In this final episode of Season 2,  hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss their ongoing topic, “Why did they put that in a museum?” by focusing on an artist who is frequently the subject of this question: Jackson Pollock. They examine his masterpiece 'One: Number 31, 1950' which can be found in New York's Museum of Modern Art. They talk about Pollocks techniques and the community he was part of. They muse about abstract art and its common misconceptions. Sarah explains that Pollock's unique approach to painting, moving the canvas from an easel to the floor, was a conceptual leap in Western art. When you really look at his work, it holds a deep intentionality that counters the complaint, “My 5-year-old could do that.” Beth and Sarah also talk a bit about the artist's turbulent life and his fast rise to art stardom which was hastened by figures like Peggy Guggenheim and influential critics and galleries. Why are Pollock’s seemingly chaotic drips and splatters so important in the history of modern art? Listen to this episode of our podcast to find out.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

Is bigger better when it comes to art? That’s one of the questions that Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon ponder in their discussion of the life and work of Louise Bourgeois. In this episode of Why'd They Put That in a Museum?, hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees focus on the sculpture Maman, an enormous metal sculpture of a spider. Bourgeois was in her 70s and 80’s when she increased the scale of her art and around that time, her work began to command significant attention in the contemporary art world. The Tate Museum in London acquired the giant spider sculpture called Maman when Bourgeois was 88 years old. This work represents the dynamics of Bourgeois's relationship with her mother.  The Bourgeois family ran a tapestry repair workshop in France. When she was a child, Louise's father invited his mistress to live with them, causing Louise to experienced intense and complex emotions. Bourgeois has stated that the spider represents a maternal figure, and represents to her themes of protection, trauma, and familial commitment. During her long career, Bourgeois had many connections to major art movements, without being identified directly with any of them. She was truly one of a kind. What is it like to walk under a 30-foot-tall steel spider? You can try it yourself at the Tate in London or the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Or you can imagine the scenario as you listen to this podcast. 

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

This is the second episode of a two-part discussion of the Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast. Beth Bacon, Sarah Lees, and guest speaker Christina Burke discuss a painting by Lakota artist Steven Standing Bear. The artwork is a large-scale painting of the Battle of the Greasy Grass, which is also known as Little Bighorn, or the Custer Battle of June 25th, 1876. (In the first part of this two-part discussion, they review the painting in detail.) In this episode, Christina explains the distinction between art museums and natural history museums, noting how historical and cultural attitudes impact the ways Indigenous artworks are viewed and categorized. The hosts talk about the provenance of Standing Bear's painting. This painting was created in South Dakota, moved to various collectors and galleries, and now resides in the Philbrook Museum of Art. The hosts discuss how cultural perceptions and institutional choices impact the way Native American art is displayed and understood. This is the second part of a two-part episode focusing on this extraordinary work of art and its artist.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this first episode of a two-part discussion, Beth Bacon, Sarah Lees, and guest speaker Christina Burke, discuss a painting by Lakota artist Steven Standing Bear. The artwork is a large-scale painting of the Battle of the Greasy Grass, which is also known as Little Bighorn, or the Custer Battle of June 25th, 1876. Standing Bear was a participant in this battle as a teenager. He became a fine artist and painted this enormous depiction of the battle. Christina Burke, a curator and expert in Native American art, reviews the painting's three main sections in detail: The native American encampment, the battle scenes, and a section showing many horses. With Beth and Sarah, Christina discusses the details of the piece, emphasizing the cultural narratives the artwork represents. They also talk about the historical context of Standing Bear's life, including his participation in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. This is the first part of a two-part episode of the Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast, focusing on an extraordinary representation of the Battle of Little Bighorn. 

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of the podcast Why'd They Put That in a Museum, hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees talk about the various elements that enhance the experience of visiting a museum. Museum cafés, movies, and lectures—and even the gift shops! How important are the museum’s offerings around and beyond the exhibits? They highlight themed food recipes inspired by artworks, café designs matching museum decor, and popular exhibits like mummies. They explore how these aspects contribute to making museums more inviting and accessible to broader audiences. Additionally, they touch on how museums are adapting to changing times.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

This episode of “Why They Put That in the Museum,”  is the second part of a 2-part series about the international sensation Yayoi Kusama. (Please see "Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 1," season 2 episode 5 to listen to the first part.) Hosts Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon discuss Yayoi Kusama’s path from being a largely ignored activist artist in her early career to becoming a globally recognized figure by the 1990s. How did she make this change? Listen and find out. With a focus on the work, “Infinity Mirror Rooms,” located at the Broad Museum, they discuss the use of contemporary art to challenge societal norms as well as commercialization. and the creation of exclusive viewing experiences that drive public interest.  Today, Yayoi Kusama is a prolific and influential Japanese artist. Her whimsical and playful interactive experiences make Kusama an internet darling. Her bright colors and patterns  are easily accessible. Listen to this episode to find the depth beyond the bright lights, desings, and colors of Yayoi Kusama.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

