More than 154 million treasures fill the Smithsonian’s vaults, but where public view ends, Sidedoor begins. With the help of biologists, artists, historians, archaeologists, zookeepers and astrophysicists, host Lizzie Peabody sneaks listeners through Smithsonian’s side door to search for stories that can’t be found anywhere else. Check out si.edu/sidedoor and follow @SidedoorPod for more info.

Cellphones put the power of the world at our fingertips. With the touch of a finger, you can instantly connect with your doctor, have food delivered to your office or simply obliterate your niece at Words with Friends. And it's all made possible by rocks formed millions of years ago, deep underground. Join us as we bust open our devices to figure out how these stones power our phones.

Guests: 
Joshua A. Bell, curator of globalization at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History 
Michael Wise, geologist in the department of mineral sciences at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History 
Josh Lepawsky, professor of geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland

Cellphones put the power of the world at our fingertips. With the touch of a finger, you can instantly connect with your doctor, have food delivered to your office or simply obliterate your niece at Words with Friends. And it's all made possible by rocks formed millions of years ago, deep underground. Join us as we bust open our devices to figure out how these stones power our phones.
Guests:
Joshua A. Bell, curator of globalization at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Michael Wise, geologist in the department of mineral sciences at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
Josh Lepawsky, professor of geography at Memorial University of Newfoundland

Join us as we bust open our devices to figure out how these rare minerals power our phones.

Cellphones Rock 

"God in a cup." "Perfection." "The world's best coffee." Panamanian geisha coffee has been called many things, but never Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. That might soon change, however, as researchers from Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center find new ways to grow coffee in harmony with migratory songbirds. Join us for this fully caffeinated romp through Panama’s coffee farms as we learn all about the birds and the beans. 

Guests: 

Ruth Bennett, research ecologist at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center

Katherine Araúz Ponce, fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and PhD student at The University of Georgia

Maria Ruiz, owner of Ruiz Coffee Distributors

Ratibor &amp; Aliss Hartmann, owners of Finca Hartmann, specialty coffee and ecotourism 

Price Peterson, owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda

"God in a cup." "Perfection." "The world's best coffee." Panamanian geisha coffee has been called many things, but never Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. That might soon change, however, as researchers from Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center find new ways to grow coffee in harmony with migratory songbirds. Join us for this fully caffeinated romp through Panama’s coffee farms as we learn all about the birds and the beans. 
Guests: 
Ruth Bennett, research ecologist at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Migratory Bird Center
Katherine Araúz Ponce, fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and PhD student at The University of Georgia
Maria Ruiz, owner of Ruiz Coffee Distributors
Ratibor & Aliss Hartmann, owners of Finca Hartmann, specialty coffee and ecotourism 
Price Peterson, owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda

"God in a cup." Panamanian geisha coffee has been called many things, but never Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified.

The Birds and the Beans

If you’ve bought a plane ticket recently, you’ve probably had the option to pay a few extra dollars to offset your carbon emissions. That money might go toward planting some trees… but how many trees? Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are trying to answer this very question by hand-measuring trees, weighing wood, and climbing to the top of the canopy. We tag along to see how carbon is measured, and why so much ends up in tropical forests.  

Guests:

Joshua Tewksbury, director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama

<a href="https://stri.si.edu/scientist/helene-muller-landau" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Helene Muller-Landau</a>, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute researching tropical forests and ecosystems, leader of ForestGEO Global Carbon Program

David Mitre, research manager for ForestGEO at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Sergio dos Santos, project manager for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Hydro-Meteorological and Oceanographic Monitoring Program in Panama

Luisa Fernanda Gómez Correa, intern at the Forest Carbon Lab at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Eline De Loore, graduate student at Ghent University conducting research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

If you’ve bought a plane ticket recently, you’ve probably had the option to pay a few extra dollars to offset your carbon emissions. That money might go toward planting some trees… but how many trees? Researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute are trying to answer this very question by hand-measuring trees, weighing wood, and climbing to the top of the canopy. We tag along to see how carbon is measured, and why so much ends up in tropical forests.  
Guests:
Joshua Tewksbury, director of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama
Helene Muller-Landau, senior scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute researching tropical forests and ecosystems, leader of ForestGEO Global Carbon Program
David Mitre, research manager for ForestGEO at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Sergio dos Santos, project manager for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s Hydro-Meteorological and Oceanographic Monitoring Program in Panama
Luisa Fernanda Gómez Correa, intern at the Forest Carbon Lab at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Eline De Loore, graduate student at Ghent University conducting research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

We journey to see how carbon is measured, and why so much ends up in tropical forests.  

Dude, Where’s my Carbon? 

It started as a rumor in the cafeteria of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama: monkeys on an island in the Pacific were doing something no one had ever seen them do before. But when researchers went searching for these elusive capuchin monkeys, they discovered more questions than answers.

Guests:

Claudio Monteza, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute fellow and researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Brendan Barrett, researcher at the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior

Meg Crofoot, director of the Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. Former Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute fellow

It started as a rumor in the cafeteria of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama: monkeys on an island in the Pacific were doing something no one had ever seen them do before. But when researchers went searching for these elusive capuchin monkeys, they discovered more questions than answers.
Guests:
Claudio Monteza, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute fellow and researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Brendan Barrett, researcher at the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Meg Crofoot, director of the Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. Former Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute fellow

It started as a rumor in the cafeteria of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama: monkeys on an island in the Pacific were doing something no one had ever seen them do before.

Monkeyin' Around on the Devil's Island 

Money is power. But who's on our money - or isn’t - can be just as powerful. While Lady Liberty has graced American coins and dollars for most of our history, it wasn’t until the 1970s that a real woman appeared on a circulating American coin. But that's about to change. Congress recently authorized the creation of twenty new quarters featuring American women from history. But how do we decide whose likeness gets engraved in our national story? And who makes these decisions? We’ll follow the money to find out.

Guests:

Jennifer Schneider, former program manager at Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, current assistant registrar of outgoing and government loans at the Smithsonian American Art Museum

Tey Marianna Nunn, former director of the American Women’s History Initiative at the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, current associate director for content and interpretation at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino

Ellen Feingold, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

<a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/artists/sculptors-joseph-menna" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Joseph Menna</a>, chief engraver at the United States Mint

Tim Grant, public affairs manager at the United States Mint

Dave Clark, supervisor of blanking annealing and upsetting at the United States Mint

Money is power. But who's on our money - or isn’t - can be just as powerful. While Lady Liberty has graced American coins and dollars for most of our history, it wasn’t until the 1970s that a real woman appeared on a circulating American coin. But that's about to change. Congress recently authorized the creation of twenty new quarters featuring American women from history. But how do we decide whose likeness gets engraved in our national story? And who makes these decisions? We’ll follow the money to find out.
Guests:
Jennifer Schneider, former program manager at Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, current assistant registrar of outgoing and government loans at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Tey Marianna Nunn, former director of the American Women’s History Initiative at the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, current associate director for content and interpretation at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino
Ellen Feingold, curator of the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Joseph Menna, chief engraver at the United States Mint
Tim Grant, public affairs manager at the United States Mint
Dave Clark, supervisor of blanking annealing and upsetting at the United States Mint

Money is power. But who's on our money - or isn’t - can be just as powerful.

Face Value 

Did you know a person born on February 29 is called a "leapling"? This special episode is hopping with Leap Day trivia! Like, why do we need an extra day every four years anyway? And will I get paid for working an extra day in February? It's the lowdown on Leap Day in an episode that's as off-kilter as the earth's axis.

Guest:

Bob Craddock, Geologist at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies

Did you know a person born on February 29 is called a "leapling"? This special episode is hopping with Leap Day trivia! Like, why do we need an extra day every four years anyway? And will I get paid for working an extra day in February? It's the lowdown on Leap Day in an episode that's as off-kilter as the earth's axis.
Guest:
Bob Craddock, Geologist at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies

This special episode is hopping with Leap Day trivia!

