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Spooked at the Smithsonian

Season 8
October 5, 2022
spooky illustration of the Castle at night

The Smithsonian Institution was founded on principles of reason and scientific inquiry. So why is the Smithsonian home to countless tales of unexplained phenomena and—dare we say—ghost sightings? Inspired by an apparition at the National Museum of American History, we creak across museum attic floorboards, sneak into an old house in the woods, and even travel back in time to bring you a collection of spooky stories that can only be found at the Smithsonian.

Transcript

Guests:

  • Molly Horrocks, Collections Manager, Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
  • Pamela Henson, Institutional Historian at the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
  • Cpl. Ronald Howlin, Security Officer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
  • Deborah Hull-Walski, Collections Manager, Education Collections at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History
  • Melissa Johnson, daughter of Deb Hull-Walski and former skeptical teenager
  • Kim Dixon, former volunteer at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Spooky Items in the Collections

Soft Bathtub (Model) - Ghost Version

Death the Strangler

The Haunted House

Seated Magus Observing Skulls, and Other Figures, plate 5 from the Scherzi di Fantasia

Untitled (Skeleton)

The Spider Monster In The Cave

The Antikamnia Calendar, May and June, 1897: The First Tooth

Boris Karloff in "Frankenstein"

Skull and crossbones handstamp

lantern; decoration, holiday


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