Yayoi Kusama is known as one of the most well-known living artists… that is, today she is well known. This is the first part of a 2-part episode that focuses on Kusama;s Infinity Mirror Rooms, particularly 'Infinity Mirror Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away' located at The Broad Museum in Los Angeles.  Today Kusama’s vibrant and playful interactive works seem to be “everywhere” from major museums to public spaces, to the internet feeds of trendy influencers. But did you know that Kusama toiled in obscurity for decades before being acknowledged by the art world and adored by millions? In this episode of “Why'd They Put That in a Museum?,” hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss Kusama's long artistic journey and the many ways the art world dismissed her during her younger years. In the 1950’s and 1960’s Kusama was an under-appreciated, activist, counter-culture artist. Before that, she was an imaginative youth who had visual hallucinations. Stay tuned for the next episode (Yayoi Kusama, Infinity Mirror Rooms, Part 2) to learn how Kusama went from an unknown to an artist to a worldwide phenomenon. 

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

Rembrandt is known  for telling dramatic stories with his art. He often paints his figures in intriguing moods and guises. In his self-portrait, Artist In His Studio, Rembrandt does both, creating a moody, enigmatic story in a very small frame. The main subject in this small painting is the back of an enormous easel. Standing further away is the artist, Rembrandt himself, with brushes in his hands and a pensive expression on his face. What is going on here? It’s up to the viewers to use the painting’s details to come up with answers. Since viewers don’t see what’s painted on the front of the canvas, they don’t know what the artist is reacting to. In this episode of 'Why’d They Put That In A Museum,” hosts Beth Bacon and museum curator Sarah Lees discuss this highly unusual composition. To answer the questions that the painting raises, Sarah describes Rembrandt's tendency to paint self-portraits, his realistic style the stark room setting. They ponder the artist’s contemplative posture and his flamboyant costume. They talk about the socio-political context of the Netherlands in the 1600s and the Baroque influence on art. Listen to this episode to discover why this unusual and thought-provoking painting is a valued piece in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

The sculpture Bicycle Wheel by Marcel Duchamp is playfully irreverent and deceptively simple. It’s just a rim and a stool. But the concepts behind it are lot more complicated. In the century since it was created, it has become significantly influential in the world of contemporary art. In this episode of Why’d They Put That In A Museum, Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon take the 'Bicycle Wheel' sculpture for a spin. They explain why Duchamp created ready-mades and talk about his part on the Dada movement. They discuss Duchamp’s relationships with artists from Pablo Picasso to Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and others. To Duchamp, ideas were what makes art, art. And then one day, he stopped creating art altogether and became a chess master. What an idea!

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

The Scream by Edvard Munch is among the world's most recognizable artworks. But how much do you really know about this image of a wavy figure with a scull-like face and wide open mouth? Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon discuss this painting in their podcast, "Why'd They Put That In A Museum." For one thing, The Scream cannot be called "one" of the most recognizable artworks… since Munch made multiple versions. Also, according to Munch’s notes, the figure in the picture isn’t the one who’s screaming. So who, or what, is? Listen to the podcast to find out. Sarah and Beth also talk about the picture’s composition, cultural context, emotional impact, and the thefts of its versions. They also explore Munch's background, his influences, and the mixed reception of his work during his lifetime.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In the first episode of season two of Why’d They Put That in a Museum, host Sarah Lees speaks with Beth Bacon about an exhibit of works by contemporary artist Crystal Z. Campbell. Through most of this podcast, Beth is recording while walking around the exhibit at the St. Louis Art Museum. They discuss and array of Campbell's works, including collage-like artworks featuring manila paper, glass apothecary jars, and a video installation. Beth and Sarah explore themes such as healing, transformation, and the artist's Filipino heritage, touching on U.S. colonialism and personal history. In this episode Beth and Sarah discover firsthand how much more you can understand and appreciate art when you see it in person and talk about it in depth with someone else.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of "Why They Put That in a Museum," Beth Bacon, an author and avid museum goer, joins Sarah Lees, a museum curator and researcher, to explore the origins, history, and purposes of museums. They discuss ancient Greek philosophical institutions, the Renaissance patronage of Lorenzo de Medici, and the concept of cabinets of curiosities in the 1600s. They talk about the founding of significant museums like the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford and the British Museum in London. The discussion transitions into the history of American museums, highlighting the Charleston Museum and the Peabody Essex Museum. They speculate about the future of museums with evolving roles and missions. They discuss Beth’s volunteer work at the Missouri History Museum and its exhibits that engage diverse audiences and promote shared community experiences.

