Podcasts by Things in Jars | A History and Museums Podcast

Episode 37: Frozen Messages, Mucky Fetishes, and Fifty Shades of Soot from 2021-04-22T16:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy rifle through people's private journals! Yay!

Tune in for the joyful record of a literary family's holiday adventures, the, erm, *u...

Episode 36: Shew-Stones, Vegetable Lambs, and the Mirror that Inspired a Fairytale from 2021-04-15T17:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy step through the looking glass and enter the world of museum mirrors.  Listen in to find out about John Dee's magical 'shew-ston...

Episode 35: Mog, Rumpelstilzchen, and the Many Cats of Greta Hall from 2021-04-08T16:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy are on the prowl for cat-themed collections! We explore the glorious Kattenkabinet Museum in Amsterdam, founded in honour of a much-loved ...

Episode 34: Lion-Washing, Hunting the Gowk, and the Nit Combs of the Mary Rose from 2021-04-01T16:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy are on the hunt for the very best of April fools! We bring you tales of mischief and mayhem from seventeenth-century pranksters, explore t...

Episode 33: Ghosts in Trees, Phantom Marys, and a Jar of Emotional Support Toenails from 2021-03-18T17:00

This week, we're lifting the lid on some haunted crypts to bring you stories of ghosts in museum collections! Tune in for the legend of King Dunmail and his ghostly army, find out if we wou...

Episode 32: A Celebration of Mothers! from 2021-03-11T16:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy celebrate Mother's Day with a host of mama-centric museum objects. We'll be sharing the tale of the woman who started it all, an...

Episode 31: Butterfly Queens, Feathery Fiends, and the Strangest Woman in the World from 2021-03-04T17:00

This week we're celebrating International Women's Day by sharing the lives of some AMAZING women you may have never heard of... We explore the lives of: Emma Hutchinson, a self-taught ...

Episode 30: Star Portraits, Moon Museums, and the Hidden Message in Lincoln's Watch from 2021-02-25T16:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy embark on an intergalactic mission for the coolest space-themed artefacts museums have to offer! We discover artworks rocketed into outer ...

Episode 29: Family Misfortunes, Wedding Day Drama, and the Tale of Two Fathers, a Mother and a Lover from 2021-02-18T17:00

This week we are living for the DRAMA as we uncover juicy secrets, scandals and lies from museum archives! Tune in to find out about Wordsworth's lady love across the channel, the journal p...

Episode 28: Vinegar Valentines, Letters of Lust, and a Corpse Going to a Ball from 2021-02-11T17:00

We're back!

In this, our comeback episode, curators Melissa and Poppy rifle through museum stores for the very best of Valentines collections. We uncover the disturbing world of Br...

Episode 27: Our Podcast Journey So Far! from 2020-12-31T17:00

In this special New Year's Eve episode, we take a look back at the last six months of Things in Jars! We talk about how the podcast came to be, the highs and lows of our journey so far, and...

Episode 26: Snowflake Bentley, a Teeny Tiny Christmas Carol, and the Aesthetically Challenged Ornament Museum from 2020-12-24T17:00

Christmas has come around, and we're ushering in the most wonderful time of year with  some seasonal stories from museum collections. In part two of our festive special, we marvel over the ...

Episode 25: Cursed Cups, Krampus Cards, and Christmas at Dove Cottage from 2020-12-17T17:00

Christmas has come around, and we're ushering in the most wonderful time of year with  some seasonal stories from museum collections. In part one of our two-part festive special, we learn h...

Episode 24: Corset Dolls, Beetle Gowns, and the Mean Old Witch of Ruswarp from 2020-12-10T17:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy ransack museum wardrobes for weird and wonderful items of clothing! We'll be learning about an incredible costume made from naturally...

Episode 23: How to Boss Your Heritage Job Interview from 2020-12-03T17:00

Ok – so you've got an interview at a museum/heritage site and you're wondering what to expect? Let us help you prepare!

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy share tips ...

Episode 22: Hair Art, Puke Green Paintings, and the Wardrobe of the Peeing Statue from 2020-11-26T17:00

Ever looked at something and wondered: is there is a museum for that? If this week's theme has taught us anything, there probably is! Join us as we delve into the world of NICHE museums on ...

Episode 21: Clown Eggs, Magic Potatoes, and the Biscuit that was Sent through the Post from 2020-11-19T17:00

In this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy explore foods in museum collections. We share some of our favourite letters from the Wordsworth collection, which warn of the dire consequ...

Episode 20: Grasmere Gals, a Journal from the Trenches, and the Cave of Hidden Paintings from 2020-11-12T17:00

To mark Remembrance Day this week, curators Melissa and Poppy explore artefacts of war-time through the years. We talk about the lasting memorial to Grasmere resident Nellie Taylor, learn more a...

Episode 19: Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot from 2020-11-05T17:00

It's Bonfire Night, and in this week's episode, curators Melissa and Poppy are going out with a bang! We'll be exploring the origins of this explosive holiday through items that t...

After Dark Episode 5: Salem Witch Museum from 2020-10-31T17:00

[TW: loud scream during intro music! Be careful listening through headphones!]
Welcome to Things in Jars After Dark! In this bonus five-part series, museum curators Melissa and Poppy ...

Episode 18: The Old Hall Dobby, Skellies and Neeps, and the Devilish Deeds of Stingy Jack from 2020-10-29T18:00

Halloween is here! This week curators Melissa and Poppy take a tour of museum collections to find the best artefacts that celebrate the spooky season. We hear the ghostly tale of the Old Hall Do...

