4 PODCASTS ON MUSEUMS

Source. 

TECHNOLOGY TUESDAYS

BY: ORVIS STARKWEATHER

With the arrival of summer, I have been daydreaming about road trips. This is largely a work of fantasy, considering that I don’t own a car. Nevertheless, I find myself planning routes and mentally packing picnics to eat on the side of the road. The one thing that can make or break a long car ride is having the right music and podcast to keep you going. With that in mind, I have some recommendations for podcasts perfect for any emerging museum professional.

1. Museum Mobile 

I keep returning to Museum Mobile because there is simply a wealth of content. The podcast is headed up by Nancy Proctor who some students may remember from her guest lecture in last spring’s Museums and New Media Practice class. The podcast finished in 2010 so some of the information is a bit outdated, while other bits have withstood the test of time exceedingly well. If you ever find yourself developing an audio tour particularly with the intent of delivering it via mobile, then this is the podcast for you.

2. Museum of Museums

Museum of Museums is comprised of short episodes which cut right to the heart of their topic. They delve into the history behind museums, in a highly polished format. Unlike other entries on the list, Museum of Museums has a single host which makes it feel more like a mini-essay than an off-the-cuff conversation.

3. Museum People

While the audio quality is less polished than other entries on this list, Museum People wrestles with many questions facing today’s museum professionals. It offers a well-rounded approach to a variety of jobs within museums. It’s also great to listen to with your friends and relatives that don’t have a good grasp of the stakes and tasks within museum work.

4. Musete.ch

Musete.ch features conversations with leading museum professionals working with technology. Made by students from the Johns Hopkins University museum program, the podcast offers a glimpse into what themes are emerging at other schools. They do a particularly good job of covering online engagement with museums.

And if these offerings fail to strike your fancy, you can always switch to some history favourites like The Memory Palace and Footnoting History. If you have your own recommendations, feel free to add them to the comments section. Happy listening!