Meanwhile... at the Museum

Celebrating 2 Years and Over 50 Episodes of Meanwhile... at the Museum

Over the past two years, we've put out 50 episodes of Meanwhile... at the Museum. That's 50 incredible conversations with curators, exhibit designers, educators, scientists, movie directors, meteorologists, registrars, astronomers and so many more. In this episode, Cody and Mitch are looking back at the second year of the show and talking about some of their favorite moments. So sit back and join us as we reminisce, go back through and listen to the episodes we are highlighting here or your own personal favorites, and get ready for more as we gear up for year 3 of Meanwhile... at the Museum!

John Auer, Director of Featured Exhibitions and Exhibits Business Development at CMC

Cincinnati Museum Center is a rare museum in that we have our own in-house Exhibits team that can do it all, from design to fabrication and installation. This team also manages the featured exhibitions that we bring to Cincinnati, like Barbie: A Cultural Icon (open through Sept. 1, 2025), Pompeii: The Exhibition or the upcoming Auschwitz: Not long ago, not far away (coming October 2025). One of the key people in the process of bringing in traveling exhibitions is John Auer, our Director of Featured Exhibitions and Exhibits Business Development. We'll talk to John about what he does here at CMC, what it takes to fit traveling exhibits into a 1930s train station, and his background in both construction and art.

Jason Perkins, Vice President of Technology at CMC

Have you noticed how everything these days, from refrigerators to televisions, is connected over the internet? Our VP of Technology Jason Perkins sure has - because he's the one who has to keep it all running! From interactives in the exhibits to employee computers to our website and ticketing systems, the Museum is full of tech that needs to be maintained. We'll talk to Jason about how he ended up in tech-based career and what it takes to keep an organization this size running smoothly. We'll even take a detour to the final frontier and talk some Trek. Engage!

Dean Regas, Astronomer

In his over 25 year career as an astronomer, Dean Regas has been the lead astronomer at Cincinnati Observatory, the host of the podcast Looking Up, co-host of the PBS show Star Gazers, a contributing writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer and so much more. Now flying solo, Dean is a rogue astronomer out to show you the wonders of the universe. We'll chat with Dean about his career, what's new in astronomy and let him try to convince you that Pluto really shouldn't be classified as a planet. 

Randi Rico, Meteorologist at WLWT

When we brought this week's guest in to record at 9:30 a.m. on a Tuesday, her day was almost half over already. As a morning TV meteorologist with Channel 5 WLWT in Cincinnati, Randi Rico is gets up at 2 a.m. to get into the studio and bring you the info you need to plan your day, your week or even for safety in a weather emergency.  We'll talk to Randi about her career path in meteorology, her love of sports, taking part in the World Bratwurst-Eating Championship at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati and more!

Mark Borison, Host of the Jungle Jims Podcast

He's been a podcast host for one of the wildest grocery stores anywhere, a tiger-striped Pepsi ad star, and a giant cicada. And now Mark Borison, host of The Jungle Jim's Podcast, can add "guest on Meanwhile... at the Museum" to his extensive resume! We'll chat with Mark about how he ended up hosting a podcast for Jungle Jim's International Market, his career as an actor in commercials and films, and how food connects people around the world.

Chris Bedel, Director of the Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System, Cincinnati Museum Center

Did you know that Cincinnati Museum Center co-owns and manages (with The Nature Conservancy) a nature preserve in Adams County Ohio? The Richard and Lucile Durrell Edge of Appalachia Preserve System is a hotspot of biodiversity located on the edges of the Appalachian mountain chain. For over 30 years, Chris Bedel has been CMC's man on the outside, managing the care, protection and research of one of Ohio's wildest spaces. We'll talk to Chris about how he ended up living on the Edge, what it means to be a nature savior, and the importance of the Eastern Forest ecosystem. 

Chef Meagan Aylward, Manager of the Cr(eat)e Culinary Studio Featuring the Kroger Food Lab

The Cr(eat)e Culinary Studio Featuring the Kroger Food Lab is a space that brings together some of our favorite things about Museum Center - science, history, culture, community - through food. People of all ages and abilities can learn how to cook some awesome dishes, as well as the science of how and why they work and the history and culture behind them. Leading many of these programs is Chef Megan Aylward. In this episode, we'll chat with Chef Megan about some of her favorite recipes, ingredients and kitchen tools, as well as how she's making the jump from chef to teacher. 

Barbie: A Cultural Icon Exhibition Producer Tim Clothier, Illusion Projects, Inc.

In Barbie: A Cultural Icon, you can explore over 65 years of toys, fashion, and culture through the lens of the best selling doll of all time, Barbie. Today, we're talking to the man who made it happen, Exhibition Producer Tim Clothier. Tim is the founder of Illusion Projects Inc., an exhibition and theatrical fabrication company operating out of Las Vegas. We'll dig into what the exhibition is all about, how it came together and what it's like to take the original Barbie through airport security. Don't miss Barbie: A Cultural Icon, open April 4 - September 1, 2025 at Cincinnati Museum Center.  https://www.cincymuseum.org/barbie/

Meteorologist Cam Hardin of WCPO

Cam Hardin is many things, including an Applebee's superfan, deviled eggs connoisseur and Mountain Dew sommelier. But he's also a meteorologist, or a scientist who studies weather. You may recognize him as a TV weatherman at WCPO in Cincinnati. We'll dig into what it's like to be a meteorologist, Cam's varied culinary curiosities and his experiences bringing his kids here to Cincinnati Museum Center.