In this episode, you'll hear stories from everyday Americans about their experiences with democracy, polarization, unity, and the issues they care about most. Our storytellers grapple with the big questions about democracy: What level of debate and disagreement is proper? What issues matter the most? How do we balance the need for dissent with the need for unity? Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is produced by Better Lemon...
2023-10-1831 minWe the MuseumThe Ethics of Mummies in Museums (with Angela Stienne)Why are there mummies in your museum? Should they be there? What are visitors getting out of an encounter with ancient Egyptian remains? What happens when remains in museums become objectified and normalized to this extent? Is there an ethical way to display mummies? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Angela Stienne, a historian of museums and researcher in museum ethics based in Paris. You will never think about mummies in museums the same after this episode. Support our sponsor, Landslide Creative. Show Notes & Transcript: wethemuseum.com
2023-10-0432 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street9: Are We at a Crossroads?Is rural America endangered, thriving, or just scraping by? The answer depends on who you ask and where you ask. As we finish our mini-series on change in rural communities, we're exploring the challenges and opportunities of rural life in the 21st century. Hear from everyday people reflecting on their communities and how they are adapting and reinventing themselves. View the episode transcript. Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own story about rural America! Thanks to our storytelling partners at Be Here Stories at The Peale, Baltimore's...
2023-09-2032 minWe the MuseumEnvironmental Restoration at Ford House (with Mark Heppner, Kevin Drotos)Can museums and historic sites be leaders in environmental conservation and restoration? The Ford House in Michigan recently won a grant of up to $7 million from NOAA to restore the coastal habitats of their lakeside property. I talked to Ford House’s President & CEO, Mark Heppner, and their Landscape and Natural Areas Manager, Kevin Drotos, to learn more. They shared the progress so far on this bold project and we discussed our field’s responsibilities to care for people and nature. Plus, get ready to learn some fun facts about flora and fauna in this region. Show Notes & Transcript: wethe...
2023-09-2033 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street8: "Living in a Small Town Taught Me..." Identity in Rural AmericaRural America has always been more nuanced and diverse than you often see in popular depictions. People have always experienced rural America in different ways -- for better or worse -- and their experiences have helped shape our rural culture. In this episode, join us in exploring rural identity. What does it mean to grow up in a small townhow? How do people in rural areas build and maintain their identities? How do they define themselves? View the episode transcript. Visit the Museum on Main Street website's story portal to share your own story about...
2023-09-0632 minWe the MuseumTransgender Museum Studies (with Amelia Smith)Are museums welcoming spaces for transgender visitors and museum workers? Are academics in museum studies building out the theory needed for meaningful trans inclusion in museums? In this episode, we’re looking at how we in the museum field can support our transgender colleagues and community members, from museum studies classrooms to visitor bathrooms. My guest is Amelia Smith, a transgender museum professional writing and thinking at the intersection of museum studies and transgender studies. Notes & Transcript: WeTheMuseum.com
2023-08-3030 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street7: Small Town = Hard WorkListen in as rural Americans talk about the work -- creative, unique, and sometimes exhausting -- they do. It's a revealing look at how work helps form the backbone of American society, no matter where you live. We all contribute our efforts (paid or unpaid) to the life, economy, and character of our communities. Rural communities today are at a new crossroads -- a meeting point of ideas where they can chart their future. In this episode, we're exploring the past, present and future of work in rural America through the voices of everyday people. First jobs, hard jobs...
2023-08-2329 minWe the MuseumHiring Icks & Fair Museum Jobs (with Sierra Van Ryck deGroot, Ashleigh Hibbins)There are a lot of systemic issues in our field related to labor. Ignoring these issues won’t make them go away. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at the problems around hiring practices in both the US and the UK. I chat about salary transparency, degree requirements, accessibility, and more with Sierra Van Ryck deGroot (Museum Hue) Ashleigh Hibbins (Fair Museum Jobs). They share ideas on how we can disrupt legacies of inequity and do better by the workers who make museums possible. Show Notes & Transcript: wethemuseum.com
2023-08-1633 minWe the MuseumThe First Americans Museums (with heather ahtone)There are 39 First American Nations in Oklahoma today, each with their own distinct culture and traditions. The newly-opened First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City is dedicated to telling all their stories—no small undertaking. In this episode, I speak to Dr. heather ahtone, FAM’s Director of Curatorial Affairs. She shares the history behind the museum, the Indigenous philosophy underpinning their exhibitions, and the way they are modeling Native-centered museum practices that honor Native lives and objects and let First Americans speak for themselves. Show Notes & Transcript: WeTheMuseum.com
2023-08-0233 minWe the MuseumExhibition Design Inspiration (with Tim McNeil)The field of exhibition design may be niche, but the number of museum workers who design and use design principles regularly is vast. So many of us use design to solve problems every day without even realizing it. This episode will warm up and inspire the design part of your brain, whether you’re a full-time exhibition designer, a curator, an educator, or on the marketing team. My guest is Tim McNeil, a Professor of Design at the University of California Davis and Director of the UC Davis Design Museum. Tim has poured his 30 years of design experience into a...
2023-07-1929 minWe the MuseumThe American LGBTQ+ Museum (with Ben Garcia)In 2026, the American LGBTQ+ Museum will open its doors in New York City. They’ll be housed in a dedicated 4,000 sq. ft. space inside New York’s oldest museum, the New York Historical Society. In this episode, I chat with the LGBTQ+ Museum’s Executive Director, Ben Garcia, about the Museum’s origins and its inclusive, intersectional, and activist approach. We also get into a discussion about inequities in our field and how Ben is trying to build a museum that’s truly equitable and inclusive—both inside and out—through a people-centered organizational culture. Transcript & Show Notes: WeTheMuseum.com
2023-07-0533 minWe the MuseumMuseum Work in Iceland (with Katie Teeter)What’s it like working in museums in Iceland? Katie Teeter is American, but she’s been living in Iceland for ten years. She works at two museums, one private and one public, and is finishing up a Master’s in Museum Studies at the University of Iceland. I chatted with Katie about her career and learned some cool facts about the Icelandic museum field.We the Museum is currently in-between seasons, This is a bonus episode, which may become an occasional series about museum work around the world. This episode is sponsored by Landsl...