Jeepers Leapers!

They say love is eternal. What about heartbreak? This Valentine’s Day, we bring you some of Japanese theater’s most popular tales of scorned lovers seeking vengeance from beyond the grave — with a burning passion.

Guests:  
Frank Feltens, Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art 
Kit Brooks, Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

They say love is eternal. What about heartbreak? This Valentine’s Day, we bring you some of Japanese theater’s most popular tales of scorned lovers seeking vengeance from beyond the grave — with a burning passion.
Guests: 
, Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
Kit Brooks, Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

This Valentine’s Day, we bring you some of Japanese theater’s most popular tales of scorned lovers seeking vengeance from beyond the grave. 

Til Death Do Us Part?

From brontosauruses with bronchitis to birds on a wire to flying space rocks and a botched heist at 20 thousand feet. In this episode, Lizzie and Sidedoor producer James run all around the Smithsonian to answer listeners' questions from the Sidedoor mailbag.

Guests:

Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum

Sara Hallager, curator of birds at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Jim Nollman, composer and pioneer of the “interspecies music” genre, conceptual artist, and environmental activist

Cari Corrigan, research geologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and curator of the Antarctic Meteorite Collection

Sharon Bryant, marketing specialist at the Smithsonian’s Office of Communications and External Affairs

Matthew Carrano, research geologist and curator of Dinosauria at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

From brontosauruses with bronchitis to birds on a wire to flying space rocks and a botched heist at 20 thousand feet. In this episode, Lizzie and Sidedoor producer James run all around the Smithsonian to answer listeners' questions from the Sidedoor mailbag.
Guests:
Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum
Sara Hallager, curator of birds at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Jim Nollman, composer and pioneer of the “interspecies music” genre, conceptual artist, and environmental activist
Cari Corrigan, research geologist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and curator of the Antarctic Meteorite Collection
Sharon Bryant, marketing specialist at the Smithsonian’s Office of Communications and External Affairs
Matthew Carrano, research geologist and curator of Dinosauria at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Lizzie and Sidedoor producer James run around the Smithsonian to answer listeners' questions from the Sidedoor mailbag.  

To Sidedoor, With Love 

As long as there have been wars, animals have joined their human companions on the battlefield. But a few have served so bravely they’ve been memorialized at the Smithsonian. In honor of these furry and feathered war heroes, we bring you the tales of dogs, cats and birds who went above and beyond the call of duty. 

Guests: 

Jennifer Jones, curator of military history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 

Frank Blazich, curator of military history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 

Ann Bausum, author of Stubby the War Dog and Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win WWI and Stole the Heart of a Nation 

Scot Christenson, author of Cats in the Navy 

Chris Willingham, president of the United States War Dogs Association

As long as there have been wars, animals have joined their human companions on the battlefield. But a few have served so bravely they’ve been memorialized at the Smithsonian. In honor of these furry and feathered war heroes, we bring you the tales of dogs, cats and birds who went above and beyond the call of duty. 
Guests: 
Jennifer Jones, curator of military history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 
Frank Blazich, curator of military history at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 
Ann Bausum, author of Stubby the War Dog and Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win WWI and Stole the Heart of a Nation 
Scot Christenson, author of Cats in the Navy 
Chris Willingham, president of the United States War Dogs Association

 In honor of these furry and feathered war heroes, we bring you the tales of dogs, cats and birds who went above and beyond the call of duty. 

Tails of Bravery

Virginia Hall dreamed of being America’s first female ambassador. Instead, she became a spy. Joining the ranks of the U.S.’s first civilian spy network, she operated alone in occupied France, where she built French Resistance networks, delivered critical intelligence, and sold cheese to the enemy. All on one leg.

Guests:

Sonia Purnell, author of “A Woman of No Importance: the Untold Story of the American Spy who Helped Win World War II.” 

Randy Burkett, CIA Staff Historian

Christina Gebhard, museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Virginia Hall dreamed of being America’s first female ambassador. Instead, she became a spy. Joining the ranks of the U.S.’s first civilian spy network, she operated alone in occupied France, where she built French Resistance networks, delivered critical intelligence, and sold cheese to the enemy. All on one leg.
Guests:
Sonia Purnell, author of “A Woman of No Importance: the Untold Story of the American Spy who Helped Win World War II.” 
Randy Burkett, CIA Staff Historian
Christina Gebhard, museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Virginia Hall dreamed of being America’s first female ambassador. Instead, she became a spy.

The Milkmaid Spy

It’s a song we often hear at the start of the new year. But what does “auld lang syne” even mean? And how did it come to be associated with New Year's Eve? With a little musical sleuthing, we find Charlie Chaplin might have something to do with it…

Guests:

<a href="https://profiles.si.edu/display/nDeutschJ6142005" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James Deutsch</a>, curator of folklife and popular culture at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

It’s a song we often hear at the start of the new year. But what does “auld lang syne” even mean? And how did it come to be associated with New Year's Eve? With a little musical sleuthing, we find Charlie Chaplin might have something to do with it…
Guests:
James Deutsch, curator of folklife and popular culture at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

What does “auld lang syne” even mean?

Auld Lang What?

North American River Otters are popping up in places they haven't been seen in decades and nobody really knows why. As we search for answers we discover a trail of fish heads, poop splats and cuddle parties.

Guests:

Katrina Lohan, head of the Coastal Disease Ecology Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Alejandra Morales Picard, psychologist at Montgomery College

Rebecca Sturniolo, assistant curator of the America Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo

Patty Storms &amp; Morty Bachar, otter neighbors

North American River Otters are popping up in places they haven't been seen in decades and nobody really knows why. As we search for answers we discover a trail of fish heads, poop splats and cuddle parties.
Guests:
Katrina Lohan, head of the Coastal Disease Ecology Laboratory at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Alejandra Morales Picard, psychologist at Montgomery College
Rebecca Sturniolo, assistant curator of the America Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo
Patty Storms & Morty Bachar, otter neighbors

North American River Otters are popping up in places they haven't been seen in decades and nobody really knows why.

Welcome Back, Otter

When Maggie Kuhn was forced to retire from the job she loved at age 65, her colleagues gave her a sewing machine as a parting gift. Outraged, she shut the sewing machine in a closet and, instead, stitched together the first-ever movement against ageism in the U.S. The Gray Panthers would galvanize gray haired citizenry and youth alike to challenge the way Americans think about aging. 

Guests: 
Katherine Ott, curator and historian in the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

<a href="https://www.emilykrichbaum.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emily Krichbaum</a>, founding director for the Center for Girls' and Young Women's Leadership at Columbus School for Girls and scholar of women’s history

<a href="https://nsclcarchives.org/index.php/about/staff/paul-nathanson-executive-director/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paul Nathanson</a>, founder and former executive director of Justice in Aging (formerly the National Senior Citizens Law Center), a national advocacy group for the elderly poor

<a href="https://www.graypanthersnyc.org/jack-kupferman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jack Kupferman</a>, president of Gray Panthers NYC

When Maggie Kuhn was forced to retire from the job she loved at age 65, her colleagues gave her a sewing machine as a parting gift. Outraged, she shut the sewing machine in a closet and, instead, stitched together the first-ever movement against ageism in the U.S. The Gray Panthers would galvanize gray haired citizenry and youth alike to challenge the way Americans think about aging. 
Guests: 
Katherine Ott, curator and historian in the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
Emily Krichbaum, founding director for the Center for Girls' and Young Women's Leadership at Columbus School for Girls and scholar of women’s history
Paul Nathanson, founder and former executive director of Justice in Aging (formerly the National Senior Citizens Law Center), a national advocacy group for the elderly poor
Jack Kupferman, president of Gray Panthers NYC

The Gray Panthers would galvanize gray haired citizenry and youth alike to challenge the way Americans think about aging.