00:00 Introduction to the Hosts and Podcast

01:19 Today's Topic: The Concept of Museums

02:35 Historical Origins of Museums

08:23 Early Museums in the United States

11:19 Modern Museums and Their Evolving Roles

17:28 Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-Up

Some museums mentioned:
Smart History Website: https://smarthistory.org/a-brief-history-of-the-art-museum/

Ashmolean Museum at Oxford: https://www.ashmolean.org/

British Museum in London: https://www.britishmuseum.org/

Charleston Museum: https://www.charlestonmuseum.org/

Peabody Essex Museum: https://www.pem.org/

Missouri History Museum: https://mohistory.org/museum

If you'd like to contact the hosts, visit: https://whydtheyputthatinamuseum.com/

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of “Why Did They Put That in a Museum?” hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss the photographs of a little known photographer, Lusha Nelson. Nelson’s photos were found in a yard sale. Why’d they put them in a museum? These were not just any old thrifted finds. First, they are stunningly beautiful. Plus, Nelson's photographs include portraits of icons and luminaries like Jesse Owens and Katharine Hepburn. The shading and compositions are rich and evocative. Who is Lusha Nelson? He emigrated from Latvia to New York in the 1920’s. He's a self-taught photography who,  during the depression, took photos for Condé Nast (yes Condé Nast was an actual person). Nelson's life and career were cut short due to his early death in 1938. Then his works were almost lost to time. Sarah shares a personal connection to this project, recounting that, when she worked at the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, someone contacted the museum and offered some prints she and her husband had found in a yard sale many years earlier. Usually, curators politely decline this kind of request. But Sarah and her colleagues took a look and found a treasure trove of stunning portraits and street scenes. Sarah talks about organizing the exhibition of Lusha Nelson’s art in 2017 and the role of museums in sharing work that’s spectacular enough to be preserved and shared with the public. 

00:00 Introduction to the Episode

00:23 Meet Lusha Nelson the photographer

00:32 The Discovery of Lusha Nelson's Work

02:19 Iconic Photographs: Jesse Owens and Katharine Hepburn

03:39 The Significance of Nelson's Work

08:23 Sarah’s Personal Connection and Rediscovery of Nelson

12:02 Lusha Nelson's Life and Career

17:01 Street Photography and Lesser-Known Works

20:46 Legacy and Preservation

27:58 Conclusion 

To look at Nelson's art, visit:

https://philbrook.org/exhibitions/lusha-nelson-found/

https://www.artnet.com/artists/lusha-nelson/

To reach out to the podcasters, visit: 

https://whydtheyputthatinamuseum.com/

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of 'Why They Put That in a Museum,' hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss the unusual story of Vivian Meier, an unknown nanny whose extraordinary street photography was discovered by chance in an unclaimed storage locker. They discuss the unique and enigmatic nature of her photographs and the very unusual way her body of work came to be known. In fact, none of Meier’s powerful and thought-provoking photos are on display in traditional museums. Sarah and Beth go on to explore broader questions about the definition and purpose of museums. Tune in to discover why Vivian Meier's photography is a hidden gem waiting to be explored.

Suggested Links

https://www.vivianmaier.com/

https://newyork.fotografiska.com/en/exhibitions/vivian-maier

Timeline

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

01:50 Today's Subject: Vivian Meyer

02:21 The Discovery of Vivian Meyer's Work

05:15 Analyzing Vivian Meier's Photography

11:33 The Debate: Should Meier's Work Be in a Museum?

20:47 The Purpose of Museums

22:34 Conclusion 

Rate & Review  on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whyd-they-put-that-in-a-museum/id1792614250

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of 'Why They Put That in a Museum,' hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees discuss a rare 1846 daguerreotype of Dolley Madison recently acquired by National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. Dolley Madison was the wife of the fourth U.S. President, James Madison. What is a daguerreotype? To answer that question, they do a quick overview of early photography and some of the inventor-artists who got this technology started using glass and silver-plated copper sheets. What’s cool about this portrait was that it was almost lost to time. It was discovered in a basement! Then it was sent to auction where it sold at 4 times the asking price. Why is it so valuable? Listen to the fascinating story of this unique and beautiful image of one of the most beloved First Ladies in US history. Daguerreotype of Dolley Madison: Early Photography. 

