Meanwhile... at the Museum

Cordel George Jr., Manager of Volunteer and Intern Services, CMC

Cincinnati Museum Center wouldn't be what it is without the hundreds of volunteers who greet guests, take tickets, guide tours, catalogue the collections, and so much more. But coordinating those volunteers is a job all its own. In this episode, we chat with Cordel George Jr., Manager of Volunteer and Intern Services at Cincinnati Museum Center, about what it takes to run a large and diverse volunteer program and the impact our volunteers have across every part of the museum. And Cordel reflects on his path from history student to educator, his personal journey of uncovering his ancestry and how these experiences shaped his perspective on community and service. 

Sarah Staples, Helen Steiner Rice Archivist at Cincinnati Museum Center

Go behind the scenes with Sarah Staples, Helen Steiner Rice Archives Manager at Cincinnati Museum Center, as she shares what it takes to preserve the documents that give us a better understanding of the past. 
In this episode, Sarah Staples discusses her work managing over 1,300 collections ranging from business records to personal correspondences, playing "history detective" to reveal the deeply human side of history and the challenges of preserving modern history in the digital age.

Ariana Katovich, Executive Director of Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network as seen in Wild Rescue

Wild Rescue is a film that celebrates the wildlife heroes who care for, rehab and release animals in need, focused on Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. We talked to SBWCN's Executive Director, Ariana Katovich, about what it takes to run a rescue that cares for thousands of animals every year, and get a behind the scenes view of Wild Rescue. 

Kelsey Enderly, Associate Vice President of Guest Engagement, CMC

Cincinnati Museum Center is a place that people form a lifelong connection with. Case in point - today's guest, Kelsey Enderle. From visiting as a kid, to working in Camps and overnight programs in college, to her current role as Associate Vice President of Guest Engagement, Kelsey keeps coming back to CMC. We talk to Kelsey about her long history with CMC, her time in the Disney College Program and status as resident Disney Adult, her advice for getting into CMC's Summer Camps and more!

Ian Shive, Director of Wild Rescue

You may not know it, but you’ve probably already seen some of the work of our guest this week, Ian Shive. From documentaries aired during Shark Week to contributions to major Hollywood films of the early 2000s, Ian has had a long career in film and media. All of that has led up to his latest directorial release: Wild Rescue, a film for giant screens (like the domed screen in our OMNIMAX Theater!) that depicts the real-life heroes who rescue, rehabilitate and release wild animals in need. We’ll chat with Ian about how Wild Rescue got started, get some behind the scenes detail of making the movie and what it’s like to work with wild animals.

American Judaism and Cincinnati's Role in Reform Judaism - Past Forward at Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati Museum Center is gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. As part of our Past Forward at CMC series, we'll post a handful of podcast shorts diving into topics across American history through the lens of our collections. 
  
One of the founding principles of America is freedom of religion. How has that applied to Jews throughout American history? And zooming in to a more local focus, what has been the experience of Jews in Cincinnati? How have they impacted the local community, and the larger community of American Jews? We sat down with Rabbi Dr. Gary Zola and our Curator of Manuscripts Christine Engels to explore the history of Jews in America and in Cincinnati.

Environmental History - Past Forward at Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati Museum Center is gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. As part of our Past Forward at CMC series, we'll post a handful of podcast shorts diving into topics across American history through the lens of our collections. 
 
History doesn't happen in a vaccuum - it happens in our world. What people do both impacts, and is impacted by, the natural environment around them. With that in mind, what is the environmental history of the region Cincinnati Museum Center calls home? How has American history affected the plants, animals, and land in the Ohio River Valley and surrounding areas? We'll talk to Heather Farrington and Makayla Dean in our Zoology department to find out more. 

Collecting Protest Materials - Past Forward at Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati Museum Center is gearing up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. As part of our Past Forward at CMC series, we'll post a handful of podcast shorts diving into topics across American history through the lens of our collections. 
 
In this episode of Past Forward, we're talking about preserving the history of one of America's oldest traditions - protest. Through protest, Americans have been making their voices heard for over 250 years. Why is documenting protests important? What do museums do to document protests throughout American history, including ones that are happening now? We'll talk to Katherine Gould, our Curator of History Objects and Fine Art, to find out. 

Bill Stringer, Assistant Manager of Museum Engagement

Do you know anyone who is a juggler, actor, fire-breather, stilt-walker, viking warrior, TV mascot, and guest experience professional? We're going to guess you said no and introduce you to Bill Stringer, Assistant Manager of Museum Engagement at Cincinnati Museum Center.

Makayla Dean, Manager of Zoology Collections and the DNA Lab

If you're our host Cody, a room brimming with jars of dead animals preserved in fluid sounds like a nightmare. If you're Makayla Dean, our Manager of Zoology Collections and DNA Lab, it's part of an average day at work. From preparing study skins to feeding flesh eating beetles, managing zoology collections is a messy job. We'll talk to Makayla about what inspired them to work in a natural history museum, how their career path led them to work in ours, and find out why we have a room full of dead things in jars.