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The Morbid Museum

History Podcasts

Join two museum professionals as they take you on a wild and often lighthearted tour through a virtual cabinet of curiosities, including the strangest artifacts and tales from historic sites and museums around the world! From ghost towns and death masks, to serial killers and US Presidents assassinated by bacteria, you have NO IDEA what you might find in The Morbid Museum!

Location:

United States

Description:

Join two museum professionals as they take you on a wild and often lighthearted tour through a virtual cabinet of curiosities, including the strangest artifacts and tales from historic sites and museums around the world! From ghost towns and death masks, to serial killers and US Presidents assassinated by bacteria, you have NO IDEA what you might find in The Morbid Museum!

Language:

English


Episodes
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The St. Valentine's Day Massacre

2/5/2024
On February 14th 1929, a gruesome murder scene was uncovered - 7 associates of the North Side Gang had been riddled with bullets while inside a garage. The crime horrified the people of Chicago, a city already beleaguered by years of gang wars that had begun in the wake of Prohibition. Considered an unsolved murder, the massacre will forever be remembered as the quintessential example of mob violence in the 1920s. THANKS TO OUR TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks to the following patrons for their exceptional support: Jack Canfora Jill Cohen Lauren Stephenson Rob Emmett Tristen Pearson Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:04:59

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Hart Island: New York City's Public Cemetery

11/27/2023
For 150 years, Hart Island has been the final resting place for New York City's unclaimed, forgotten, and unknown dead. We review the history of this potter's field discussing its recent turnover to the city Park's Department and new chapter of open access. THANKS TO OUR TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks to the following patrons for their exceptional support: Matthew Aronoff Dennis Barette Rob Emmett Haley Lamp Tristen Pearson Lauren Stephenson Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:59:07

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Necropolis Part II: New Orleans | A City of Cemeteries

11/20/2023
In part II of the series we will delve more deeply into the history of NOLA's death culture, funerary and burial practices by exploring it's cemeteries.

Duration:01:03:48

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Necropolis: New Orleans | City of the Dead

11/6/2023
New Orleans is a beloved and complex city that has a reputation for being obsessed with joy and death in equal measure. Haunted by alleged ghosts and it's very real past, the morbid history of NOLA is endlessly fascinating. This series will focus on how it first gained it's reputation as "a city of the dead." The New Orleans Cemetery Database"How Yellow Fever Intensified Racial Inequality in 19th-Century New Orleans" By: Karin Wulf | April 19, 2022 | Smithsonian MagazineEpidemic in New Orleans | American Experience | Official Site | PBSThe Cemetery Under The French Quarter | WWNO"New Orleans’ Grave Traditions Unearthed : Customs: The many elaborate sculptures and unusual layouts of the city’s cemeteries make them an interesting tourist attraction." | BY CHARLES HILLINGER | Los Angeles Times"How Yellow Fever Turned New Orleans Into The 'City Of The Dead'" Code Switch : NPR"In the late 1800s, devastating yellow fever epidemics forced New Orleans to confront its sanitation problem" | The Historic New Orleans Collection THANKS TO OUR TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks to the following patrons for their exceptional support: Matthew Aronoff Dennis Barette Rob Emmett Haley Lamp Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:45:04

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Controversy at the Mütter Museum: A Repatriation Conversation Part II (Patreon Preview)

10/30/2023
Note: As of the release of this episode, the Town Hall meeting has been released and is watchable at: https://youtu.be/Da0uML0BPy4?si=12pHRR1_abEaJ6EF In recent decades, museums and historical sites all over the world have been engaging in the incredibly important and difficult conversation of repatriation, especially when it comes to human remains. The ethical questions are numerous, and each case is complex and, at times, highly nuanced. How do you find provenance for remains that are over 150 years old? What is the appropriate resting place for unclaimed, unidentified remains? Who decides that? Is the answer to ban all human remains from being on display? One institution that is currently undergoing massive scrutiny for how it is handling the question of displaying or repatriating human remains is the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. To aid us in this discussion, Katie interviewed members of "Protect the Mütter ," a campaign devoted to challenging the current decisions being made around removing human remains from public view. ONLY AVAILABLE ON PATREON! For more information on "Protect the Mütter" you can check out their linktree: https://linktr.ee/protectthemutter?fbclid=PAAaaJ_jHZvgyUNsxQWTrND8LZENQedtQW1jGneEBc34WS296L5AObLooEOuM_aem_AZTCUoIoWTgHM0gQkV4qTX1cotfWkFzqWjFrXj26YmYVVs4VI4Lye43Stya6bAJ7h-A THANKS TO OUR TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks to the following patrons for their exceptional support: Matthew Aronoff Dennis Barette Rob Emmett Haley Lamp Lauren Stephenson Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:17:23