2023-05-3121 minWe the MuseumUnfinished Revolutions: Museums & America’s 250th (with Madeleine Rosenberg)The 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is almost here. How can museums and history organizations use the Semiquincentennial to promote a fuller story of American history, practice ethical commemoration, increase visitation, and boost funding for the field? In this episode, I discuss these questions with Madeleine Rosenberg, Pomeroy Foundation Semiquincentennial Manager at the American Association for State and Local History. Transcript & Show Notes: wethemuseum.com
2023-04-1934 min
What Are You Going to Do with That?Elevate Cultural InstitutionsMeet Hannah Hethmon, founder of Better Lemon Creative Audio and creator of more than a dozen podcasts that make the crucial work of cultural organizations come alive. Hannah describes how pursuing her love of literature and history cultivated the passion, skills, and drive necessary to build a successful and fulfilling enterprise, one that elevates the work of organizations she cherishes. Her story shows how studying the humanities positions you to seize unanticipated professional opportunities as they emerge.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h7UwAQJJkqQc3tB05_NJCNz1NPGqU-cw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110878728063507102512&rtpof=true&sd=true
2023-04-1721 minWe the MuseumPublic School/Museum Collaboration in Baltimore (with Beth Maloney, Anne Rosenthal)Baltimore City Public Schools wanted to honor their food service workers, who plate up 88,000 free school meals a day and fed their community daily through pandemic closures. The Baltimore Museum of Industry wanted a project to foster social resilience. They collaborated to create Food for Thought, an exhibition featuring food service workers' portraits and voices alongside powerful facts about school nutrition. I spoke to BCPS’ Anne Rosenthal and BMI’s Beth Maloney about this partnership and what museums can learn from it. Show Notes/Transcript: wethemuseum.com
2023-04-0536 minWe the MuseumWhitney Plantation Reaches Further with Audio (with Amber Mitchell)Whitney Plantation is the only former plantation site in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on slavery. In this episode, their Director of Education, Amber Mitchell, shares how two audio projects are helping educate even more people about the history and legacy of slavery. In 2021, they launched their first audio tour, a cutting-edge production that lets even more people visit the site. They also produced a limited series podcast called Tilling the Soil that Amber describes as a love letter to Black public history. Show Notes & Transcript: wethemuseum.com
2023-03-1538 minWe the MuseumTikTok Success at the Sacramento History Museum (with Jared Jones)Jared Jones still has trouble wrapping his head around the fact that the TikTok account he started at Sacramento History Museum has become possibly the most followed museum account on the entire platform, with over 2.4 million followers. In this episode, Jared shares with me the museum’s TikTok journey, how docent Howard became a minor celebrity, and what real-life impacts this engagement has had on the museum. Transcript & Show Notes: WeTheMuseum.com
2023-03-0143 minWe the MuseumUnionizing at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (with Adam Rizzo)To paraphrase Adam Rizzo: museums won’t do the right thing by their workers just because we ask nicely. In a field rife with labor issues, museum workers are increasingly turning to unions. In this episode, Adam Rizzo of the Philadelphia Museum of Art Union shares their multi-year journey from hushed initial conversations to a three-week strike that was ultimately successful. He walked me through the unionization process and reflected on why unions will make this field stronger. This episode was sponsored by Landslide Creative. Transcript & show notes: wethemuseum.com
2023-02-1546 minWe the MuseumCommunity Curation and Digitization at the NMAAHC (with Doretha Williams)From day one, the National Museum of African American History and Culture has made it a priority to support Black history organizations and family historians around the country, not just in D.C. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Doretha Williams, who leads the museum’s Smith Center. I wanted to hear more about their community curation and digitization programs, where they travel to cities around the country and offer no-strings-attached digitization and research support to institutions and individuals. Hear about the community-building that goes into every visit and find out what other museums and history organizations can...
2023-01-3132 min
Museums in Strange PlacesTrailer: We the MuseumI always meant to get back into doing Museum in Strange Places episodes, but producing professionally as Better Lemon Creative Audio and the pandemic got in the way. Now, I'm finally back with a brand new show for museum workers, WE THE MUSEUM. We the Museum is a podcast for museum workers who want to form a more perfect institution. Episodes will feature in-depth conversations with museum workers in the US and beyond. Explore ideas, programs, and exhibitions that inform and inspire. We the Museum is a space where we can all slow down and take a moment away...
2023-01-2602 minWe the MuseumTrailer: We the MuseumWelcome to We the Museum, a new podcast for museum workers who want to form a more perfect institution. Here's a teaser for the first four episodes. In this trailer, you're hearing the voice of Dr. Doretha Williams (Center Director, The Center for the Digitization and Curation of African American History at the National Museum of African American History and Culture); Adam Rizzo (President, Local 397, Philadelphia Museum of Art Union); Jared Jones (Digital Content Coordinator, Sacramento History Museum), and Amber Mitchell, Director of Education, Whitney Plantation. Show notes and transcripts will be available for all full episodes. We the...
2023-01-2002 min
On The RecordThe father of landscape architecture turns 200The father of landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmstead, and his sons, are acclaimed in Baltimore for spaces like Patterson Park and neighborhoods like Roland Park. We hear how the Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes is celebrating 200 years since Olmstead Senior’s birth. Guests:Jennifer Arndt Robinson is the president of the board of directors of the nonprofit Friends of Maryland’s Olmsted Parks & Landscapes. She is also executive Director of the Friends of Patterson Park. Hannah Hethmon is the owner of Better Lemon Creative Audio and a freelance consultant in museum and history research. Le...
2022-10-1419 min
The Donmar Warehouse PodcastMonumentsIn this special episode of the Donmar Warehouse podcast, Donmar Associate Artist Prasanna Puwanarajah will speak to Monuments director Sara Aniqah Malik and company members Alexandra Elliott and Omar Williams about the conversations they had during the devising process for this bold short film.
