Smithsonian Premieres Season 12 of Flagship Podcast “Sidedoor”

The Smithsonian’s flagship podcast Sidedoor launches its 12th season today, Nov. 26. Lizzie Peabody, senior producer and host, takes listeners into the heart (and halls) of the Smithsonian with unparalleled access to its experts, galleries and collections.

“In its 12th season, we are happy to bring Sidedoor back to long-time fans and new listeners alike,” said Julissa Marenco, Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs and Chief Marketing Officer. “We look forward to presenting more world-class storytelling and scholarship to Smithsonian audiences across the globe. The Sidedoor team and expert guests present stories of American inventiveness, achievement and global impact—setting the ground for the Smithsonian’s 250: Our Shared Future celebrations in honor of the country’s semiquincentennial next summer.” 

The first three episodes of the season will explore the origins and family lore behind a secret message etched inside Abraham Lincoln’s pocket watch, the remarkable wartime creation of the world-changing medicine penicillin and the transformation of American icon Uncle Sam from real man to enduring national symbol.

New episodes are released every other Wednesday. Listeners can subscribe to and download the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify or stream it on Sidedoor’s website.

“This season on Sidedoor, we’re pulling out all kinds of surprises—with stories about music, medicine, aviation and even a little art sleuthing,” Peabody said. “The Smithsonian holds so much more than what you see on display, and one of the best parts of this job is getting to rummage around, meet the people behind the collections and open the door a little wider for everyone. Plus, this season may just get you dancing…literally.”

Sidedoor has reached nearly 18 million downloads since its debut in 2016. The podcast is a collaboration between the Smithsonian and PRX, the nonprofit media company behind award-winning programming and podcasts that have reached listeners in more than 99.4% of the U.S. PRX supports additional Smithsonian podcasts, including AirSpace from the National Air and Space Museum and There’s More to That… from Smithsonian magazine.

“Each season of Sidedoor brings the Smithsonian’s hidden stories to listeners wherever they are,” said Genevieve Sponsler, PRX lead senior producer. “PRX is proud to continue our partnership with the show. Twelve seasons is a huge feat for a podcast, and the show remains a meaningful exploration of our world.”

Smithsonian Digital Studio and the Smithsonian’s Office of Communications and External Affairs produce Sidedoor. The public can sign up for the Sidedoor newsletter or follow @SidedoorPod on X and Instagram to go behind the scenes with Peabody, the Sidedoor crew and episode guests.

About the Smithsonian 

Since its founding in 1846, the Smithsonian Institution has been committed to inspiring generations through knowledge and discovery. It is the world’s largest museum, education and research complex, consisting of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park, education centers, research facilities, cultural centers and libraries. Two of the 21 museums—the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum—are in the early planning stages. The Smithsonian Campaign for Our Share Future, which began in 2018 in a quiet phase, was publicly launched this September 2024 with a goal of $2.5 billion. There are more than 6,200 Smithsonian employees and 3,800 volunteers. The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 157 million, of which nearly 148 million are scientific specimens at the National Museum of Natural History. www.si.edu

About PRX

Celebrating more than 20 years as a nonprofit public media company, PRX works in partnership with leading independent creators, organizations and stations to bring meaningful audio storytelling into millions of listeners’ lives. PRX is one of the world’s top podcast publishers, public radio distributors and audio producers serving as an engine of innovation for public media and podcasting to help shape a vibrant future for creative and journalistic audio. Shows across PRX’s portfolio of broadcast productions, podcast partners and its Radiotopia podcast network have received recognition from the Peabody Awards, the Tribeca Festival, the International Documentary Association, the National Magazine Awards and more, including in 2022 when Futuro Media and PRX won a Pulitzer Prize.

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