Best Smithsonian Institution Podcasts (2025)

1
BASQUIAT: The Price of Fame w/ Author DOUG WOODHAM - Highlights 12:18

7d ago12:18

12:18

“People today are so used to Basquiat's prices being extraordinarily high and rising that it's almost hard for people to understand that wasn't always the case. In the year he died, 1988, a terrific painting by Basquiat might have sold for $30,000. Relative to his other artistic peers, like a great Julian Schnabel painting that cost $800,000. After…

1
BASQUIAT: The Price of Fame w/ Author DOUG WOODHAM - Highlights 12:18

6d ago12:18

12:18

“People today are so used to Basquiat's prices being extraordinarily high and rising that it's almost hard for people to understand that wasn't always the case. In the year he died, 1988, a terrific painting by Basquiat might have sold for $30,000. Relative to his other artistic peers, like a great Julian Schnabel painting that cost $800,000. After…

1
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT: The Making of an Icon with DOUG WOODHAM, Fmr. President of Christie's Americas 1:34:30

6d ago1:34:30

1:34:30

“All of the great artists are there for a reason: because they rebelled in some way. They created a visual vocabulary that felt fresh and new, which excited people. So, the great artists are not built on sort of anthills of sand. They're built on things of substance and of meaning. Though this is not a sufficient condition to become an icon, it's a…

1
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT: The Making of an Icon with DOUG WOODHAM, Fmr. President of Christie's Americas 1:34:30

7d ago1:34:30

1:34:30

“All of the great artists are there for a reason: because they rebelled in some way. They created a visual vocabulary that felt fresh and new, which excited people. So, the great artists are not built on sort of anthills of sand. They're built on things of substance and of meaning. Though this is not a sufficient condition to become an icon, it's a…

1
The Secret of Lincoln's Watch 30:27

8d ago30:27

30:27

A mystery hidden in time. Wrapped in gold. Stowed secretly in Lincoln's pocket. We dig into the family story of a secret message etched inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch. Is this a tall tale or a hidden piece of history waiting to be discovered? Join us as we dive into this incredible tale of family lore, historical detective work, and the Smit…

1
It's Season 12! 1:48

14d ago1:48

1:48

Sidedoor returns for its twelfth season on Wednesday, November 26th!By Smithsonian Institution

1
HOWARD GORDON & DANIEL PEARLE on THE BEAST IN ME, AI & The Future of Storytelling 17:38

25d ago17:38

17:38

“How do you render something interior filmically? How do you communicate the details of the lost child, of the amount of time of the stuck creative process, and even the exterior, or the externalization of the house as a kind of hellish thing that's barely staying together—literally flooding with waste—and that you can't afford? So those are the de…

1
In the Presence of the DALAI LAMA - Doc. Director of WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Highlights 14:08

28d ago14:08

14:08

“I can change my mind. I can reduce anger, hatred. Nothing to do with religion. All religions carry the message of love, loving kindness, and tolerance. With different views, there is a possibility to synthesize new ideas. If majority of the world leaders become female, world become safer. I feel that. Compassion is the key factor. Non-violence, co…

1
In the Presence of the DALAI LAMA - Doc. Director of WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Highlights 14:08

28d ago14:08

14:08

“I can change my mind. I can reduce anger, hatred. Nothing to do with religion. All religions carry the message of love, loving kindness, and tolerance. With different views, there is a possibility to synthesize new ideas. If majority of the world leaders become female, world become safer. I feel that. Compassion is the key factor. Non-violence, co…

1
WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Heart-to-Heart w/ DALAI LAMA - Conversation w/ Director Barbara Miller 43:34

28d ago43:34

43:34

“ Everybody wants happiness, joyfulness, peaceful world. Our 21st century will not be easy century. Fear, anger, hatred. In our mind we created distinctions. Different nationality, different color, different religion. Strong concept of “we” and “they”. Brothers and sisters of this small planet, we are same human beings. Meanwhile, global warming is…

1
WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Heart-to-Heart w/ DALAI LAMA - Conversation w/ Director Barbara Miller 43:34

28d ago43:34

43:34

“ Everybody wants happiness, joyfulness, peaceful world. Our 21st century will not be easy century. Fear, anger, hatred. In our mind we created distinctions. Different nationality, different color, different religion. Strong concept of “we” and “they”. Brothers and sisters of this small planet, we are same human beings. Meanwhile, global warming is…

1
"Everything is Art. Everything is Politics." AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT Dir. MAXIM DEREVIANKO - Highlights

1M ago

—

“So when we decided to do a documentary to follow Ai Weiwei, we knew, of course, it wouldn't be just a simple opera, and we knew he would bring his own very special and original vision. Because, of course, he is not an opera director. From his point of view, it's a challenge, but from another perspective, it’s probably an enrichment for the opera a…

1
"Everything is Art. Everything is Politics." AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT Dir. MAXIM DEREVIANKO - Highlights

1M ago

—

“So when we decided to do a documentary to follow Ai Weiwei, we knew, of course, it wouldn't be just a simple opera, and we knew he would bring his own very special and original vision. Because, of course, he is not an opera director. From his point of view, it's a challenge, but from another perspective, it’s probably an enrichment for the opera a…

1
AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT 59:36

1M ago59:36

59:36

“Everything is Art. Everything is Politics. I think art competes with reality. And art will give you the last words.” –Ai Weiwei The renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei has used sculpture, photography, documentaries, and large-scale installations to challenge authoritarian power for decades. But his project at the Rome Opera House, directing Puc…

1
AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT 59:36

1M ago59:36

59:36

“Everything is Art. Everything is Politics. I think art competes with reality. And art will give you the last words.” –Ai Weiwei The renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei has used sculpture, photography, documentaries, and large-scale installations to challenge authoritarian power for decades. But his project at the Rome Opera House, directing Puc…