Monuments is a Donmar Local Project exploring the legacy of the British Empire and its impact on our community. Watch the film at youtube.com/donmarwarehouse.
A full transcript is available at donmarwarehouse.com.
This episode of the Donmar Warehouse podcast was produced by Hannah Hethmon and Julia Letts for Better Lemon Creative Audio.
Monuments was...
2021-02-1827 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street6: Worth SavingOur waterways are one of our most precious shared resources. But in some places, we risk losing them to pollution, climate change, or overuse. In this episode, we hear from folks around the country talk about why their local waterways matter and why they believe in protecting them. Download episode transcript Stories used in this episode: Violet Spolarich on fighting pipelines and protecting water in her rural community Climate Change at the White Earth Reservation The Singing River Has the Blues Why Are There So Many Weeds
2020-11-1324 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street5: Over and UnderWe sometimes take for granted that we humans have figured out how to swim and dive, and travel across great bodies of water on boats. But it is really quite amazing when you think about it. In this episode, we soak in stories about swimming, diving, and boating ... and think about leaving our natural habitat behind to explore. Download Episode Transcript Stories used in this episode: Hok-Si-La Municipal Park, Minnesota Swimming with a Horse in Minnesota Diving in Minnesota Lakes Diving Beyond the Cliff, Caribbean Sea
2020-10-3024 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street4: An Invitation to PlayWhat is it about water that can instantly improve our mood, stir up joy, or awaken our inner child? In episode 4, we dive into the joy of playing in the water as we listen to stories of swimming in summer, splashing in puddles, and letting the waves lick our toes. Download Episode Transcript Stories featured in this episode: One Dock at a Time, Maine to Florida Summers at the River in South Georgia A River Girl and Her Fly Fishing and Outdoor Business in Todd, North Carolina ...
2020-10-1625 min
Preservation ProfilesPreserving History through Truth Telling with Tanya Denckla CobbTanya Denckla Cobb is the Director of the Institute for Engagement & Negotiation at the University of Virginia. For several years now the Institute has been working on a process called “Transforming Community Spaces.” This process offers communities a way to discuss and come to terms with their complex problems. In this episode, Tanya explains how conflict management, negotiation, and mediation can be applied to historic preservation in order to build a more equitable and just society. Transcript: tinyurl.com/preservation06 This episode is sponsored by Fred McCoy, Darwina L. Neal, and Gail C. Rothrock. Th...
2020-09-2231 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street2: Work and the WaterThese things are certain: the passage of time, the flow of water, and the labor of humankind. In episode 2, we navigate stories of work and the water, stories that highlight the wide range of livelihoods that exist for the water and because of the water. Stories used in this episode: Mississippi Gulf Coast Waterways The Ancient Warren River Valley and the Vetter Stone Company, Minnesota-Donn Vetter A Winding Career Path Leads to Water, Florida A River Girl and her Fly Fishing and Outdoor Business in Todd, North Carolina-Kelly McCoy
2020-09-1824 min
Preservation ProfilesPreserving Community History with Marsh DavisMarsh Davis is the President of Indiana Landmarks. In this episode, he speaks about how his preservation approach has evolved over his career, starting with his first role as an intern for the organization he now runs. He explains how Indiana Landmarks operates, their creative outside-the-box fundraising tactics, and why organizations like them are needed to help save historic buildings that the market deems unprofitable and not worth saving. Transcript: tinyurl.com/npi0105 This episode is sponsored by Fred McCoy, Darwina L. Neal, and Gail C. Rothrock. This episode was written, edited, and...
2020-09-0824 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main Street1: Take Me to the WaterWelcome to the water. In episode 1, join host and producer Hannah Hethmon as she explores stories that highlight the many ways water connects and defines us. Stories used in this episode: Take Me to the Water Seaweed Farming in Connecticut Violet Spolarich on fighting pipelines and protecting water in her rural community History, Recreation, and Preservation--Bruce Conmy Talks about Minnesota Lakes Baptisms at Games Lake--Carolyn Lange Hatlestad From Bulgaria to Boston: A Water Journey Angela's Memorable Encounter with the Dead Sea ...
2020-09-0423 min
Preservation ProfilesPreserving Native American History with Eric HemenwayEric Hemenway is an Anishnaabek/Odawa from Cross Village, Michigan, whose work centers around repatriation of remains and sacred objects under NAGPRA, as well as speaking and teaching about Native American history and culture. In this episode, Eric discusses the interconnectedness of his work and identity, the unique challenges of preserving Native American heritage, and the need for more education and awareness of the true history and popular culture of America in schools. Transcript: tinyurl.com/npi-episode4 This episode is sponsored by Maria Marable-Bunch, Fred McCoy, Darwina L. Neal, Jacy Romero, and Gail C. Rothrock. ...
2020-08-2547 minSmithsonian's Stories from Main StreetSeason 1 Trailer-Water StoriesExperience the voice of small-town America, one story at a time. Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is a new podcast from Museum on Main Street, a program of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service that brings Smithsonian exhibitions to small-town America. Since 2011, people in rural communities have shared thousands of stories with the Smithsonian! Season 1 explores stories about water gathered from towns that hosted the Water/Ways exhibition. Curated and hosted by podcaster Hannah Hethmon and produced by Better Lemon Creative Audio, Season 1 of Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is a chance to slow down, hear from...
2020-08-2402 min
Preservation ProfilesPreserving a Sense of Place with Laura TrieschmannLaura Trieschmann is the State Historic Preservation Officer for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. In this episode, Laura shares insights into the SHPO’s role and responsibilities. She discusses the very different approach to preservation she encountered in Vermont after many years surveying and researching historic properties in Washington, DC. Laura reveals ways historic preservation can be used for community building and preserving a sense of place. Transcript: tinyurl.com/npi0103 This episode is sponsored by EHT Traceries; Margaret J. Drury; Fred McCoy; Darwina L. Neal; Constance Werner Ramirez; Gail C. Rothrock; and Kim Pr...