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Controversy at the Mütter Museum: A Repatriation Conversation

10/23/2023
In recent decades, museums and historical sites all over the world have been engaging in the incredibly important and difficult conversation of repatriation, especially when it comes to human remains. The ethical questions are numerous, and each case is complex and, at times, highly nuanced. How do you find provenance for remains that are over 150 years old? What is the appropriate resting place for unclaimed, unidentified remains? Who decides that? Is the answer to ban all human remains from being on display? One institution that is currently undergoing massive scrutiny for how it is handling the question of displaying or repatriating human remains is the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. To aid us in this discussion, Katie interviewed members of "Protect the Mütter ," a campaign devoted to challenging the current decisions being made around removing human remains from public view. For more information on "Protect the Mütter" you can check out their linktree: https://linktr.ee/protectthemutter?fbclid=PAAaaJ_jHZvgyUNsxQWTrND8LZENQedtQW1jGneEBc34WS296L5AObLooEOuM_aem_AZTCUoIoWTgHM0gQkV4qTX1cotfWkFzqWjFrXj26YmYVVs4VI4Lye43Stya6bAJ7h-A THANKS TO OUR TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks to the following patrons for their exceptional support: Matthew Aronoff Dennis Barette Rob Emmett Haley Lamp Lauren Stephenson Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:01:41

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Eastern State Penitentiary

10/16/2023
In Philadelphia, a hulking ruin of one of America's largest prisons is now a historic site and famed attraction. Eastern State Penitentiary illustrates the changing cultural mores around crime and punishment, and the mass incarceration crisis today. Thank you, Patreon Subscribers! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks to the following patrons for their exceptional support: Matthew Aronoff Dennis Barette Rob Emmett Haley Lamp Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:17:31

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The Legend of Sweeney Todd

10/9/2023
For at least two centuries, the tale of Sweeney Todd has delighted and terrified us to our very core, but has left us with some questions. How did this legend begin? Was Sweeney Todd a real person? Join as we dive deep into the mysterious and thrilling history of the most famous barber of all time. Collection of dime novels and penny dreadfuls - Stanford LibrariesBarry Ono collection of Penny Dreadfuls - The British LibraryPBS - Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet StreetThe Wonderful and Surprising History of Sweeney Todd by Robert L. MackBBC - Press Office - Sweeney Todd Man or Myth?Robert Pickton Case | The Canadian EncyclopediaHuman remains from Pickton farm may have reached food supply - The Globe and MailThe demon barber of Calais, a 17th century Sweeney Todd THANKS TO OUR TO PATREONS! We couldn't do this without you. Extra special thanks especially to the following patrons: Matthew Aronoff Dennis Barette Haley Lamp Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:02:56

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Titanic Redux: Ahistorical Cinema Patreon Freebie!

9/18/2023
Hey Morbuddies! As a special treat, we have decided to release an exclusive episode from our Patreon Ahistorical Cinema Vault! Did you know we’ve added more tiers and benefits to our Patreon!? New tiers include some of the following: If you like what you hear, please consider becoming an official Morbuddy on Patreon today! ________________________________________________________ Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod Social Media Consulting: Larisa Courtien

Duration:00:41:58

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Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Part II: From Tragedy Comes Change

