The Case for Baskets
Museum Confidential
On this newest episode of MC, we speak with Welana Queton; she's currently the Mellon Fellow for Native Art at Philbrook Museum of Art. Recently, Welana was asked to shine a light on a specific area of the museum's collection: baskets. This work led to a newly-launched exhibition -- INTERWOVEN: CHEROKEE, MUSCOGEE (CREEK), & YUCHI BASKETS. Presenting a variety of styles, both decorative and functional, and spotlighting baskets made from a wide range of materials, INTERWOVEN runs ay Philbrook through February 8, 2026.
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Museums and Marketing: It's Complicated
Museum Confidential
Our friend Stephen Reily of REMUSEUM returns to the MC podcast to discuss his think-tank's report on marketing in the museum sector. According to this newly-issued REMUSEUM case study: "Museums invest, on average, less than 3% of their operating budgets on marketing, which is a level consistent with the American mining and construction industries." Lots to discuss here. We caught up with Stephen via phone, as he was visiting Miami in order to take part in Art Basel.
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Filmmaker Kelly Reichardt
Museum Confidential
They say timing is everything, but acclaimed filmmaker Kelly Reichardt (First Cow, Meek’s Cutoff) could have never predicted a rise in museum heists when prepping her latest, THE MASTERMIND. Kelly joins us to talk about the film, her career, and what it took to create a fictional Massachusetts museum in Indiana and Ohio.
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The Louvre Heist
Museum Confidential
Of course we're talking about the recent theft at the Louvre Museum in Paris, which occurred on October 19th and promptly made news headlines worldwide. Four masked and hooded thieves took more than $100 in jewels before exiting the museum (in broad daylight) and speeding away on motor scooters. Amid the many articles and written reports concerning this theft that appeared just after it happened, one piece that caught out eyes was "The Louvre Heist Was a Colonial Wake-Up Call" (from Hyperallergic, the arts/cultural website). Our guest on Museum Confidential is the author of this piece, Dr....
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A Patrick Gordon Retrospective
Museum Confidential
On this edition of MC, we hear from the celebrated Tulsa-based artist, Patrick Gordon. The first-ever retrospective of this remarkable artist's work -- "Wall Flowers: Patrick Gordon Paintings" -- is now on view at Philbrook Museum of Art through January 3rd, 2026. The show presents 50+ works, including still life scenes, large florals, portraits, and a striking series of paintings titled "Men in Ballgowns." Conversation moderated by Karl Jones of The Center for Queer Prairie Studies. Presented in partnership with Tulsa Artist Fellowship.
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Meet a Cultural Anthropologist
Museum Confidential
From time to time we look at a specific museum job or title and ask the question: what is that exactly? Today we’re exploring the role of the cultural anthropologist with Aaron Schoenfeldt, the Duane H. King Postdoctoral Fellow at The University of Tulsa’s Helmerich Center for American Research.
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On The Road: The Peabody Essex Museum
Museum Confidential
For the Season 10 premiere of Museum Confidential, we travelled all the way to the land of witches and whales in order to experience once of the best museum collections in the country. On this episode we have an in-gallery chat with Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, CEO and Executive Director of The Peabody Essex Museum, originally established in 1799.
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Pop Goes the Museum
Museum Confidential
Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) turns 25 this year. On our Season 9 finale we light out to the Pacific Northwest for a fascinating conversation with MoPOP CEO Michelle Y. Smith.
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America's National Churchill Museum
Museum Confidential
1946, in the wake of the Allies winning World War II, Sir Winston Churchill came to the US and gave his famous (and famously cautionary) "Iron Curtain" speech at a small college in Mid-Missouri. That school, Westminster College, is the home of America's National Churchill Museum, which celebrates the life, work, thought, and leadership of the "British Bulldog." How does a museum dedicated to the man who saved Western liberal democracy endeavor to stay relevant at a moment when, around the world, democracy itself seems endangered? Our guest is Timothy Riley, Director and Chief Curator of this...
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Ralph Steadman
Museum Confidential
Ralph Steadman is an English artist and illustrator best known for his long collaboration with the iconoclastic Hunter S. Thompson, notably illustrating "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." Their partnership helped define “Gonzo” journalism. On this episode we catch up with Ralph, who turns 89 next month, and his daughter, Sadie, to discuss a career spanning exhibition now on view at Oklahoma State University.
info_outlineFour years ago, deep in the pandemic, we travelled to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Arizona compound, Taliesin West, to see how they were weathering the unprecedented challenges. We just went back to see what was learned and what remains with Niki Stewart, Chief Learning and Engagement Officer for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.