2020-08-1127 min
Preservation ProfilesPreserving Resources and Fostering Diversity with Robert StantonRobert G. Stanton joined the National Park Service as a seasonal ranger and rose through the ranks to become the agency’s first African American Director. In this episode, he reflects on the need to tell a more honest and inclusive history of America. He also speaks about his current work for the Preservation in Practice program that brings young African American professionals into historic preservation and as an expert member of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Transcript: tinyurl.com/npi0102 This episode is sponsored by Maria Marable-Bunch, Fred McCoy, Darwina L. Ne...
2020-07-2834 min
Preservation ProfilesPreserving Intangible History with Susan West MontgomerySusan West Montgomery is a passionate advocate for natural and historic places, committed to leveraging these places to connect citizens, promote social justice, and foster health and wellbeing. In this episode, we discuss the changing role of preservation, the need for creativity in preserving intangible heritage, the concept of greenlining, and what steps the preservation field can take to bring more inclusion and equity to the National Register of Historic Places. Transcript: tinyurl.com/npi0101 This episode is sponsored by Fred McCoy. Darwina L. Neal, and Gail C. Rothrock. This episode was written...
2020-07-1429 min
The Vagina Museum PodcastMuff Busters: Vagina Myths (Part III)Coming to you from lockdown in London, this is Part III of a special mini-series on vagina myths! Myths busted in this episode: Periods are dirty; if you use a tampon you’re no longer a virgin; pubic hair is dirty and unhygienic; discharge means there is something wrong; vaginas are dirty and smelly–they need to be washed. (ALL FALSE.) COVID-19 has put the museum in danger of permanent closure, so please visit our website or social media sites to learn how you can help us survive and continue our mission. Transcript: tinyu...
2020-07-0715 min
Digital Works PodcastEpisode 009 - Hannah Hethmon (Better Lemon Creative Audio) on the history of podcasting in the cultural sector, the elements of a good podcast, and the unique relationship between podcast hosts and listenersFeaturing a conversation with podcast host, producer, consultant and writer, Hannah Hethmon. We look at the history of podcasting in the cultural sector, the elements of a good podcast, how podcasts could (and should) be approached by institutions, the unique relationship that can be achieved between a host and their podcast listeners and loads more.Hannah's book Your Museum Needs a Podcast: A Step-By-Step Guide to Podcasting on a Budget for Museums, History Organizations, and Cultural Nonprofits is still available to buy and Hannah's Digital Works #10 talk can be watched on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch...
2020-06-261h 06
The Vagina Museum PodcastMuff Busters: Vagina Myths (Part II)Coming to you from lockdown in London, this is Part II of a special mini-series on vagina myths! False pregnancy and contraception myths busted in this episode: You can't get pregnant if...the woman doesn’t orgasm; if you shower, urinate or douche right after sex; your partner pulls out before they ejaculate; it’s your first time having sexual intercourse; you have PIV sex in a hot tub; you are breastfeeding; you have sex standing up; douche with Coca-Cola after sex. (ALL FALSE) COVID-19 has put the museum in danger of permanent closu...
2020-06-0910 min
The Vagina Museum PodcastMuff Busters: Vagina Myths (Part I)Coming to you from lockdown in London, this is Part I of a special mini-series on vagina myths! Myths busted in this episode: 1. It's called a "vagina." 2. If you have a vagina then you are a woman. 3. The clitoris is impossible to find. 4. If you have lots of penetrative sex your vagina will get loose and your labia will get longer. (ALL FALSE) COVID-19 has put the museum in danger of permanent closure, so please visit our website or social media sites to learn how...
2020-05-0913 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBONUS: The Vagina Museum Podcast TrailerOne of the many projects I've been working on through my new production company (Better Lemon Creative Audio) is a podcast for the Vagina Museum in London. I'm so passionate about the work this museum is doing, and I think you're going to LOVE this podcast. It's written and produced by me with research and narration by science communicator Alyssa Chafee. Guests include big names like Dr. Jen Gunter, Kate Lister, Emma Rees, Fern Riddell, and more! Search for "The Vagina Museum" wherever you get your podcasts or use this link: https://pod.link/1488645205
2020-03-1102 min
Museums in Strange PlacesAn UpdateI know it's been a long time since a new episode came out, but I have a good excuse! Don't unsubscribe yet, I promise new episodes are on their way.
2020-02-0600 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBONUS: London is Ok I Guess[A pilot for a new show I developed about living in London. I'm really proud of how it turned out, but I just don't have the time to make more episodes, so it's going to live here on the Museum in Strange Places feed. I meet up with escape room creator, museum professional, and self-proclaimed mermaid hunter Sacha Coward, who takes me somewhere that will inspire me a bit and help me see the beauty in London’s “layers of puked-up history.” Sacha also knows some great queer history stories about the area and has great advice about...
2019-11-1329 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe (Pop-Up) Anti-Trump Museum of Atlantic CityDonald J. Trump has been active in business and media for fifty years, but his scandal-ridden presidency has overshadowed most of his history. Levi Fox's Pop-Up Atlantic City Trump Museum is an attempt to remedy this oversight for one specific chapter of the Trump story: his four Atlantic City casinos and the impact their short tenures and bankruptcies had on the gambling capitol of the East Coast. Together, we unpack the Trump-branded duffel bags he uses to store his collection of Trump casino-branded memorabilia while he explains why these bobbleheads, keychains, and other miscellania are worth hauling to the b...
2019-09-2324 min
Museums in Strange PlacesPoe Belongs to Baltimore, Baltimore to PoeHe’s the master of macabre, the man who created mystery fiction, the face on the socks and beer bottles of everyday Baltimoreans. He’s Edgar Allan Poe, and he belongs to Baltimore. Join me on a visit to the Poe House in Baltimore, the tiny house where his career began, to learn about Baltimore’s devotion to Poe, his tragic life, and the future of his legacy in the city where he died mysteriously. The Beatles/Poe mashup song is "The Poe-tles (Beatles/Edgar Allan Poe Mashup)" by Emuvies and can be found on Youtube. This episode...