Wrinkled Radicals 

All three Giant Pandas are leaving the Smithsonian's National Zoo for China by the end of the year. What's up with that?! We sat down with the director of the Zoo, Brandie Smith, to find out why the pandas are leaving, and whether China plans to send more. This might truly be the end of a beara ... we mean era!

Guests:

Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Stephen Powers, panda fan

All three Giant Pandas are leaving the Smithsonian's National Zoo for China by the end of the year. What's up with that?! We sat down with the director of the Zoo, Brandie Smith, to find out why the pandas are leaving, and whether China plans to send more. This might truly be the end of a beara ... we mean era!
Guests:
Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Stephen Powers, panda fan

All three Giant Pandas are leaving the Smithsonian's National Zoo for China by the end of the year. 

Farewell Giant Pandas

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the Smithsonian home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and—dare we say—ghost sightings? Inspired by an apparition at the National Museum of American History, we creak across museum attic floorboards, sneak into an old house in the woods, and even travel back in time to bring you a collection of spooky stories that can only be found at the Smithsonian.

Guests:

Molly Horrocks, Collections Manager, Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Pamela Henson, Institutional Historian at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Cpl. Ronald Howlin, Security Officer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Deborah Hull-Walski, Collections Manager, Education Collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Melissa Johnson, daughter of Deb Hull-Walski and former skeptical teenager

Kim Dixon, former volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the Smithsonian home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and—dare we say—ghost sightings? Inspired by an apparition at the National Museum of American History, we creak across museum attic floorboards, sneak into an old house in the woods, and even travel back in time to bring you a collection of spooky stories that can only be found at the Smithsonian.
Guests:
Molly Horrocks, Collections Manager, Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Pamela Henson, Institutional Historian at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Cpl. Ronald Howlin, Security Officer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Deborah Hull-Walski, Collections Manager, Education Collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Melissa Johnson, daughter of Deb Hull-Walski and former skeptical teenager
Kim Dixon, former volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Why is the Smithsonian home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and—dare we say—ghost sightings?

Resurrected: Spooked at the Smithsonian

Looks like these criminals used correct postage, 'cause justice is about to be delivered. Okay, there are no snappy one-liners in this crime scene investigation, but there are explosions, collisions, manhunts and even a cow who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the centennial of "The Last Great Train Robbery," we re-examine the evidence to find out how U.S. Postal Inspectors tracked down a band of old school outlaws using cutting edge criminal forensics...and postmarked them for prison.

Guests:

Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum

Chelsea Rose, Director of the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology

Kate Winkler Dawson, author of American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics and the Birth of American CSI

Looks like these criminals used correct postage, 'cause justice is about to be delivered. Okay, there are no snappy one-liners in this crime scene investigation, but there are explosions, collisions, manhunts and even a cow who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the centennial of "The Last Great Train Robbery," we re-examine the evidence to find out how U.S. Postal Inspectors tracked down a band of old school outlaws using cutting edge criminal forensics...and postmarked them for prison.
Guests:
Lynn Heidelbaugh, curator at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum
Chelsea Rose, Director of the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology
Kate Winkler Dawson, author of American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics and the Birth of American CSI

U.S. Postal Inspectors tracked down a band of old school outlaws using cutting edge criminal forensics.

CSI: Southern Pacific

Icky Gunk. Moldy Hay. Kermit. You might recognize one of these names. Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird, he was kicking it with Sam and Friends — a local tv show in Washington, D.C. that launched Jim Henson's career. We journey back to 1955 to figure out how this eccentric cast of puppets built the foundation for everything Jim Henson would do afterwards, from Sesame Street, to The Muppet Show and even Labyrinth (we see you, David Bowie fans). And we venture into the conservation labs to learn what it took to revive these crumbling hunks of foam and fabric when they landed at the Smithsonian.

Guests:

Ryan Lintelman, curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History  
Sunae Park Evans, senior costume conservator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History  
Bonnie Erickson, a director of The Jim Henson Legacy; creator of Miss Piggy  
Craig Shemin, author of Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show

Icky Gunk. Moldy Hay. Kermit. You might recognize one of these names. Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird, he was kicking it with Sam and Friends — a local tv show in Washington, D.C. that launched Jim Henson's career. We journey back to 1955 to figure out how this eccentric cast of puppets built the foundation for everything Jim Henson would do afterwards, from Sesame Street, to The Muppet Show and even Labyrinth (we see you, David Bowie fans). And we venture into the conservation labs to learn what it took to revive these crumbling hunks of foam and fabric when they landed at the Smithsonian.
Guests:
Ryan Lintelman, curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History 
Sunae Park Evans, senior costume conservator at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History 
Bonnie Erickson, a director of The Jim Henson Legacy; creator of Miss Piggy 
Craig Shemin, author of Sam and Friends: The Story of Jim Henson's First Television Show

Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird, he was kicking it with Sam & Friends — a local tv show in Washington, D.C. that launched Jim Henson's career. 

The 'Gentle Anarchy' of the Muppets

Sidedoor returns for its tenth season on Wednesday, September 13th!

Sidedoor returns for its tenth season on Wednesday, September 13th!

It's Season 10!

In 1860 the fastest way to get a message to a family member, partner, or colleague wasn’t by text but by hoof…specifically, a pony’s. In just ten short days the Pony Express delivered mail between St. Louis and Sacramento. To find out what it was like to travel this legendary trail, there’s only one way: get on a horse and follow all 2,000 miles of it. That’s what writer Will Grant did, retracing the route from Missouri to California over four and half months. This guest episode of the Outside podcast brings you an epic camping tale in the name of history.

 

We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor in September! If you enjoyed this episode, find more stories from Outside at <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.outsideonline.com/podcast</a>

In 1860 the fastest way to get a message to a family member, partner, or colleague wasn’t by text but by hoof…specifically, a pony’s. In just ten short days the Pony Express delivered mail between St. Louis and Sacramento. To find out what it was like to travel this legendary trail, there’s only one way: get on a horse and follow all 2,000 miles of it. That’s what writer Will Grant did, retracing the route from Missouri to California over four and half months. This guest episode of the Outside podcast brings you an epic camping tale in the name of history.
 

We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor in September! If you enjoyed this episode, find more stories from Outside at https://www.outsideonline.com/podcast

This guest episode of the Outside podcast brings you an epic camping tale in the name of history.

A Wild Ride on the Pony Express

When a <a href="https://siarchives.si.edu/blog/tale-three-contracts?utm_source=si.edu&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=oneSmithsonian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">200-year-old legal document</a> anonymously arrived at his office, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives conservator William Bennett assumed it would be full of boring legal jargon. Instead, he found a juicy tale of family betrayal that would forever change what we thought we knew about the founding of the Smithsonian. In honor of the Smithsonian’s 177th birthday, we’re sharing one of our favorite stories from the Sidedoor collection.

Guests:

William Bennett, conservator at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and Archives

Social: @rwilliab (Instagram), @SirWilliamB (Twitter)

Heather Ewing, author of The Lost World of James Smithson, and Associate Dean at New York Studio School

Social: @HPealeEwing

Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large

When a 200-year-old legal document anonymously arrived at his office, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives conservator William Bennett assumed it would be full of boring legal jargon. Instead, he found a juicy tale of family betrayal that would forever change what we thought we knew about the founding of the Smithsonian. In honor of the Smithsonian’s 177th birthday, we’re sharing one of our favorite stories from the Sidedoor collection.
Guests:
William Bennett, conservator at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and Archives
Social: @rwilliab (Instagram), @SirWilliamB (Twitter)
Heather Ewing, author of The Lost World of James Smithson, and Associate Dean at New York Studio School
Social: @HPealeEwing
Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large

In honor of the Smithsonian’s 177th birthday, we’re sharing one of our favorite stories from the Sidedoor collection. 

The Hungerford Deed

When you imagine the sound of a dinosaur, you probably think of a scene from the Jurassic Park movies. How do sound designers make these extinct creatures sound so believably alive? And what does modern paleontology tell us about what dinosaurs REALLY sounded like? This guest episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz features Jurassic World sound designer Al Nelson and paleontologist Julia Clarke.

 

We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor soon! If you enjoyed this episode, you can find more episodes of Twenty Thousand Hertz at <a href="https://www.20k.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">20k.org</a>.

When you imagine the sound of a dinosaur, you probably think of a scene from the Jurassic Park movies. How do sound designers make these extinct creatures sound so believably alive? And what does modern paleontology tell us about what dinosaurs REALLY sounded like? This guest episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz features Jurassic World sound designer Al Nelson and paleontologist Julia Clarke.
 

We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor soon! If you enjoyed this episode, you can find more episodes of Twenty Thousand Hertz at 20k.org.

This guest episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz features Jurassic World sound designer Al Nelson and paleontologist Julia Clarke.

Tyrannosaurus FX

A Smithsonian researcher has made a discovery we couldn't wait to sink our teeth into — what might be the earliest evidence of our human ancestors eating each other. This conversation is a special update from our past episode 'Did Meat Make Us Human?' Bon appétit!

A Smithsonian researcher has made a discovery we couldn't wait to sink our teeth into — what might be the earliest evidence of our human ancestors eating each other. This conversation is a special update from our past episode 'Did Meat Make Us Human?' Bon appétit!

This conversation is a special update from our past episode 'Did Meat Make Us Human?' Bon appétit! 

Special: People Eating People

Before the invention of photography, only the rich could afford to have portraits of themselves. But in the early 1800s, a device called the physiognotrace democratized portraiture, making it possible or everyday people to have their images captured in silhouettes. A man named William Bache traveled the United States creating hundreds of silhouette portraits with the aid of the physiognotrace, leaving behind a ledger book that gives us a rare glimpse of early America. A ledger book…laced with poison.

Guests

Robyn Asleson, curator of prints and drawings at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery

Nora Lockshin, senior conservator for archives at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Wendy Bellion, Sewell C. Biggs Chair in American Art History, and associate dean for the humanities at the University of Delaware

Carolyn Hauk, doctoral student in the art history department of the University of Delaware, former intern at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery

Before the invention of photography, only the rich could afford to have portraits of themselves. But in the early 1800s, a device called the physiognotrace democratized portraiture, making it possible or everyday people to have their images captured in silhouettes. A man named William Bache traveled the United States creating hundreds of silhouette portraits with the aid of the physiognotrace, leaving behind a ledger book that gives us a rare glimpse of early America. A ledger book…laced with poison.
Guests
Robyn Asleson, curator of prints and drawings at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
Nora Lockshin, senior conservator for archives at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Wendy Bellion, Sewell C. Biggs Chair in American Art History, and associate dean for the humanities at the University of Delaware
Carolyn Hauk, doctoral student in the art history department of the University of Delaware, former intern at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery

In the early 1800s, a man named William Bache traveled the United States creating hundreds of silhouette portraits of everyday people. 

The Toxic Book of Faces

America has a long history of clustering heavy industry and toxic facilities in communities where people of color live. But in the 1980s, a series of events sparked a movement to fight back against these environmental injustices. We trace the history of the environmental justice movement from the farmlands of North Carolina to a watershed moment in the nation's capital. 

 

Guests: 

 

Vernice Miller Travis, environmental justice pioneer; Executive Vice President, Metro Group 

Rachel Seidman, curator at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum 

Charles Lee, a founder of the environmental justice movement; senior policy advisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights

America has a long history of clustering heavy industry and toxic facilities in communities where people of color live. But in the 1980s, a series of events sparked a movement to fight back against these environmental injustices. We trace the history of the environmental justice movement from the farmlands of North Carolina to a watershed moment in the nation's capital. 
 

Guests: 
 

Vernice Miller Travis, environmental justice pioneer; Executive Vice President, Metro Group 
Rachel Seidman, curator at the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum 
Charles Lee, a founder of the environmental justice movement; senior policy advisor, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights

We trace the history of the environmental justice movement from the farmlands of North Carolina to a watershed moment in the nation's capital. 

Building a Movement

In 1948, Moses Asch set out with an ambitious project: to document the world’s sounds! 75 years later, that project has grown into one of the world’s most eclectic, iconic and LARGEST repositories of recorded sound… from American folk music, to sounds of everyday life, and even a serenade for turkeys. Folkways Recordings —as it's now known— lives on within the Smithsonian, connecting the past, present and future… through sounds.

Guests:

Michael Asch, anthropologist and son of Moses Asch 

Jake Blount, musician and scholar of Black American music 

Maureen Loughran, director and curator of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Jeff Place, curator and senior archivist at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings 

Anthony Seeger, curator and director emeritus of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

In 1948, Moses Asch set out with an ambitious project: to document the world’s sounds! 75 years later, that project has grown into one of the world’s most eclectic, iconic and LARGEST repositories of recorded sound… from American folk music, to sounds of everyday life, and even a serenade for turkeys. Folkways Recordings —as it's now known— lives on within the Smithsonian, connecting the past, present and future… through sounds.
Guests:
Michael Asch, anthropologist and son of Moses Asch 
Jake Blount, musician and scholar of Black American music 
Maureen Loughran, director and curator of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Jeff Place, curator and senior archivist at Smithsonian Folkways Recordings 
Anthony Seeger, curator and director emeritus of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

Folkways Recordings —as it's now known— lives on within the Smithsonian, connecting the past, present and future… through sounds.

Recording the World

Women have long fueled America's greatest scientific achievements. But when you go searching for information about these women scientists, you'll likely come up short. Only 19% of articles on Wikipedia are about women. In the field of science, this difference is even more pronounced. But now, a team at the Smithsonian is using artificial intelligence and good old fashioned research skills to scour the archives for lost women of science and publish their stories … before it’s too late.

Guests:

Liz Harmon, digital curator, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Kelly Doyle, open knowledge coordinator, Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Rebecca Dikow, research data scientist, Smithsonian Data Science Lab

Tiana Curry, former intern, Smithsonian Data Science Lab

Women have long fueled America's greatest scientific achievements. But when you go searching for information about these women scientists, you'll likely come up short. Only 19% of articles on Wikipedia are about women. In the field of science, this difference is even more pronounced. But now, a team at the Smithsonian is using artificial intelligence and good old fashioned research skills to scour the archives for lost women of science and publish their stories … before it’s too late.
Guests:
Liz Harmon, digital curator, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Kelly Doyle, open knowledge coordinator, Smithsonian American Women's History Museum
Rebecca Dikow, research data scientist, Smithsonian Data Science Lab
Tiana Curry, former intern, Smithsonian Data Science Lab

Women have long fueled America's greatest scientific achievements. But when you go searching for information about these women scientists, you'll likely come up short

The Funk List

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass is so deeply rooted in the American psyche it feels more like a default setting than a choice. Americans spend countless hours every year seeding, watering, mowing, and fertilizing patches of grass that don't make much sense, economically or ecologically. But why? In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed.

Guests:

Cindy Brown, manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens 
 
Joyce Connolly, museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens 
 
Abeer Saha, curator of agriculture and engineering at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History 
 
Sylvia Schmeichel, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History 
 
Jeff Schneider, deputy director of Smithsonian Gardens

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass is so deeply rooted in the American psyche it feels more like a default setting than a choice. Americans spend countless hours every year seeding, watering, mowing, and fertilizing patches of grass that don't make much sense, economically or ecologically. But why? In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed.
Guests:
Cindy Brown, manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens
Joyce Connolly, museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens
Abeer Saha, curator of agriculture and engineering at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Sylvia Schmeichel, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Jeff Schneider, deputy director of Smithsonian Gardens

In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed.

Get Off My Lawn 

As a kid, Bill Nye spent whole days wandering the halls of Smithsonian museums. Now the Science Guy is back… to find his own blue lab coat and periodic table bowtie on display at the National Museum of American History. We sit down with Bill Nye to get schooled on science education, comedy, and the 1990s hit TV show that turned him into an entire generation’s favorite science teacher.

Guests: 
Bill Nye, Science Guy

This episode was produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Their exhibition, <a href="https://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/entertainment-nation" title="https://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/entertainment-nation" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Entertainment Nation</a>, shows the power of American entertainment to captivate, inspire, and transform. Through the objects and their stories, the ongoing exhibition will explore how, for over 150 years, entertainment has provided a forum for important national conversations about who we are, and who we want to be.

As a kid, Bill Nye spent whole days wandering the halls of Smithsonian museums. Now the Science Guy is back… to find his own blue lab coat and periodic table bowtie on display at the National Museum of American History. We sit down with Bill Nye to get schooled on science education, comedy, and the 1990s hit TV show that turned him into an entire generation’s favorite science teacher.
Guests:
Bill Nye, Science Guy
This episode was produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Their exhibition, Entertainment Nation, shows the power of American entertainment to captivate, inspire, and transform. Through the objects and their stories, the ongoing exhibition will explore how, for over 150 years, entertainment has provided a forum for important national conversations about who we are, and who we want to be.

We sit down with Bill Nye to get schooled on science education, comedy, and the 1990s hit TV show that turned him into an entire generation’s favorite science teacher. 

Bill Nye the Sidedoor Guy 

Until the 1970s, women were barred from competing in U.S. marathons because of the belief that the "violent movements" would wreak havoc on their reproductive system, "thus defeating a woman’s true purpose in life, i.e., the bringing forth of strong children." Through a series of steps, stumbles —and one epic tackle— running pioneers like Roberta "Bobbi" Gibb and Kathrine Switzer blazed the trail for women marathoners who followed, including Sunita Williams — the first person to run the Boston Marathon IN SPACE!

Guests:

Sunita Williams, astronaut

Jennifer Levasseur, curator, Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Peter Sagal, marathoner; host of NPR's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!

Bobbi Gibb, first woman to run the Boston Marathon

Kathrine Switzer, first women to officially run the Boston Marathon

Until the 1970s, women were barred from competing in U.S. marathons because of the belief that the "violent movements" would wreak havoc on their reproductive system, "thus defeating a woman’s true purpose in life, i.e., the bringing forth of strong children." Through a series of steps, stumbles —and one epic tackle— running pioneers like Roberta "Bobbi" Gibb and Kathrine Switzer blazed the trail for women marathoners who followed, including Sunita Williams — the first person to run the Boston Marathon IN SPACE!
Guests:
Sunita Williams, astronaut
Jennifer Levasseur, curator, Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
Peter Sagal, marathoner; host of NPR's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!
Bobbi Gibb, first woman to run the Boston Marathon
Kathrine Switzer, first women to officially run the Boston Marathon

Through a series of steps, stumbles —and one epic tackle— running pioneers blazed the trail for women marathoners who followed, including Sunita Williams — the first person to run the Boston Marathon IN SPACE!

Space Marathon

We think of paintings as art, but can they also be a source of data? 300 years ago, a young prince inherited the throne in Udaipur, India, and brought with him some newfangled ideas about art. His court artists created massive paintings that flew in the face of convention, documenting real life events, times, places and even emotions —especially during the annual monsoon season. These paintings are so detailed that - centuries later - they can serve as archival records to help understand our own changing climate.

Guests:

Debra Diamond, Elizabeth Moynihan Curator for South Asian and Southeast Asian Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art

Dipti Khera, associate professor, Department of Art History and Institute of Fine Arts, New York University

Mark Giordano, professor of geography and vice dean for undergraduate affairs at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service

This episode was produced in collaboration with the <a href="https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/" title="https://asia.si.edu/exhibition/a-splendid-land-paintings-from-royal-udaipur/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art’s exhibition</a>: A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the museum’s founding and the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.

The exhibition is on view through May 14, 2023.

We think of paintings as art, but can they also be a source of data? 300 years ago, a young prince inherited the throne in Udaipur, India, and brought with him some newfangled ideas about art. His court artists created massive paintings that flew in the face of convention, documenting real life events, times, places and even emotions —especially during the annual monsoon season. These paintings are so detailed that - centuries later - they can serve as archival records to help understand our own changing climate.
Guests:
Debra Diamond, Elizabeth Moynihan Curator for South Asian and Southeast Asian Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art
Dipti Khera, associate professor, Department of Art History and Institute of Fine Arts, New York University
Mark Giordano, professor of geography and vice dean for undergraduate affairs at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service
This episode was produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art’s exhibition: A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the museum’s founding and the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.
The exhibition is on view through May 14, 2023.

We think of paintings as art, but can they also be a source of data?

Monsoon Mood

Most people in North America can't see the Milky Way. The reason? We're ensconced in a luminous fog of artificial lighting 24/7. The evolution of lighting technology over the last century has made it possible to live, work, and play at any hour - day or night. But light pollution affects all life on earth, from humans to plants and insects. So, how did we find ourselves surrounded by a glowing shroud of electricity... and can we have the dark, without giving up the light?

Guests: 

Hal Wallace, curator of electricity collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History  
Lisbeth Fuisz, coordinating director, Lights Out D.C.  
Brian Schmidt, museum specialist, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History  
Diane Turnshek, Astronomer; Dark Skies Advocate

This episode was produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's exhibition: Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky. Through over 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why dark nights matter, rekindle your connection with the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?

Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky is open March 23, 2023 - TBA.

Most people in North America can't see the Milky Way. The reason? We're ensconced in a luminous fog of artificial lighting 24/7. The evolution of lighting technology over the last century has made it possible to live, work, and play at any hour - day or night. But light pollution affects all life on earth, from humans to plants and insects. So, how did we find ourselves surrounded by a glowing shroud of electricity... and can we have the dark, without giving up the light?
Guests: 
Hal Wallace, curator of electricity collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History 
Lisbeth Fuisz, coordinating director, Lights Out D.C. 
Brian Schmidt, museum specialist, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History 
Diane Turnshek, Astronomer; Dark Skies Advocate
This episode was produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's exhibition: Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky. Through over 100 photographs, nearly 250 objects, interactive experiences, tactile models, and a theater program, discover why dark nights matter, rekindle your connection with the night sky, and consider how much light at night is enough—for whom, for what purpose, and who gets to decide?
Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky is open March 23, 2023 - TBA.

Most people in North America can't see the Milky Way. The reason? We're ensconced in a luminous fog of artificial lighting 24/7.

Lights Out

When Sidedoor listener Cliff Hall bought a used violin, he found a tattered note tucked alongside the century-old instrument. Obsessed with this cryptic piece of paper, Cliff’s quest to find the owner of the violin unlocked a tale of subterfuge, scandal, and the Smithsonian’s first donation of rare instruments.

 

Guests: 
Deborah Shapiro, reference archivist at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Cliff Hall, violin teacher and freelance journalist

Kenneth Slowik, curator of the musical instrument collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; artistic director of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society

When Sidedoor listener Cliff Hall bought a used violin, he found a tattered note tucked alongside the century-old instrument. Obsessed with this cryptic piece of paper, Cliff’s quest to find the owner of the violin unlocked a tale of subterfuge, scandal, and the Smithsonian’s first donation of rare instruments.
 

Guests:
, reference archivist at the Smithsonian Institution Archives, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Cliff Hall, violin teacher and freelance journalist
Kenneth Slowik, curator of the musical instrument collection at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; artistic director of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society

When Sidedoor listener Cliff Hall bought a used violin, he found a note tucked alongside instrument.