1
Listening to the Planet - Writers' Perspectives on Nature, Place & Interconnectedness 12:31

2M ago12:31

12:31

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society? Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in fa…

1
The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism & Why it Matters with CHRISTINE WEBB

2M ago

—

“There are many ways in which I think human exceptionalism has seeped into the sciences, but one of the many ways is through the methodologies we use when we compare the intelligence of humans and other species. In particular, in my field, I’m a primatologist by training, comparing the cognitive abilities of humans with the abilities of our closest…

1
AI & The Future of Life with RISTO UUK, Head of EU Policy & Research, FUTURE OF LIFE INSTITUTE 1:02:34

2M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

“The Future of Life Institute has been working on AI governance-related issues for the last decade. We're already over 10 years old, and our mission is to steer very powerful technology away from large-scale harm and toward very beneficial outcomes. You could think about any kind of extreme risks from AI, all the way to existential or extinction ri…

1
Will AI Lead to a More Fair Society, Or Just Widen Inequities? - RISTO UUK Head of EU Policy & Research, FUTURE OF LIFE INSTITUTE 1:02:34

2M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

“The Future of Life Institute has been working on AI governance-related issues for the last decade. We're already over 10 years old, and our mission is to steer very powerful technology away from large-scale harm and toward very beneficial outcomes. You could think about any kind of extreme risks from AI, all the way to existential or extinction ri…

1
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Innovation, Culture, Legacy - Highlights 13:31

2M ago13:31

13:31

“At Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, I work with a very international team—people from all over the world, around 50 nationalities in this museum. I’ve never worked in such an environment, and it’s inspiring. When you talk to someone from a different country, you can’t help but be inspired. The most important thing for me is to feel fulfilled, and I find fulf…

1
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Innovation, Culture, Legacy - Highlights 13:31

2M ago13:31

13:31

“At Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, I work with a very international team—people from all over the world, around 50 nationalities in this museum. I’ve never worked in such an environment, and it’s inspiring. When you talk to someone from a different country, you can’t help but be inspired. The most important thing for me is to feel fulfilled, and I find fulf…

1
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Vision for the Future 1:06:14

2M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

“Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a unique concept. The idea behind the building itself is a dance. It's a living building because it's a dance between spaces. It's a dance between blocks of spaces and shapes and cones, and it's inspiring for the future because the legacy is a huge factor for every project. It's the legacy for young architects and for other…

1
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Vision for the Future 1:06:14

2M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

“Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is a unique concept. The idea behind the building itself is a dance. It's a living building because it's a dance between spaces. It's a dance between blocks of spaces and shapes and cones, and it's inspiring for the future because the legacy is a huge factor for every project. It's the legacy for young architects and for other…

1
A Message Regarding the Shutdown 0:15

2M ago0:15

0:15

Please be advised that new episodes will not be released during the government shutdown. For up-to-date information on the status of the Smithsonian, please visit our website at si.edu.By Smithsonian Institution

1
Hayek’s Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ & the Capitalism of the Far Right with QUINN SLOBODIAN

2M ago

—

“The origin was really trying to make sense of that 2016-2017 moment and to ask whether the alt-right was, as we were being told, a return to the 1930s, a kind of awakening of the sleeping beast of white supremacy armed in the streets in the United States. There are many explanations, but I decided to take this kind of curious route in with the dis…

1
Monkey Mystery: The Case of the Capuchin Kidnappers 23:14

2M ago23:14

23:14

Why are capuchin monkeys kidnapping howler monkey babies in Panama? We investigate this bizarre case of primate abduction with researchers working with the Smithsonian to get to the bottom of this bizarre behavior. We'll talk about their discoveries, the social dynamics between capuchins and howler monkeys, and the bizarre island conditions that mi…

1
Nordic Art & Contemporary Perspectives at the ARKEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART - Highlights 12:25

2M ago12:25

12:25

“This awe that I feel every time I meet an artist who has the courage to deal with what it means to be in the world as a human being and to tackle it from different ways and through different media. I always feel that through the collaborations I have with artists, I learn a little bit more about the world, myself, my feelings or emotions, and how …

1
The Future of Museums with MARIE NIPPER, Director of ARKEN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART 1:09:12

2M ago1:09:12

1:09:12

“We don't need to find an end solution, but it's a space where we can speculate, imagine, and practice our foresight. We can be part of a bigger imagination together with an institutional framework, which is really what we try to motivate as well when we communicate these exhibitions to our audience and speak with our guests about these works. We c…

1
How to Make an Algorithm in the Microwave with Poet MAYA SALAMEH 38:26

2M ago38:26

38:26

“Poetry is like one of the great loves of my life, and I think it's probably the longest relationship I'll ever have. I read a lot of poetry. I also wrote these short stories even when I was pretty young, like in second grade, and the stories kept getting shorter and shorter. My family used to go to Damascus in Syria and Lebanon every summer for th…

1
How to Make an Algorithm in the Microwave with Poet MAYA SALAMEH 38:26

2M ago38:26

38:26

“Poetry is like one of the great loves of my life, and I think it's probably the longest relationship I'll ever have. I read a lot of poetry. I also wrote these short stories even when I was pretty young, like in second grade, and the stories kept getting shorter and shorter. My family used to go to Damascus in Syria and Lebanon every summer for th…

1
Art is a Fundamental Element of Life - Gallerist HANNAH BARRY on a Life in Art 34:58

2M ago34:58

34:58

“There's something fundamental about the value of art and culture. Not just being integrated for vocational reasons, but because the experience of art and having a cultural element in one's life brings enjoyment, learning, relief, or any of the many experiences and feelings that art provides. I think this is quite fundamental as an element of life.…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Smithsonian Institution Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide