
Why'd They Put That In A Museum?
Art. Objects. Museums. Ideas. Questions. What happens when you put things on display and invite people in to look? Have you ever seen art on display and wondered, “Why’d they put that in a museum?” Museum curator Sarah Lees and author Beth Bacon start each conversation with one item, in one specific museum. We explore the object, its history, and the cultural ideas surrounding it. In the end, that object takes on new meaning as listeners discover the fascinating reasons it ended up in a museum.
Why'd They Put That In A Museum?
Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci
In this episode of 'Why'd They Put That in a Museum?' hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss how Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, the Mona Lisa, ended up in the Louvre (hint—it was brought to the Louvre before the Louvre was a museum!). They also talk about the time the Mona Lisa was stolen from the museum and Picasso was accused of the robbery. Beth asks Sarah why art curators think Mona Lisa is such a great masterpiece so you can decide if you agree whether it's one of the best pantings in the world.
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© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.