The Phantom Violins 


        Sidedoor returns for its ninth season on Wednesday, March 1st!
      

It’s Season Nine!

They bring out the voyeur in us. And the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art is full of them. In three short letters, we offer a glimpse of tender moments in the complex lives of others.

Guests:

Josh T. Franco, Head of Collecting at the Archives of American Art.

Liza Kirwin, Interim Director of the Archives of American Art.

Jenny Williams, Associate Director for Advancement at the Archives of American Art.

They bring out the voyeur in us. And the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Art is full of them. In three short letters, we offer a glimpse of tender moments in the complex lives of others.
Guests:
Josh T. Franco, Head of Collecting at the Archives of American Art.
Liza Kirwin, Interim Director of the Archives of American Art.
Jenny Williams, Associate Director for Advancement at the Archives of American Art.

In three short letters, we offer a glimpse of tender moments in the complex lives of others.

Love Letters

In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids were released, causing widespread pandemonium in toy stores and in the media. How did a children's toy inspire such bad adult behavior? Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast explores the strange world of the Cabbage Patch Kids to figure out why they hit it so big. The answer involves butt tattoos, slightly grotesque faces, industrial innovations, an origin story in a cabbage patch, and serious accusations of copyright theft.

We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor soon! If you enjoyed this episode, you can find more episodes of Decoder Ring at Slate.com

In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids were released, causing widespread pandemonium in toy stores and in the media. How did a children's toy inspire such bad adult behavior? Slate’s Decoder Ring podcast explores the strange world of the Cabbage Patch Kids to figure out why they hit it so big. The answer involves butt tattoos, slightly grotesque faces, industrial innovations, an origin story in a cabbage patch, and serious accusations of copyright theft.
We’ll be back with new episodes of Sidedoor soon! If you enjoyed this episode, you can find more episodes of Decoder Ring at Slate.com

In 1983, the Cabbage Patch Kids were released, causing widespread pandemonium in toy stores and in the media. 

The Cabbage Patch Kids Riots

This MLK Day we're digging into the story behind Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech —from its first draft to a rhyming poem and, finally, to the speech we all know today.

This episode was previously released in February of 2022.

This MLK Day we're digging into the story behind Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech —from its first draft to a rhyming poem and, finally, to the speech we all know today.
This episode was previously released in February of 2022.

This MLK Day we're digging into the story behind Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech —from its first draft to a rhyming poem and, finally, to the speech we all know today.

King's Speech

Public monuments to honor Black Americans in the 1930s: that was the vision of Augusta Savage, a Harlem Renaissance sculptor who has been called one of the most influential artists of the 21st century. But the monuments she left behind might not be what you'd expect.

Guests:

Karen Lemmey, Lucy S. Rhame Curator of Sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum  
Grace Yasumura, assistant curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum  
Tess Korobkin, Professor of American Art at University of Maryland, College Park

Public monuments to honor Black Americans in the 1930s: that was the vision of Augusta Savage, a Harlem Renaissance sculptor who has been called one of the most influential artists of the 21st century. But the monuments she left behind might not be what you'd expect.
Guests:
Karen Lemmey, Lucy S. Rhame Curator of Sculpture at the Smithsonian American Art Museum 
Grace Yasumura, assistant curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum 
Tess Korobkin, Professor of American Art at University of Maryland, College Park

Augusta Savage was a Harlem Renaissance sculptor who has been called one of the most influential artists of the 21st century.

The Monumental Imagination of Augusta Savage

What is it about a mistletoe that says “smooch?” And what the heck is figgy pudding anyway? The holidays are here again, and with them come songs, foods, and rituals so familiar we may not think to ask where they come from...until now! In this holiday special, we track down the origins of some puzzling Christmastime traditions, jingling all the way from Norse mythology to Victorian home cooking, the Emancipation Proclamation, and even out of this world.

Guests:

Margaret Weitekamp, chair of the Space History Department of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum; curator of cultural and social history of spaceflight

Ashley Rose Young, food historian at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Teddy Reeves, curator of religion at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture

Jim Deutsch, curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

What is it about a mistletoe that says “smooch?” And what the heck is figgy pudding anyway? The holidays are here again, and with them come songs, foods, and rituals so familiar we may not think to ask where they come from...until now! In this holiday special, we track down the origins of some puzzling Christmastime traditions, jingling all the way from Norse mythology to Victorian home cooking, the Emancipation Proclamation, and even out of this world.
Guests:
Margaret Weitekamp, chair of the Space History Department of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum; curator of cultural and social history of spaceflight
Ashley Rose Young, food historian at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Teddy Reeves, curator of religion at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Jim Deutsch, curator at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

What is it about mistletoe that says “smooch?” And what the heck is figgy pudding anyway?

A Very Merry Sidedoor

Known for her smashing parties, lighter-than-air souffles and comedic wit, Lucy Hicks Anderson never let anyone tell her how to live her life – not even the courts. When her gender was put on trial in the 1940s, the publicity around her case made her one the first documented Black transgender figures in American history. 

Guests: 

Ashleigh Coren, Acting Head of Education for the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative

C. Riley Snorton, author of Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity

Known for her smashing parties, lighter-than-air souffles and comedic wit, Lucy Hicks Anderson never let anyone tell her how to live her life – not even the courts. When her gender was put on trial in the 1940s, the publicity around her case made her one the first documented Black transgender figures in American history. 
Guests: 
Ashleigh Coren, Acting Head of Education for the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative
C. Riley Snorton, author of Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity

Known for her smashing parties, lighter-than-air souffles and comedic wit, Lucy Hicks Anderson never let anyone tell her how to live her life – not even the courts.

Lucy Hicks Anderson

If you’ve heard the phrase, “full blooded,” you’re already familiar with the concept of blood quantum. But Native Americans are the only peoples in the United States whose identity is defined by it. Through the <a href="http://americanindian.si.edu/developingstories/irvine.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">photography of Tailyr Irvine, displayed at the National Museum of the American Indian</a>, we take a look at the colonial origin story of blood quantum: where it came from, why it endures, and how it continues to impact the most personal decisions many Native Americans make about love and family today.

Guests:

<a href="https://www.tailyrirvine.com/about" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tailyr Irvine</a>, photojournalist; member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes; additional interviewer for this episode 
Michael Irvine, member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Nizhóní Ajéí's father 
Cecile Ganteaume, curator at the National Museum of the American Indian and author of Officially Indian: Symbols That Define the United States 
Ruth Swaney, Tribal Budget Director for and member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes 
Leah Nelson, member of the Navajo Nation and Nizhóní Ajéí's mother 
Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, social demographer and assistant professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles; citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and Chicana 
David Wilkins, political scientist and professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond; member of the Lumbee Nation

If you’ve heard the phrase, “full blooded,” you’re already familiar with the concept of blood quantum. But Native Americans are the only peoples in the United States whose identity is defined by it. Through the photography of Tailyr Irvine, displayed at the National Museum of the American Indian, we take a look at the colonial origin story of blood quantum: where it came from, why it endures, and how it continues to impact the most personal decisions many Native Americans make about love and family today.
Guests:
Tailyr Irvine, photojournalist; member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes; additional interviewer for this episode
Michael Irvine, member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Nizhóní Ajéí's father
Cecile Ganteaume, curator at the National Museum of the American Indian and author of Officially Indian: Symbols That Define the United States
Ruth Swaney, Tribal Budget Director for and member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
Leah Nelson, member of the Navajo Nation and Nizhóní Ajéí's mother
Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, social demographer and assistant professor of Sociology and American Indian Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles; citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and Chicana
David Wilkins, political scientist and professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond; member of the Lumbee Nation

If you’ve heard the phrase, “full blooded,” you’re already familiar with the concept of blood quantum.