2019-07-2339 min
Class Time with Dr. LovellUnit 5 - Negotiating the Senses Online and in the MuseumAn overview of Unit 5: Negotiating the Senses: Online and in the Museum, with Readings by Fiona Candlin • Helen Rees Leahy • Mette Thobo-Carlsen • Hannah Hethmon • Emily Thompson, along with information on our last class project. - Featuring host Dr. Kera Lovell from the University of Utah, Asia Campus.
2019-07-0810 min
Museums in Strange PlacesSlavery in Maryland: Facing Our Whole History at Sotterley PlantationSo much of Maryland was built on the back of enslaved Africans, yet it’s easy to avoid confronting the history of slavery in Maryland’s former plantation country. Historic Sotterley is trying to change that. The plantation was built in 1703 by a man who made his money off the slave trade, and the site was witness to 165 continuous years of slavery. Today, staff and descendants at Sotterley are committed to sharing the site’s whole history and healing the legacy of trauma left by the violence of slavery with the ultimate goal of making their community and their world...
2019-07-0144 min
Museums in Strange PlacesMuseum on Main Street: A Love Letter to Small-Town America (02/09)About half of all museums in the US are in small towns in rural America. Each of these museums holds stories and objects that are worth preserving and sharing, but they don’t always have the funding and infrastructure they need to operate and innovate. That’s where Museum on Main Street comes in. This Smithsonian program brings traveling exhibits to small towns for six weeks at a time. But the exhibit materials are just the catalyst for a much bigger experience, an experience that leaves these towns empowered to use culture to build stronger communities. In this episode, I he...
2019-06-1840 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBaltimore’s Jewish Roots ft. Harry Houdini (S02/E08)What do Baltimore, Russian Jews, the third oldest synagogue in America, Eastern European Catholics, seances, and Harry Houdini have in common? You’ll find out in this episode, a visit to the Jewish Museum of Maryland, an institution that prioritizes storytelling (and is pretty good at it). Join me for a tour of the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue, a journey back in history to the heyday of the Jewish market on Baltimore’s East Lombard Street, and a celebration of the life of Harry Houdini, the son of a rabbi. All the music in this episode is by S...
2019-04-2443 min
Museums in Strange PlacesWhy We Work: Improving the Way Museums Work at The Baltimore Museum of Industry (S02/E07)S02/E07: Located in a waterfront 1860s oyster cannery in the Baltimore Harbor, The Baltimore Museum of Industry is trying to inspire and engage their visitors around the concept of work by telling the stories of historical workers. But in order to better fulfill this mission, the museum has to be constantly re-evaluating themselves and their assumptions about work. In this episode, I talk to staffers Beth Maloney and Auni Gelles about how an experimental interactive and a new job description are pushing the museum beyond more traditional education and interpretation methods. This episode is sponsored by...
2019-02-2831 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Secular Gathering Place: The Sandy Spring Museum (S02/E06)The Sandy Spring Museum describes itself as “community-activated.” They want to be a secular gathering places, where people of different backgrounds can come together and build a sense of place and belonging. I visit the museum to speak with Executive Director Allison Weiss about the museum’s radically community-driven programming, the Quaker principles built into the museum’s design, and how they are trying to serve a community of incredible diversity. This episode is sponsored by The Lyndhurst Group. DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT Music in this episode is by Los Hijo 'e Plena, the musical arm of t...
2019-01-3029 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBONUS: 17th Century Ships are Like Classic CarsBONUS content from Episode 5, "The Lost City: Historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland." Dr. Regina Faden and I head down to Historic St. Mary's City's Waterfront exhibit, where we board the Maryland Dove, a replica 17th century sailing ship. The ship's Boatswain, Jeremy, talks to us about what it's like working on a historic ship and why old boats are like classic cars. Music in this episode is by Hesperus, from their album An Early American Quilt, released on the Maggie’s Music Label. Find more information on the museum and photos on my websit...
2019-01-2905 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBONUS: What We Can Learn From DirtBONUS content from Episode 5, "The Lost City: Historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland." A brief stop at the active dig site of Historic St. Mary's City's Archeology Field School, where Dr. Travis Parno is guiding students from St. Mary's College in a dig to investigate the site of Maryland's first State House. Dr. Parno also tells me about his ongoing research into early taverns, the powerful enslavers who ran them, and how they can shed light on the codification of slavery in Maryland and America. Music in this episode is by Hesperus, from their album An Ear...
2019-01-2805 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Lost City: Historic St. Mary’s City, Maryland (S02/E05)In the early 17th century, 300 English settlers traveled to the new colony of Maryland in search of new opportunities and a place where they could practice their Catholic faith in peace. They built Maryland’s first capital, St. Mary’s City, and their city thrived...until its founders fell from power in England. Soon, St. Mary’s City was abandoned and it’s wooden structures rotted. The city lay hidden under farm fields and forests until archeological efforts led to the formation of Historic St. Mary’s City, a living history center that tells the story of the fourth permanent...
2019-01-1458 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBONUS: Baltimore's Ring of FireBONUS CONTENT from Episode 4, “Museum Time Machine: The Peale Center.” The Peale Center’s Nancy Proctor shows me the museum’s Ring of Fire, explains the phenomenon of skeuomorphism, and tells me why gas lighting was such a game-changing technology in Baltimore. All the music in this episode is by Outcalls. Find more information on the museum and photos on my website, hhethmon.com. If you enjoy Museums in Strange Places, please help me keep it going by leaving a review on iTunes or sharing this episode with a friend. Let me know what you t...
2018-12-3108 min
The Wanderlusters MindIceland, Vikings and Medieval Norse Studies...a different world with Hannah Hethmon. TWM059Hannah juggled a long distance relationship, reverse culture shock and studying in Iceland.