After Dark Episode 4: The Haunted Hunts from 2020-10-24T17:00

[TW: loud scream during intro music! Be careful listening through headphones!]
Welcome to Things in Jars After Dark! In this bonus five-part series, museum curators Melissa and Poppy ...

Episode 17: The Remarkable Actions and Adventures of the Two Female Pirates! from 2020-10-22T17:00

This week, curators Melissa and Poppy charter a course across the high seas of museum artefacts to hunt for weird treasures. We tell the sensational stories of Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two gals...

After Dark Episode 3: Jamaica Inn from 2020-10-17T17:00

[TW: loud scream during intro music! Be careful listening through headphones!]
Welcome to Things in Jars After Dark! In this bonus five-part series, museum curators Melissa and Poppy ...

Episode 16: We Do Believe in Fairies, We Do, We Do from 2020-10-15T17:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy explore fakes and forgeries in museum collections. We take a look at the life and suicide of a famous forger, and go hunting for fairies around Bradfo...

After Dark Episode 2: Bolling Hall from 2020-10-10T17:00

[TW: loud scream during intro music! Be careful listening through headphones!]
Welcome to Things in Jars After Dark! In this bonus five-part series, museum curators Melissa and Poppy ...

Episode 15: The Lakeland Princess, Tudor Tragedies, and the Assassination of Empress Sisi from 2020-10-08T17:00

This week, curators Melissa and Poppy take a look at the lives of royals through the ages. We explore the legend of the secret Lakeland Princess, the shocking final moments of Empress Elisabeth ...

Episode 14: Devil's Berries, Mary's Murderous Machinations, and the Curious Case of Eliza Fenning from 2020-10-01T17:00

In this second instalment of our POISONOUS collections episode, curators Melissa and Poppy serve up yet more deadly tales from museum stores. We'll be sharing the gruesome fate of Mary Ann ...

Episode 13: Arsenic Tea, Dresses of Doom, and the Secret World of Killer Collections from 2020-09-24T17:00

In this first instalment of a two-part episode about POISONOUS collections, curators Melissa and Poppy have an existential crisis about killer substances in museum stores. Deadly wallpapers, dre...

Episode 12: Ask a Curator Day 2020 from 2020-09-16T12:00

It's international Ask a Curator Day 2020! To celebrate, we asked for your questions all about being a museum curator, and in this week's episode we will answer! Tune in to find out if...

Episode 11: Aeolian Harps, Hartley's Violin, and the Curse of the Dancing Spiders from 2020-09-10T17:00

Move aside, Spiderman! This week, we'll be exploring the fascinating history of Tarantism – a peculiar phenomena involving spider bites & dancing plagues! We'll also be discussing ...

Episode 10: Moving Castles, Lonely Mountains, and a Jar of Roald Dahl's Spine Shavings from 2020-09-03T17:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy take you on a trip down memory lane as they explore artefacts with connections to children's literature. Join us on a whirlwind adventure through...

Episode 9: How to Apply for Heritage Jobs from 2020-08-27T17:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged that job applications are the WORST – but we're here to make it a little more bearable!

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy share the...

Episode 8: The Greatest ShowWomen! from 2020-08-20T17:00

Pack your bags, because we're running away with the circus in this week's episode!

Join curators Melissa and Poppy on a whirlwind adventure beneath the Big Top, as we discover...

Episode 7: Forks, Forgery, and the Girl who Survived the Gallows from 2020-08-13T17:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy explore museum artefacts with links to crime. Tune in to discover the remarkable story of Anne Greene, a seventeenth-century scullery maid who miracul...

Episode 6: Gambling Ghosts, Vampire Oaths, and the Killer Pike of Windermere Lake from 2020-08-06T17:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy go on the hunt for monsters in museum collections! We'll tell you tales of two creatures born from one fateful night's ghost story contest, ...

Episode 5: A Day in the Life of a Museum Curator from 2020-07-30T17:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy give you a glimpse into their world of curating museum collections. We'll be talking about what we actually do on an average day (sadly yes, emai...

Episode 4: Bes Jars, Black Drop, and the Brain in the Beer Cooler from 2020-07-23T17:00

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy discuss some incredible medical artefacts from around the world. We'll be taking a look at some ACTUAL things in jars (most notably, the thorax o...

Episode 3: Foundling Children, Faithful Friends, and the Sorry Tale of the Idiot Prince from 2020-07-16T17:00

In this episode (part two of two), curators Melissa and Poppy continue their exploration of poignant stories from museum collections. 

We'll be picking up our discussion of artefacts ...

Episode 2: Shipwrecked Artefacts, Letters of Loss, and a Love Story for the Books from 2020-07-09T19:00

In this episode (part one of two), curators Melissa and Poppy explore poignant stories from museum collections. We'll be discussing artefacts that tell tales of loss, grief and heartbreak: ...

Episode 1: Evil Dolls, Cursed Stones, and Curious Cabinets from 2020-06-28T20:50:15

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy discuss their favourite HAUNTED objects from museums around the world. We'll be exploring some of the creepiest items from the collection that we...

Episode 1: Evil Dolls, Cursed Stones, and Curious Cabinets from 2020-06-28T20:50:15

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy discuss their favourite HAUNTED objects from museums around the world. We'll be exploring some of the creepiest items from the collection that we...

Episode 1: Evil Dolls, Cursed Stones, and Curious Cabinets from 2020-06-28T20:50:15

In this episode, curators Melissa and Poppy discuss their favourite HAUNTED objects from museums around the world. We'll be exploring some of the creepiest items from the collection that we...