Reservation Math: Navigating Love in Native America

It took pride, deceit, and a giant catapult to set off the feud between the Wright brothers and the Smithsonian. On December 17, 1903, the Wrights made history when they flew across a blustery beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The airplane they flew that day is now a centerpiece of the National Air and Space Museum’s collection. This is the story of how it nearly wasn’t.

Guests:

Peter Jakab, senior curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

Tom Crouch, senior curator emeritus at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

It took pride, deceit, and a giant catapult to set off the feud between the Wright brothers and the Smithsonian. On December 17, 1903, the Wrights made history when they flew across a blustery beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The airplane they flew that day is now a centerpiece of the National Air and Space Museum’s collection. This is the story of how it nearly wasn’t.
Guests:
Peter Jakab, senior curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
Tom Crouch, senior curator emeritus at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

It took pride, deceit, and a giant catapult to set off the feud between the Wright brothers and the Smithsonian.

Wronging the Wrights

"I wake up every morning in a house built by slaves." After Michelle Obama said those words at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, thousands of Americans flooded the White House Historical Association with calls. Who were the enslaved African Americans who built the White House? This led historians from the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and the White House Historical Association on a years-long journey that turned up some interesting answers and even bigger questions. 

Guests: 

Lina Mann, historian, the White House Historical Association

Mary Elliott, curator of American slavery, Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture

"I wake up every morning in a house built by slaves." After Michelle Obama said those words at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, thousands of Americans flooded the White House Historical Association with calls. Who were the enslaved African Americans who built the White House? This led historians from the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and the White House Historical Association on a years-long journey that turned up some interesting answers and even bigger questions. 
Guests: 
Lina Mann, historian, the White House Historical Association
Mary Elliott, curator of American slavery, Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture

Who were the enslaved African Americans who built the White House? 

Who Built the White House?

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the museum home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and —dare we say — ghost sightings? Inspired by an apparition at the National Museum of American History, we creak across the floorboards of the museum's attics, sneak into an old house in the woods, and even travel back in time to bring you a collection of spooky stories that can only be found at the Smithsonian.

Guests:

Molly Horrocks, Collections Manager, Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Pamela Henson, Institutional Historian at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

Cpl. Ronald Howlin, Security Officer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Deborah Hull-Walski, Collections Manager, Education Collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Melissa Johnson, daughter of Deb Hull-Walski and former skeptical teenager

Kim Dixon, former volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the museum home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and —dare we say — ghost sightings? Inspired by an apparition at the National Museum of American History, we creak across the floorboards of the museum's attics, sneak into an old house in the woods, and even travel back in time to bring you a collection of spooky stories that can only be found at the Smithsonian.
Guests:
Molly Horrocks, Collections Manager, Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Pamela Henson, Institutional Historian at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Cpl. Ronald Howlin, Security Officer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Deborah Hull-Walski, Collections Manager, Education Collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Melissa Johnson, daughter of Deb Hull-Walski and former skeptical teenager
Kim Dixon, former volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the museum home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and —dare we say — ghost sightings? 

Spooked at the Smithsonian 

Eating meat is what made us human. At least, that's one of the leading theories to explain how our brains got so big. The theory says that our human ancestors evolved bigger brains as a result of switching from a plant-based to a nutrient-rich meat diet. But earlier this year a Smithsonian researcher discovered that this theory may not have as much meat on its bones as previously believed.

Guests:

Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist; research scientist and museum educator with the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History

Becky Malinsky, curator of primates, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Andrew Barr, paleoanthropologist; assistant professor of anthropology, The George Washington University

Eating meat is what made us human. At least, that's one of the leading theories to explain how our brains got so big. The theory says that our human ancestors evolved bigger brains as a result of switching from a plant-based to a nutrient-rich meat diet. But earlier this year a Smithsonian researcher discovered that this theory may not have as much meat on its bones as previously believed.
Guests:
Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist; research scientist and museum educator with the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
Becky Malinsky, curator of primates, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Andrew Barr, paleoanthropologist; assistant professor of anthropology, The George Washington University

Eating meat is what made us human. At least, that's one of the leading theories to explain how our brains got so big. The theory says that our human ancestors evolved bigger brains as a result of switching from a plant-based to a nutrient-rich meat diet. But earlier this year a Smithsonian researcher discovered that this theory may not have as much meat on its bones as previously believed.  

Did Meat Make Us Human? 

When LOL just isn't enough to respond to a friend's killer joke, emoji are there for you. But for many people, there isn't an emoji to represent them or the things they want to say. This has pushed activists, designers, and straight up regular folks to create their own emoji. It's not as easy an undertaking as you might think, but every now and then one of these new emoji is so innovative it breaks the digital mold and finds itself in the <a href="https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2021/07/07/behind-the-design-emoji-stories/?utm_source=si.edu&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=oneSmithsonian" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum</a>. In this episode of Sidedoor, we explore how <a href="https://www.si.edu/object/inter-skintone-couple-emoji:chndm_2020-1-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">one groundbreaking emoji</a> is changing digital representation and the future of museum collections.

Guests:

<ul>
<li>Jennifer 8 Lee, Founder of EmojiNation</li>
<li>Andrea Lipps, Contemporary Design Curator at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum</li>
<li>Evan Bonnstetter, Director of Product Policy for Tinder</li>
<li>Keith Broni, Deputy Emoji Officer for Emojipedia</li>
</ul>

When LOL just isn't enough to respond to a friend's killer joke, emoji are there for you. But for many people, there isn't an emoji to represent them or the things they want to say. This has pushed activists, designers, and straight up regular folks to create their own emoji. It's not as easy an undertaking as you might think, but every now and then one of these new emoji is so innovative it breaks the digital mold and finds itself in the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. In this episode of Sidedoor, we explore how one groundbreaking emoji is changing digital representation and the future of museum collections.
Guests:
Jennifer 8 Lee, Founder of EmojiNation


Andrea Lipps, Contemporary Design Curator at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum


Evan Bonnstetter, Director of Product Policy for Tinder


Keith Broni, Deputy Emoji Officer for Emojipedia

When LOL just isn't enough, emoji are there for you. But for many people, there isn't an emoji to represent them. 

Love in the Time of Emoji

Dorothy Liebes was a whirlwind in the weaving world. Throughout the 1930s, she spun luxury fabrics so bold and colorful that their style could only be described as the "Liebes Look." But when the United States entered World War II, she wondered how an artist like herself could be helpful at a time when “there would be no need for luxuries.” What she didn’t know was that wartime would bring an opportunity to put her weaving skills to work in an entirely new way. Joining forces with the American Red Cross, she brought professional artists to the bedsides of wounded soldiers - with results that surpassed Dynamo Dot's wildest expectations.

 

Guests:

Alexa Griffith, manager of content and curriculum at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

Susan Brown, acting head of textiles at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

Dorothy Liebes was a whirlwind in the weaving world. Throughout the 1930s, she spun luxury fabrics so bold and colorful that their style could only be described as the "Liebes Look." But when the United States entered World War II, she wondered how an artist like herself could be helpful at a time when “there would be no need for luxuries.” What she didn’t know was that wartime would bring an opportunity to put her weaving skills to work in an entirely new way. Joining forces with the American Red Cross, she brought professional artists to the bedsides of wounded soldiers - with results that surpassed Dynamo Dot's wildest expectations.
 

Guests:
Alexa Griffith, manager of content and curriculum at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Susan Brown, acting head of textiles at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum

Dorothy Liebes was a whirlwind in the weaving world. 

Dynamo Dot 

In 19th century Japan, two sumo wrestlers faced down dozens of firefighters in a brawl so epic it inspired a Kabuki play. But the story of what really happened —and who the heroes are— is all a matter of perspective. Underdogs, antiheroes and villains. How do we decide who plays what role?