2018-12-1737 min
Museums in Strange PlacesMuseum Time Machine: The Peale Center (S02/E04)There’s a time machine in downtown Baltimore on Holliday Street. A time machine that will take you back to the origin of public collections of art, history, and science...and then zip you through the present and into the future of museums. The Peale Center, the oldest purpose-built museum space in the US, is starting its third century as a building and its third life as a museum after decades of sitting vacant. But history isn’t repeating itself here. Executive Director Nancy Proctor wants it to be a cultural commons, a storytelling platform, and an experimental lab for...
2018-11-2731 min
Museums in Strange PlacesCommunity Driven, Community-Led: The Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center (S02/E03)Prince George’s County, Maryland is one of the wealthiest African American communities in the US, a suburban enclave of Black excellence just outside Washington, D.C. But it wasn’t always that way. At the small (but mighty) Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center, the passionate young Executive Director, Maleke Glee, tells me about the history of the area, the museum’s far-reaching youth programs, and his vision for a museum that’s truly community-led, inclusive, and relevant. DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT This episode is sponsored by The Lyndhurst Group. The featured song in this epi...
2018-11-1437 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Public Housing Utopia: The Greenbelt Museum (S02/E02)Tucked among other Maryland suburbs outside Washington, D.C., the cute little town of Greenbelt has a surprisingly radical history. It was one of three “green towns” built under the New Deal Era Resettlement Administration, and it was supposed to be a new way of living, a utopia. Was it really a utopia? And how did the model hold up over time? I discover this and more during my visit to the Greenbelt Museum, housed in one of the original 1937 low-income row homes. This episode is sponsored by The Lyndhurst Group. The featured song in this e...
2018-11-1446 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Temple to Intuition and Art: The American Visionary Art Museum (S02/E01)The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland is monument to outsider art, the creative spirit, and the search for truth. Step inside this glittering temple to intuition and inspiration to experience the museum’s marvelous “shows,” each of which comes from the singular mind of the museum’s founder and envisioner, Rebecca Alban Hoffberger. Download Transcript. This episode is sponsored by The Lyndhurst Group. The featured songs in this episode are by The Preschoolers. Find more information on the museum and photos on my website, hhethmon.com. If you enjoy Museums i...
2018-11-1453 min
Access Unmissable Full Audiobooks in Biography & Memoir, Arts & EntertainmentLimitless: Work and Dance with EDM Music by Vasili ReikhPlease visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/360586 to listen full audiobooks. Title: Limitless: Work and Dance with EDM Music Author: Vasili Reikh Narrator: Hannah R F Hethmon Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 2 hours 38 minutes Release date: November 13, 2018 Genres: Arts & Entertainment Publisher's Summary: Do you often feel tired and washed out? Do you sometimes lack motivation? Do you sit in front of a computer for hours every day? Many of us spend more and more hours behind the computer. This can have an adverse effect on us as we become overweight; have health and mobility problems and even reduced energy levels. Vasili...
2018-11-1305 min
Museums in Strange PlacesSeason 2: Museums of Maryland (TRAILER)In each season of this podcast, I explore a different country, state, or region through its museums. In Season 1, I traveled around Iceland. For season two, I decided to explore my native state of Maryland. I visited 22 of Maryland’s most interesting and unique museums, including America’s first purpose built museum, a historic synagogue, a black history wax museum, a New Deal public housing utopia, the house where Edgar Allan Poe published his first poem, one of the earliest nursing schools in the country, and so many more. On November 14, tune in to hear the first three...
2018-11-0603 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Shark Farm at Bjarnarhöfn (S01/E22)Iceland has a lot of weird traditional foods, but nothing compares to fermented shark meat. The family at Bjarnarhöfn has been hunting and fermenting shark meat for nearly 400 years, although today they only process bycatch Greenland sharks. Many years ago, the family opened a Shark Museum at the farm to share their traditions and introduce the world to “hákarl”. In this episode, I get an inside look at how one family continues this traditional method of de-toxifying shark meat while sharing their craft with anyone who’s brave enough to take a bite. (To take advantag...
2018-08-2129 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Art of Volcanoes (S01/E21)What would it look like if Indiana Jones was into volcanoes and created a museum in a small Icelandic village? The Volcano Museum in Stykkishólmur displays the art and geological specimens collected by volcanologist Haralður Sigurðsson from around the world during his many decades of exploration and research. I speak to museum manager, Filip Polách—a Czech photographer who fell in love with Iceland—about how an Icelandic eruption may have started the French Revolution and how the museum came to have an original Andy Warhol painting of Vesuvius. This episode is sponsored by Locat...
2018-08-0725 min
Museums in Strange PlacesIceland in Wartime (S01/E20)Walk into the War and Peace Museum, a small building sitting on a fjord north of Reykjavík, Iceland, and you're instantly transported into another era. Covering every wall are carefully arranged artifacts, photographs, and documents from the WWII years in Iceland. This is Guðjón Sigmundsson's personal collection, and it's full of surprises and uncovered secrets. This episode is sponsored by Locatify. Locatify is an Icelandic software company specializing in mobile apps that use location technologies for Immersive audio guides, treasure hunt games, Augmented Reality and indoor GPS. Songs used in this episode are S...
2018-07-2526 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBONUS: The Making of Eldheimar's Audio GuideBonus! I go behind-the-scenes with Locatify's Steinunn Anna Gunnlaugsdóttir to talk about the making of Eldheimar's location-aware audio guide app (E19: Memorial to an Eruption). We chat about how Locatify joined the Eldheimar project, the beacon technology used in Eldheimar, and their new hyper-precise ultra-wideband system for museum apps. Locatify is an Icelandic software company specializing in mobile apps that use location technologies for Immersive audio guides, treasure hunt games, Augmented Reality and indoor GPS.
2018-07-1207 min
Museums in Strange PlacesMemorial to an Eruption (S01/E19)On January 23, 1973, residents of the island town Vestmannaeyjar in Iceland were woken from sleep by the sounds of a huge fissure ripping open the earth. The Eldfell volcanic eruption that followed forced everyone to evacuate the island for six months. By the time the eruption stopped, 400 homes were covered by lava and the rest of the island was covered in ash. In this episode, I hike up the Eldfell volcano and visit Eldheimar, a state-of-the-art museum of remembrance built 40 years after the eruption. Music in this episode is "Þeir vaka yfir þér" by Soffía Björg. ...