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

Beth Bacon visits Richard Serra's 'Joe' and talks with Sarah Lees about her experience while walking around this large steel sculpture. In this episode of 'Why They Put That in a Museum,' Beth and Sarah wrestle with the opposing thoughts and feelings that arise when encountering this enormous steel sculpture located at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri. Beth provides an on-site description of the piece, made from a huge coil of weathering steel. The piece invites visitors to walk inside and really experience what it feels like in a space created by an artist.  Sarah and Beth ponder the contrasts that arise from taking in this piece: it is minimal yet powerful, solid yet undulating, imposing yet open, made of rough, industrial metal yet its curves are elegantly smooth. They talk about how the context of a museum setting matters for a piece like this. In comparison, another one of Serra’s sculptures that was placed in a public space was so ill-thought-of that it was forced to be removed. So whether or not something is in a museum, it seems, can be a factor in whether a piece is admired. 

00:00 Welcome to 'Why They Put That in a Museum'

02:05 Live from the Pulitzer Arts Foundation

03:16 Exploring Richard Serra's 'Joe'

06:06 The Experience of Walking Through 'Joe'

08:25 The Art and Power of Richard Serra

13:57 The Story Behind 'Joe' and Other Works

22:06 Public Reaction to Serra's Art

25:36 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of Why They Put That in a Museum, Sarah Lees and Beth Bacon discuss a stoneware jar made by Dave The Potter, a skilled enslaved potter from South Carolina. They discuss the inscription on the jar, which is a lighthearted description (dare we say roast?) of people in the town. They also explore other aspects of the jar, such as the clay it was made from, the history of its creation, and its various owners over the years. Finally they ponder its cultural context as an object from the Metropolitan Museum of Art—what is its place in a broader narrative of slavery and artistry? What are the ethical and cultural considerations behind displaying such objects in a museum? Listen to the podcast and find out. See the object at the Metropolitan Museum of New York website: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/747045

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

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.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

Sarah Lees, a museum curator, and Beth Bacon, an art enthusiast, co-host a podcast called 'Why Do They Put That in a Museum?' In this episode, talk about the cage crinoline, an undergarment from Victorian England that's currently in London's Victoria and Albert Museum. It's basically the hoop inside the hoop skirts that were popular in the 1860's. No one knows who made it. So what's it doing in a museum?  Is it beautiful? Not really. Was it associated with a famous person? Maybe (or maybe not). Was it technically innovative? Listen to the podcast and decide. 

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of 'Why'd They Put That in a Museum,' hosts Sarah Lees, a museum curator and researcher, and Beth Bacon, an avid museum goer and children's book author, discuss Faith Ringgold's 'Tar Beach,' which is a part of her 'Woman on a Bridge' series. This colorful work defies categorization. It blends painting, quilting, and storytelling. It’s an artwork… and also a Caldecott-winning picture book. We start by talking about the quilt version of the work in the New York Guggenheim, which shows a family hanging out on a New York City rooftop on a summer evening. We talk about the work’s magical and fantastic elements (it depicts a girl, Cassie Louise Lightfoot, flying in a starlit sky above the George Washington Bridge). Its text mentions both heart wrenching political messages and the hope that's born in the imagination. Why did the Guggenheim Museum choose this piece for their collection? To answer that, we explore Ringgold's influences from Tibeten thangka, to African-American quiltmaking, to abstract expressionism. We also go back to look at her career, starting in the 1960’s and her insistence that her work is worth preserving and valuing. We talk about how the personal can be political. And we ponder other works, such as ‘The Flag Is Bleeding’ and ‘Die’ which is featured at MOMA, in honored place next to Picasso’s ‘Demoiselles D’Avignon.’ Why did MOMA put a Ringgold work next to a Picasso? Listen to the podcast and find out. 

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.

In this episode of 'Why They Put That in a Museum,' hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees delve into the history and cultural significance of Vincent van Gogh's 'Self Portrait with a Bandaged Ear.' They explore what makes the painting so moving, talk about Van Gogh's life and mental state during its creation, and the pivotal role played by the unsung woman who worked to get his works into museums. The hosts also discuss Van Gogh's artistic influences, his tumultuous relationship with Paul Gauguin, and the enduring emotional power of the painting. Tune in for a deeper understanding of why this compelling work deserves its place in the Courtauld museum.

Send us ideas & feedback.

© 2025 Why'd They Put That In A Museum podcast hosts Beth Bacon and Sarah Lees.