Guests:

Kit Brooks, Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

Frank Feltens, Japan Foundation Associate Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

In 19th century Japan, two sumo wrestlers faced down dozens of firefighters in a brawl so epic it inspired a Kabuki play. But the story of what really happened —and who the heroes are— is all a matter of perspective. Underdogs, antiheroes and villains. How do we decide who plays what role?
Guests:
Kit Brooks, Japan Foundation Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art
Frank Feltens, Japan Foundation Associate Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

In 19th century Japan, two sumo wrestlers faced down dozens of firefighters in a brawl so epic it inspired a Kabuki play.

Sumo Wrestlers vs. Firefighters

"This is a war not only for the territory. This is war against our culture," says Ihor Poshyvailo, director of the Maidan Museum in Kiev, Ukraine. Ukraine has scores of museums, cemeteries, archeological sites, and places of worship where Ukrainian history and national identity are memorialized. But when bombs are exploding, who’s pulling a sculpture from the rubble? Enter the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative: a team flung together by a deadly earthquake in Haiti that grew through trial and discovery into an international network of professionals devoted to protecting the world’s treasures from threats by humankind and mother nature alike.

Guests:

Hayden Bassett, director of the Cultural Heritage Monitoring Lab at Smithsonian affiliate Virginia Museum of Natural History

Olsen Jean Julien, project director of the Cultural Conservation Center at Quisqueya University in Haiti

Cori Wegener, director of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative

Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, co-founder of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative

Ihor Poshyvailo, director of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity (Maidan Museum) in Kyiv, Ukraine

Acknowledgments:

The work of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative would not be possible without the collaboration of countless partner organizations and collaborators, among them: the US government, including the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee, the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security and Justice, the FBI, Institute of Peace, FEMA, and the Heritage Emergency National Task Force; agencies of other governments like the Ministry of Culture in Haiti, the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in Iraq, and the Ministry of Culture in Ukraine; other organizations like UNESCO, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, International Council of Museums, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Conservation, the US Committee of the Blue Shield, the Penn Cultural Heritage Center and the University of Pennsylvania Museum, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the University of Maryland, Prince Claus Fund for Cultural Emergency Response, FOKAL in Haiti, the Mosul Museum, the Heritage Emergency Rescue Initiative, the National Center for Research Restoration, and the Kosciuszko Foundation for Ukraine.

SCRI’s work is made possible with the support of funders like the United State Congress, Department of State, Bank of America, ​Mellon Foundation, ALIPH Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Brad Freeman, the Broadway League, the Stiller Foundation, and the Roberts family.

"This is a war not only for the territory. This is war against our culture," says Ihor Poshyvailo, director of the Maidan Museum in Kiev, Ukraine. Ukraine has scores of museums, cemeteries, archeological sites, and places of worship where Ukrainian history and national identity are memorialized. But when bombs are exploding, who’s pulling a sculpture from the rubble? Enter the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative: a team flung together by a deadly earthquake in Haiti that grew through trial and discovery into an international network of professionals devoted to protecting the world’s treasures from threats by humankind and mother nature alike.
Guests:
Hayden Bassett, director of the Cultural Heritage Monitoring Lab at Smithsonian affiliate Virginia Museum of Natural History
Olsen Jean Julien, project director of the Cultural Conservation Center at Quisqueya University in Haiti
Cori Wegener, director of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative
Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, co-founder of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative
Ihor Poshyvailo, director of the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity (Maidan Museum) in Kyiv, Ukraine
Acknowledgments:
The work of the Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative would not be possible without the collaboration of countless partner organizations and collaborators, among them: the US government, including the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee, the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security and Justice, the FBI, Institute of Peace, FEMA, and the Heritage Emergency National Task Force; agencies of other governments like the Ministry of Culture in Haiti, the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in Iraq, and the Ministry of Culture in Ukraine; other organizations like UNESCO, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, International Council of Museums, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Conservation, the US Committee of the Blue Shield, the Penn Cultural Heritage Center and the University of Pennsylvania Museum, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the University of Maryland, Prince Claus Fund for Cultural Emergency Response, FOKAL in Haiti, the Mosul Museum, the Heritage Emergency Rescue Initiative, the National Center for Research Restoration, and the Kosciuszko Foundation for Ukraine.
SCRI’s work is made possible with the support of funders like the United State Congress, Department of State, Bank of America, ​Mellon Foundation, ALIPH Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Brad Freeman, the Broadway League, the Stiller Foundation, and the Roberts family.

When bombs explode, or natural disaster strikes, who’s pulling a sculpture from the rubble? Enter the Smithsonian Cultural Heritage Initiative. 

Culture in Crisis

As NASA releases the James Webb Space Telescope's first images, we focus our lens on its predecessor: the Hubble Space Telescope. Prepare for liftoff, as we explore how America's first large space telescope went from a "billion-dollar blunder" to one of history's most important scientific instruments. 

Guests: 
Samantha Thompson, curator of science and technology at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum 

Robert Smith, former space historian at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum; author, Hubble: Imaging Space and Time 

Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA astronaut who repaired Hubble in 1993 

Sandra Faber, professor of astronomy &amp; astrophysics at University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory

As NASA releases the James Webb Space Telescope's first images, we focus our lens on its predecessor: the Hubble Space Telescope. Prepare for liftoff, as we explore how America's first large space telescope went from a "billion-dollar blunder" to one of history's most important scientific instruments. 
Guests:
Samantha Thompson, curator of science and technology at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum 
Robert Smith, former space historian at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum; author, Hubble: Imaging Space and Time 
Jeffrey Hoffman, NASA astronaut who repaired Hubble in 1993 
Sandra Faber, professor of astronomy & astrophysics at University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory

As NASA releases the James Webb Space Telescope's first images, we focus our lens on its predecessor: the Hubble Space Telescope.

Hubble Trouble

Which came first, the flag or the song? Sidedoor is celebrating this Independence Day with a special bonus episode: the story behind our Star-Spangled Banner. Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History military curator Jennifer Jones explains the origin and meaning behind the national anthem through the tattered piece of wool that lies at the heart of the museum. What are ramparts anyways? You'll find out!

Guest:

Jennifer Jones, military curator at National Museum of American History

Which came first, the flag or the song? Sidedoor is celebrating this Independence Day with a special bonus episode: the story behind our Star-Spangled Banner. Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History military curator Jennifer Jones explains the origin and meaning behind the national anthem through the tattered piece of wool that lies at the heart of the museum. What are ramparts anyways? You'll find out!
Guest:
Jennifer Jones, military curator at National Museum of American History

Which came first, the flag or the song? Sidedoor is celebrating this Independence Day with the story behind our flag.

A Star-Spangled Bonus Episode

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass is so deeply rooted in the American psyche it feels more like a default setting than a choice. Americans spend countless hours every year seeding, watering, mowing, and fertilizing patches of grass that don't make much sense, economically or ecologically. But why? In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed.

 

Guests:

Cindy Brown, manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens

Joyce Connolly, museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens

Abeer Saha, curator of agriculture and engineering at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

Sylvia Schmeichel, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History

Jeff Schneider, deputy director of Smithsonian Gardens

Nowhere in the world are lawns as revered as they are in the United States. The picture-perfect patch of grass is so deeply rooted in the American psyche it feels more like a default setting than a choice. Americans spend countless hours every year seeding, watering, mowing, and fertilizing patches of grass that don't make much sense, economically or ecologically. But why? In this episode, we dig into the history of our lawnly love to learn where the concept came from...and how we grew so obsessed.
 

Guests:
Cindy Brown, manager of collections, education, and access at Smithsonian Gardens
Joyce Connolly, museum specialist at the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens
Abeer Saha, curator of agriculture and engineering at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Sylvia Schmeichel, lead horticulturist at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
Jeff Schneider, deputy director of Smithsonian Gardens