2018-07-0329 min
Museums in Strange PlacesWe Always Come Back to Home Island (S01/E18)No matter what happens on the Westman Islands off Iceland's south coast–invading pirates, mass Mormon exoduses, months-long volcanic eruptions, mysterious diseases, perilous fishing waters–the island people, Eyjamenn, always come back to rebuild and repopulate. That's what makes their home island, Heimaey, so unique. In this episode, I visit the local history museum, Sagnheimar, to hear the stories that define them. Music in this episode is by Sume. This episode is sponsored by Locatify. Locatify is an Icelandic software company specializing in mobile apps that use location technologies for Immersive audio guides, treasure hunt games, Augmented Realit...
2018-06-1933 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Penis Museum, Part II ft. John Bodinger de Uriarte (S01/E17)After visiting the Icelandic Phallological Museum in Episode 16, I still didn't get what all the hype was about. So, I sat down with anthropology professor (and fellow Fulbright grantee) John Bodinger de Uriarte to talk about how the museum plays with our ideas of authority and reality, why gift shops in Reykjavík are "museums of imagined Icelandicness," and more. The song in this episode is Þjráhyggja by JóiPé x Króli. _______ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast for people who love museums, stories, culture, and exploring the world. This year, t...
2018-06-0522 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Penis Museum, Part I (S01/E16)I didn't really want to visit the Icelandic Phallological Museum, so to make it more fun, I invited along my Icelandic museum friend, Sig. Join us as we marvel at massive whale phalluses, question the motivation of human donors to the museum, and try to figure out why everyone loves this weird little museum in Reykjavík so much. (This episode contains many PG-rated mentions of penises, but only alludes to sexual acts.) Songs in this episode are B.O.B.A. and Þjráhyggja by JóiPé x Króli. _______ Museums in Strange Places is a p...
2018-05-2928 min
Museums in Strange PlacesIndustry and Nostalgia in Akureyri, Iceland (S01/E15)For this episode, I'm back in Akureyri to visit The Industry Museum, a small museum formed from the enormous personal collection of one couple, who wanted to document the history of the many successful industries based in the "Capital of North Iceland" in the mid-20th Century. Deputy Director Jóna and I talk about nostalgia and relevance, and she shows me some of her favorite exhibits, including the intact workbench of the local coffin-maker. Music in this episode is by the KK Band. _______ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast for people who love m...
2018-04-1022 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Museum of Ordinary Things (S01/E14)Tucked away in a narrow valley just below the town of Akureyri in North Iceland, Sverrir Hermansson's Museum of Sundry Objects is one eccentric man's spectacular collection of ordinary things. In this episode, I visit this beautiful little museum, get to know Sverrir, and have an experience that changes the way I think about museums. Music in this episode is by the Bagdad Brothers. _______ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast for people who love museums, stories, culture, and exploring the world. This year, the podcast focuses on museums in Iceland. Subscribe to M...
2018-03-2728 min
Museums in Strange PlacesFinding Iceland's Hidden Women (S01/E13)In this special episode about women's history in Iceland, I visit the Women's History Archive at the National and University Library of Iceland to speak to Rakel Adolphsdóttir about collecting women's history in Iceland and hunting for the women hidden in Iceland's archival collection. I also chat with the researchers behind the Hinsegin Huldkonur project who are trying to uncover the queer women in Icelandic sources and create a database of queer women's history. Music in this episode is by Brynja Bjarnadóttir. _______ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast for people who...
2018-03-1443 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Flyby of the Icelandic Aviation Museum (S01/E12)The Icelandic Aviation Museum in Akureyri is filled with great stories: locals crashing a Nazi glider into an open grave, the president's plane enlisted to beat the British in the Cod Wars, and a nineteen year search to find a missing WWII plane that crash landed in a glacier. The museum's Chairman of the board, Hörður Geirsson, gave me an insiders tour and told me more about the Flugsafn Íslands collection and the history of aviation in Iceland. Music in this episode is from The Aristókrasía Project album by Úlfur Eldjárn. ...
2018-02-2724 min
Museums in Strange PlacesHow the Seals are Saving Hvammstangi (S01/E11)Just off the Ring Road in the north of Iceland, a small town once known for hunting seals has breathed new life into their community with a much more sustainable industry: seal watching. At the Seal Center in Hvammstangi, scientists and museum professionals are working together to study seal life in Iceland and help visitors engage more meaningfully and responsibly with some of Iceland's cutest locals. They are doing this by combining hard facts and the art of storytelling. I spoke to Sigurður Líndal Þórisson to learn more. Music in this episode is by Jónas Sig. ...
2018-02-1328 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBeatle-Town, Iceland: A Visit to the Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n' Roll (S01/E10)The Icelandic music scene has produced a remarkable number of international stars like Sigur Rós, Björk, Kaleo, the Sugar Cubes, and Of Monsters and Men. You can learn more about them and discover new music at the Icelandic Museum of Rock 'n' Roll. It's a paradise for Icelandic music fans, but it will also impress museum-lovers and professionals with its beautiful exhibits and the near-endless opportunities to explore the music and learn more. In this episode, I tour the museum and talk with Managing Director Tómas Young to get the inside scoop on the museum and hear...
2018-01-3038 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBuilt with Fish: History Lessons at the Museum of Hafnarfjörður (S01/E09)How do you keep history fresh at a municipal history museum, even when many people in your audience have lived in that small town their entire lives? How do you best serve your local audience while still offering something interesting for tourists? These are the challenges the Hafnarfjörður Museum is trying to solve. The museum is housed in seven historic buildings in Hafnarfjörður, an old harbor town in the southwest of Iceland. In this episode, museum director Björn Pétursson gives me a tour of the main building, Pakkhusið, and shares some of the museum...
