Over the course of the first seven episodes, P.T. has shared some of the inside secrets of the art world, investigated international disputes, and followed stories about cultural restitution around the world. In this episode, P.T. discusses his experiences visiting museums during his time working on this podcast. From museum bureaucratic structure to how paintings get on the wall, P.T. discusses the internal functions of societies foremost cultural institutions. 

Since the inception of this podcast, the goal has always been to empower critical engagement with contemporary cultural issues. Regardless of your opinions on a given issue, I have attempted to contextualize the world of cultural heritage through discussing power imbalances, institutional structures, international law, and comparative readings of history, we have investigated and digested the issues. Now, you get to go out into the world and do with this information what you want! I hope you make positive change and encourage free creative expression!

In this episode, P.T. Meadors discusses his experience visiting Athens, Greece and some of the cultural institutions there. Through visiting the National Archaeological Museum, the Acropolis site, and the Acropolis Museum, P.T. and Ellie were able to complete our journey with the Parthenon Marbles. 

Focusing on accessibility, the accuracy of the historical record, and the design of the museums themselves, P.T. analyzes interviews collected from visitors to the Acropolis Museum and the Acropolis. Moreover, this episode discusses the role of the Parthenon and the Parthenon Marbles in Greek culture and more specifically Athenian culture. Once again, interviewees have a range of experience and come from different places around the world - all of whom were engaging with the Parthenon.

On this episode of Whose Heritage, P.T. Meadors and Ellie Penner visit the British Museum. During their visit, P.T. and Ellie visited the famous Parthenon Marbles exhibit and spoke with visitors about their experience viewing the exhibit. Moreover, P.T. and Ellie got a first hand look at the debate over repatriating the Parthenon Marbles to Athens, Greece. From archaeologists to a couple on a date, we learned about what some people think about the Parthenon Marbles being in Britain.

This episode covers issues such as accessibility of museum displays, the role of profit in museum exhibits, as well as discussion of moral obligations. Additionally, P.T. and Ellie discuss their perspectives on the benefits and downsides of the exhibit at the British Museum in preparation for their later trip to Athens. The issue of returning the Parthenon Marbles is one that is rooted in a convoluted, confusing history of the objects, and this episode aims to provide listeners with new perspectives of regular people, not a government official or a museum executive.

This episode features clips from Lilac by Chad Crouch, a copyright free song.

In this precursor to future episodes covering this issue, P.T. Meadors explains what the Parthenon Marbles are, why some are in London, and the arguments to return the Parthenon Marbles to the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece. Formerly known as the Elgin Marbles, "the Parthenon Marbles" is the term used to describe the collection of relief sculptures that wrapped the upper register of the Parthenon Temple in Athens. About half of these sculptures are currently on display, and have been on display for over 100 years, at the British Museum in London, England. P.T. answers the questions of why and how this occurred, and what the current state of the debate about repatriation looks like.

In this episode of Whose Heritage? P.T. Meadors is joined by peers, Ellie Penner '23 and Aislinn Niimi '24, to discuss the nuances of conservation practices around the world. 

Penner discusses a controversial conservation project she took part in during the Spring and Summer of 2022 in Upper Musthang, Nepal. She discusses the temple painting restoration project she was involved in and how community involvement would end up influencing the conservation and restoration processes. Moreover, Penner touches on UNESCO involvement in conservation around the world, and why communities around the world may not want to use traditional conservation methods.

In his conversation with Aislinn, she discusses the ways in which Penner's project reflects the tenets of the Nara Document on Authenticity. She outlines what this document is, why it was created, and what is means for conservation and restoration projects around the world. Moreover, Aislinn explains the connection between conservation and restoration and authenticity. Using the example from France and Japan, Aislinn gives listeners insight into the past and present of conservation around the world.

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One of the foremost cultural heritage issues being discussed today is that of the Benin Bronzes. Originally taken from Benin City in present day Nigeria, these bronze sculptures and other stolen goods such as carved ivory, were taken to the United Kingdom. Since their original theft, the Benin Bronzes have been shown and prized around the world for their aesthetic values. Often absent in discussion of the sculptures is the bloody, brutal story of how they came to leave Benin City.

In this episode of the podcast, Dr. Melissa R. Kerin and P.T. discuss some of the events surrounding the current repatriation discussions taking place between the Nigerian government and former colonial governments around the world such as the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. 

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For hundreds of years, the world has been grappling with the development and effects of colonialism, but what does colonialism have anything to do with cultural heritage? In this episode, join P.T. Meadors, a college art history student at Washington and Lee University, as he investigates the return of the Lombak Treasure from the Netherlands back to Indonesia. Over the course of the episode, you will learn about colonialism, repatriation policies around the world, and how former colonies are working to get back the stuff that was taken by their invaders. 

For more information about this episode, please refer to the following articles:
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/artists/indonesia-return-java-man-natural-history-netherlands-1234643776/

https://nltimes.nl/2020/10/07/netherlands-advised-return-art-looted-colonial-era

Join P.T. as he sits down with Dr. Melissa R. Kerin to discuss all things cultural heritage! From museums and art to crime and war, they discuss it all as they explain what the heck "cultural heritage" is, and why you have a stake in what goes on with cultural heritage.  This episode sets the scene for what is to come and broadly discusses key topics aimed at enabling YOU, the listener, to know what is happening with YOUR cultural heritage.

P.T. Meadors is a Art History student at Washington and Lee University. P.T. is also a Johnson Scholar at Washington and Lee University and has spent the past year researching and engaging with art and cultural heritage issues. His bio is way less cool than Dr. Kerin.

Melissa R. Kerin is an associate professor of art history whose primary field of research is the art and material culture of South Asia from the medieval and modern periods. Along with a number of articles (her most recent: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17432200.2021.1944795?journalCode=rfmr20) and chapters, Kerin has authored two books. She is currently serving as guest editor for a special issue of the International Journal of Cultural Property entitled “Re/Collection and Destruction: Defining new ethical solutions.” She is also finishing a manuscript, Bodies of Offerings: The Materiality and Vitality of Tibetan Shrines, which received an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship (2014-15) and Howard Foundation Fellowship (2018-19). Since joining the faculty of Washington and Lee’s Art and Art History Department in 2011, Kerin has taught a range of courses related to the interconnections among art, religion, memory, and identity. Kerin holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School.