Sidedoor
More than 154 million treasures fill the Smithsonian’s vaults. But where the public’s view ends, Sidedoor begins. With the help of biologists, artists, historians, archaeologists, zookeepers and astrophysicists, host Lizzie Peabody sneaks listeners through the Smithsonian’s side door, telling stories that can’t be heard anywhere else. Check out si.edu/sidedoor and follow @SidedoorPod for more info.
- Update frequency
- every 13 days
- Average duration
- 26 minutes
- Episodes
- 230
- Years Active
- 2016 - 2025
Seriously Seeking Sasquatch
Inside the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural history is the skeleton of Grover Krantz—an accomplished anthropologist, tenured professor…and diehard Bigfoot believer? As the first serious scien…
00:26:09 |
Wed 31 Oct 2018
Slavery, Freedom & Grandma’s House
What if you found out that your grandmother’s house was going on display at a museum? The. Whole. House. That’s what happened to the Meggett sisters, who grew up visiting, eating, and playing at thei…
00:21:48 |
Wed 17 Oct 2018
50 Shades of Gray Whales
From 6,000-year-old cave paintings to silver screen stars in movies like Free Willy, whales have long captured the human imagination. And it makes sense—they're among the largest and most intelligent…
00:24:54 |
Wed 03 Oct 2018
Update: Passing the Mic!
Our dear host Tony Cohn is leaving *Sidedoor *to travel the world, so we want to take a minute to introduce you to the new voice of the show, Haleema Shah.
00:02:12 |
Mon 01 Oct 2018
A Right to the City
In Washington, D.C., the neighborhood of Anacostia was once dismissed as the wrong side of the river. Now, it is turning into a housing hotspot as the city sees an influx of newer, wealthier resident…
00:24:45 |
Wed 19 Sep 2018
The World's Deadliest Animal
The world’s deadliest animal isn’t the tiger, the snake, or even the alligator—it’s the mosquito. These tiny insects spread diseases that kill over 700,000 people each year. But what can we do to sto…
00:25:11 |
Wed 05 Sep 2018
The Mystery Bones of Witch Hill
It begins a bit like a *Scooby Doo *episode: archaeologists digging at a place called “Witch Hill” discover mysterious human remains in an ancient trash heap. Who was this person? How’d they get ther…
00:22:13 |
Wed 22 Aug 2018
The Curse of the Hope Diamond
The Hope Diamond is one of the most iconic items in the Smithsonian's collections, but this glittering gem is rumored to have a dark side. French monarchs, an heiress, and at least one unlucky postma…
00:27:18 |
Wed 08 Aug 2018
Season Three Update!
Tony sneaks away from the mosquitoes and frogs of Panama to make a special announcement: Sidedoor
season three launches on Wednesday, August 8! Get ready for even more amazing
stories from every co…
00:01:18 |
Thu 02 Aug 2018
Red, White and Brew
How much do you know about the history of American home brewing? In this episode of Sidedoor you'll meet the Smithsonian's first brewing historian, Theresa McCulla, and learn about the role of women,…
00:25:31 |
Wed 04 Jul 2018
Discovering the World’s Oldest Winery
Sidedoor host Tony Cohn gets the opportunity of a lifetime: fly to Armenia and crawl into a deep, dark cave in search of long-lost wine. But we’re not talking just any ol’ cabernet or sauvignon blanc…
00:26:06 |
Wed 27 Jun 2018
Best of the Rest
Big Bird in space. Saving a multi-million-dollar painting. Smokey the *real* Bear. These are some of the stories we've been itching toshare, but didn’t have room for… until now. To close out Season 2…
00:30:38 |
Wed 06 Jun 2018
Don't Call Me Extinct
Extinct species don’t usually get a do-over…but don’t tell that to the scimitar-horned oryx. Erased from the wild for three decades, these desert antelope are back in the Central African country of C…
00:25:55 |
Wed 23 May 2018
Cherokee Story Slam
Talking animals? A bag of fire ants? Secret dancing superpowers? In this episode, Robert Lewis, an acclaimed Cherokee storyteller, spins stories about a legendary troublemaker: Jistu the Rabbit. Alon…
00:23:59 |
Wed 09 May 2018
Painting Michelle Obama
The day that Amy Sherald heard that she had been chosen to paint the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama, she called her mom to tell her the news, and then she told her dog. But soon after…
00:24:59 |
Wed 25 Apr 2018
Murder Is Her Hobby
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been hard at work on a batch of stories you’re going to love. So this week, we're sharing one of our favorite eps from the fall. Heiress, divorcée … mother of forensic …
00:25:37 |
Wed 11 Apr 2018
A Crane with a Crush
Chris Crowe, an animal keeper for the Smithsonian, has an unlikely bond with Walnut, a female white-naped crane. Despite their obvious differences, she chose him as her mate. For Crowe, their relatio…
00:21:59 |
Wed 28 Mar 2018
Discovering the World’s Oldest Winery
Sidedoor host Tony Cohn gets the opportunity of a lifetime: fly to Armenia and crawl into a deep, dark cave in search of lost wine. But we’re not talking just any ol’ cabernet or sauvignon blanc, the…
00:25:28 |
Wed 14 Mar 2018
America's First Food Spy
In the 1800s, the American diet was mostly made up of meats, potatoes, cheese, and perhaps the occasional green bean. Fruits and other veggies? Not so much. But that all changed thanks to a group of …
00:26:16 |
Wed 28 Feb 2018
Killer Viruses and One Man's Mission to Stop Them
In 1918, a flu pandemic killed more than 50 million people worldwide. Forty years later, it nearly happened again. This week on Sidedoor, we go back to a time when the viruses were winning, and we re…
00:21:32 |
Wed 14 Feb 2018
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