2018-01-2423 min
Museums in Strange PlacesCommunity-Centered Contemporary Art in the Heart of Hafnarfjörður (S01/E08)How does a contemporary art institution–places that are notoriously elitist–provide a thriving cultural center in a town's that on the periphery of Iceland and the world? The Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Art is a contemporary art gallery and collection in the heart of downtown Hafnarfjörður, an old port town ten kilometers south of Reykjavík. They take their responsibility as the only art museum very seriously. I sat down with Director Ágústa Kristófersdóttir to learn more. _______ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast for people who love museum...
2018-01-1632 min
Museums in Strange PlacesCeltic Connections on the Icelandic Coast: A Visit to the Akranes Folk Museum (S01/E07)Akranes is a coastal town in the southwest region of Iceland with a growing population of about 7,000. They have a unique heritage, as the area was settled in large part by Celts, not Norsemen. The charming Akranes Folk Museum has been around for almost 60 years, and is beginning a large project to revamp their exhibits to better serve the new residents of the area, Icelanders visiting from the greater Reykjavík area, and an increasing numbers of foreign visitors. I sat down with the museum's director Jón Allansson to discuss the town's unique history and their surprising connection to...
2018-01-1023 min
Museum Archipelago33. Icelandic Museums with Hannah HethmonIceland has many more museums per person than the UK and the US. The country is also in the middle of a massive tourism boom: there are several times more tourists than residents. Hannah Hethmon, an American museum professional and Fulbright Fellow living in Reykjavík, was interested in this abundance of museums and the nature of museum tourism in Iceland.Her Fulbright project is the podcast Museums in Strange Places, which explores these and other Icelandic museum topics. In each episode, Hannah brings listeners through a different museum through the stories of the people who work t...
2018-01-0812 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Family, a Mineral Collection, and a Museum in a Gas Station (S01/E06)Hafsteinn Thor has always been interested in geology, nature, biology, and philosophy...and acting and directing...and singing and learning new instruments. But when he met his wife's family, he was draw into their decades-old passion for stone and mineral collecting. Last year, he and his father-in-law finally set up a museum with the family's collection...in the gas station of their small town in the south of Iceland. In this episode, I visit the Ljósbrá Steinasafn, the Hveragerdi Stone and Mineral Museum, to hear the family story and find out more about the gorgeous samples in their co...
2017-12-1824 min
Museums in Strange PlacesKeeping the Legacy of a Medieval Legend Alive at Snorrastofa (S01/E05)I visit the Snorrastofa, a research and cultural center at Reykholt, the farm in southwestern Iceland where the great medieval Icelandic historian and writer Snorri Sturluson built his home, a church, and later a small fortress. Snorrastofa Project Manager Sigrun Guttomsdóttir Þormar and I talk about Snorri's dramatic life, his legacy, and his hot tub, which is still in perfect working condition 800 years after its construction. The music in this episode is by the Iceland/German band Árstíðir lífsins, who take their inspiration from the Old Norse literature. ________ Museum...
2017-12-0433 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Future of History at the Reykjavík City Museum (S01/E04)I visit the Reykjavík City Museum to talk with Museum Director Guðbrandur Benediktsson about museum mergers, historians as presidents, the state of history in Iceland, and the future of history museums in Reykjavík. The music in this episode is "Humble History Song" by the Icelandic singer/ songwriter Ceasetone. ________ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast about Icelandic museums and museum culture. Subscribe to Museums in Strange Places and you can expect fascinating conversations with Icelandic museum professionals, world class exhibitions, private museums in gas stations, an introduction to Icel...
2017-11-2120 min
Museums in Strange PlacesA Writer's Home: Gljúfrasteinn-Laxness Museum (S01/E03)In this episode, I drive thirty minutes outside of Reykjavík to visit Gljúfrasteinn, the museum–and former home–of Halldór Laxness, writer and Nobel laureate. His remarkable life spanned almost the entire 20th century, from 1902 to 1998. He published his first novel at 17 and would go on to publish more than 60 books in his lifetime, mostly novels, but also volumes of poetry and short stories. The museum's director, Guðný Dóra Gestsdóttir, gives me a tour of the home, built in the 1940's, and talks about how they are trying to focus on stories and atmosphere ab...
2017-11-0631 min
Museums in Strange PlacesThe Icelandic Punk Museum in Reykjavík, Iceland (S01/E02)I descend into the historic city public toilets of downtown Reykjavík to check out one of the newer museums in town, the Icelandic Punk Museum. You know it's legit because Johnny Rotten himself presided over the opening in 2016. In a town with it's fair share of tourist traps, this space is no gimmick. The museum was created by punks and music scholars who manage to hit just the right notes with their content and presentation. Music in this episode is by Skrattar, and is used with their permission. ________ Museums in Str...
2017-10-3015 min
Museums in Strange PlacesBonus Ep: What Makes an Open Air Museum Memorable?I continue my conversation with Sigurlaugur Ingólfsson at the Árbær Open Air Museum in Reykjavík. We discuss what makes an open air museum visit memorable, whether admission prices motivate museums to stay fresh and engaging, and why we have to think about museums like businesses (sometimes). Music for this episode created by soandso. Used here with permission from the artist. _________ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast about Icelandic museums and museum culture. Subscribe to Museums in Strange Places and you can expect fascinating conversations with Icelandic museum profes...
2017-10-2307 min
Museums in Strange PlacesÁrbær Open Air Museum in Reykjavík, IcelandI visit the Árbær Open Air Museum in Reykjavík to interview the Árbær Museum Project Manager, Sigurlaugur Ingólfsson. In this episode you'll learn about: open air/living history museums in Iceland, museum mergers, tourists vs. locals, Vikings, and why it's blasphemy to visit Siglufjörður and *not* visit the Herring Era Museum. _________ Museums in Strange Places is a podcast about Icelandic museums and museum culture. Subscribe to Museums in Strange Places and you can expect fascinating conversations with Icelandic museum professionals, world class exhibitions, private museums in gas stations...
2017-10-1628 min