Synopsis
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
Recent Episode(s)
Sep 27, 2023
Cellphones put the power of the world at our fingertips. With the touch of a finger, you can instantly connect with your doctor, have food delivered t…
Play Sep 13, 2023
The 'Gentle Anarchy' of the Muppets
Icky Gunk. Moldy Hay. Kermit. You might recognize one of these names. Before Kermit joined Miss Piggy and Big Bird, he was kicking it with Sam and Fri…
Play Sep 6, 2023
Sidedoor returns for its tenth season on Wednesday, September 13th!
Play Aug 30, 2023
A Wild Ride on the Pony Express
In 1860 the fastest way to get a message to a family member, partner, or colleague wasn’t by text but by hoof…specifically, a pony’s. In just te…
Play Aug 17, 2023
When a 200-year-old legal document anonymously arrived at his office, Smithsonian Libraries and Archives conservator William Bennett assumed it woul…
Play Aug 2, 2023
When you imagine the sound of a dinosaur, you probably think of a scene from the Jurassic Park movies. How do sound designers make these extinct creat…
Play Jul 19, 2023
A Smithsonian researcher has made a discovery we couldn't wait to sink our teeth into — what might be the earliest evidence of our human ancestors e…
Play Jul 5, 2023
Before the invention of photography, only the rich could afford to have portraits of themselves. But in the early 1800s, a device called the physiogno…
Play Jun 21, 2023
America has a long history of clustering heavy industry and toxic facilities in communities where people of color live. But in the 1980s, a series of…
Play Jun 7, 2023
In 1948, Moses Asch set out with an ambitious project: to document the world’s sounds! 75 years later, that project has grown into one of the worl…
Play 