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If Objects Could Talk

If Objects Could Talk

Getty 19 Episodes Mar 6, 2026

If Objects Could Talk is a podcast from Getty that brings artifacts from their antiquities collection to life. Each episode features a different object, such as an Egyptian cat statue or a glass fish-shaped flask, sharing its own story through historical fiction. Voice actors and immersive sound design create engaging tales about the history and everyday use of these ancient items. The first season focuses on objects from Getty's collection, offering a unique perspective on ancient history.

Episodes

(Rerun) Snake Charm on Your Arm Mar 6, 2026 0:10:15 (Rerun) How does a snake bracelet celebrate her favorite holiday? Learn about gold jewelry, the meaning of snakes for ancient Egyptians, and the Roman holiday of Saturnalia from this snake who knows all the best secrets! For a listening guide, a coloring sheet, images, and more, visit getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/.Come see the bracelet in person at the Getty Villa in gallery 216!
Going for Glory: A History of the Ancient Olympics Feb 2, 2026 0:12:54 You probably know that the Olympics started in ancient Greece, but did you know that they started as just a single running race? Or that the athletes—all male—competed naked and covered in oil? As the world gears up to watch athletes from nearly 100 countries compete in ice skating and bob sledding (two sports the Greeks would have been shocked at!), we had to know more about where the Olympics ca
Introducing Constant Wonder Kids: Do Plants Think? Jan 26, 2026 This season on If Objects Could Talk we imagined what would happen if museum objects could talk. But have you ever wondered if plants could talk? To dig into this question, we’re sharing an episode from Constant Wonder Kids. Through a conversation with science writer Zoë Schlanger, this episode investigates how plants seem to communicate, hear, see, and even think! Constant Wonder Kids is a family
Your Ultimate Saturnalia Gift Guide! Dec 17, 2025 0:08:49 From bad poetry and papyrus to candles and boar, give the gifts any Roman would love to receive with our Ultimate Saturnalia Gift Guide! (Cue the air horns.)In this special episode, a carved doll has combed the ancient literature to bring you timeless gift advice for the holiday season. Io Saturnalia!For a listening guide filled with Roman-inspired DIY gifts, images, and more, visit getty.edu/podc
Culture Kids Collab: You're Invited to an Ancient Roman Dinner Party! (Part 2) Dec 15, 2025 0:16:27 This week we’re sharing part two of our collaboration with the Culture Kids podcast. (Head back to the feed for part one if you haven't listened yet!)Asher and his mom Kristen join If Objects Could Talk producer Zoe on the Culture Train Time Machine for an unforgettable visit to ancient Rome. Together, they tiptoe into a glowing triclinium, the Roman dining room, to watch a real dinner party happe
Culture Kids Collab: Culture Train Time Travel to Ancient Rome! (Part 1) Dec 8, 2025 0:17:58 This week we’re sharing a collaboration with the Culture Kids podcast. Asher and his mom Kristen join If Objects Could Talk producer Zoe at the Getty Villa Museum to learn about Roman dinner parties—then we travel back in time to experience one! In this two part series, you’ll learn more about how and what the Romans ate—especially when they wanted to show off to their friends. You’ll discover how
(Rerun) All's Fair in Love and Games Nov 17, 2025 0:12:13 (Rerun) Does this acrobatic astragalos (an ancient kind of dice) have what it takes to win the big game? Learn about the twists and turns of ancient gameplay and how sheep knucklebones aren’t so different from modern dice. For a listening guide, a coloring sheet, images, and more, visit getty.edu/podcasts/if-objects-could-talk/.
Introducing Who Arted: The Treasures of King Tutankhamun's Tomb Nov 10, 2025 0:06:45 This week we're sharing an episode of another art history podcast we love! Who Arted celebrates art in all of its forms and in terms anyone can understand. Each episode tells the story of a different artist and artwork. Who Arted is written and produced by art teacher Kyle Wood with the goal of making art history fun and accessible to everyone.This episode focuses on King Tut's tomb. On November 2
The Case of the Missing…Me?! Oct 27, 2025 0:13:10 Like a noir detective, this key with a horsehead handle becomes embroiled in a mysterious disappearance—her very own! Help her investigate the blacksmith’s workshop and solve the case so she can open her special box again. This podcast uses episode-specific artwork. If you don’t see an image of the horsehead key with this episode, you may have to turn on this setting in your podcast app. For a lis
Dude, Where’s My Sheep? Oct 20, 2025 0:14:13 This dancing Satyr—half goat, half man, all prankster—is on the move, sealing important documents that travel across Etruria, a pre-Roman civilization. With his good-luck scarab on his back, he travels to help a birthday girl’s wish come true and only gets them into a little bit of trouble playing “hide the sheep.”This podcast uses episode-specific artwork. If you don’t see an image of the satyr s
A Water Jug Spills the Tea Oct 13, 2025 0:13:06 One of the three women on this hydria (water jug) gives us a peek at some old-fashioned water cooler gossip. At a time before indoor plumbing, the water fountain was a center of urban life—so these ladies got to hear it all!If you don’t see an image of hydria with this episode, you may have to turn on this setting in your podcast app. For a listening guide, a coloring sheet, images, and more, visi
Lar, Help Us! Oct 6, 2025 0:10:40 Start your day the Roman way with an offering to this pocket-sized household demigod called a Lar. Follow along with a family’s daily rituals and routines and hear how this Lar protected two young boys from getting into trouble.This podcast uses episode-specific artwork. If you don’t see an image of the Lar with this episode, you may have to turn on this setting in your podcast app. For a listenin

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