9/4/2023
What began as a small bin fire on the 8th floor of an unsafe factory, would end in the tragic and untimely death of 146 workers. Sorrow turned to outrage, and this tragedy would push sweeping labor reform throughout the United States, inspiring the New Deal and other pieces of progressive legislation that still inform our labor rights today. American Experience: Triangle Fire | PBSTriangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire | History.Com"The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire: Difficult lessons learned on fire codes and safety" MARCH 22ND, 2021 by Stephen Jones | Building Safety JournalNew York Times Coverage of the Fire | American Experience | Official Site | PBS"The Story of Us - Triangle Shirtwaist Fire" - Produced and Created by The History ChannelThe Memorial – Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition Official WebsiteTriangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire - Trial Testimony "How the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire transformed labor laws and protected workers’ health" | PBS NewsHour"Traces of an American Tragedy: Inside the Former Triangle Shirtwaist Factory" Mar 19, 2015 Eileen Reynolds Mar 19, 2015 NYU.EDU"Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire" by Cornell University Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod Social Media Consulting: Larisa Courtien

Duration:01:00:51

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Living History 101 (Patreon Preview)

8/28/2023
Costumed interpretation, or living history, or reenacting, is a fascinating practice in which historical dress, tools and props are used to present and educate about the past. We discuss the particular American brand of living history, as chronicled in Tony Horwitz' enduring classic, Confederates in the Attic. Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:17:56

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Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Part I: Before the Fire

8/21/2023
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory garment workers, mostly young women and teenagers, faced inhumane treatment and conditions, exacerbated by the greed and neglect of their employers. Unbeknownst to them, this mid-rise building in Manhattan, designed to maximize efficiency, was a death trap. "THE TRIANGLE FIRE AND THE LIMITS OF PROGRESSIVISM," A Dissertation Presented by FRANCES B. JENSEN, Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 1996 Department of HistoryCornell University - ILR School - The Triangle Factory Fire"Triangle Shirtwaist Factory women strike, win better wages and hours, New York, 1909 | Global Nonviolent Action DatabaseThe Triangle Shirtwaist Fire and the Origins of International Women’s Day | Barbara's Bookstore"The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire: Difficult lessons learned on fire codes and safety" by Stephen Jones | Building Safety Journal | MARCH 22ND, 2021 Triangle Fire | American Experience Season 23, Episode 6 | PBSNew York Times Coverage of the Fire | American Experience | Official Site | PBSShirtwaist Kings | American Experience | Official Site | PBSPauline Newman: Organizer | American Experience | Official Site | PBSTriangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire | History.Com | A&E Television NetworksHistory of Labor Day | U.S. Department of Labor Become an official Morbuddy: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Follow us on IG: @themorbidmuseum Email us at themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:02:41

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A Historical Cinema: Glory (Patreon Preview)

8/14/2023
Hollywood often brings history to the silver screen with a heap of creative license - to make the story fit into the formula of plot and profitability. Glory is the rare exception - where the story of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Regiment is preserved and presented with accuracy and gripping drama. Get the full review on Patreon. Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:20:19

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U.S. Colored Troops, Part II: The 54th Massachusetts

8/7/2023
Of the more than 100 units mustered into the U.S. Colored Troops, the 54th Massachusetts may be the most well known, remembered for their valorous service and their depiction in the movie Glory. In honor of the 160th anniversary of the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, we examine the enduring story of this legendary unit. Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork by Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:10:24

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U.S. Colored Troops, Part I: 1st Kansas Colored Infantry Regiment

7/31/2023
The cause of Black freedom tore the United States apart in the Civil War. As the conflict fatigued both sides, the previously unimaginable became a necessity; men of color were recruited into Federal forces. They fought for their freedom and for a nation that had excluded them from its promise. Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:46:04

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New York City Draft Riots, Part II: Forever Changed

7/24/2023
The first national draft in the United States prompted four days of civil unrest and urban disturbance in New York City. The rioters, Irish and working class men, attacked public buildings, abolitionists, and people of color. Though largely forgotten, the event had long-term impacts on the distribution of the black population across the city. (Research Links found in Part I)1 Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:17:11

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New York City Draft Riots, Part I: A City at War

7/17/2023
In July 1863, at the height and heat of the American Civil War, a race riot erupted in New York City, in response to the drafting of thousands into the Union Army. For four days, the city seethed with indiscriminate mob violence, fire, and chaos. The grievance of the rioters was the same as the national war itself; the cause of Black freedom and the social costs to Whites. "When America Hated Catholics." By JOSH ZEITZ September 23, 2015 | POLITICO Magazine"When America Despised the Irish: The 19th Century’s Refugee Crisis" BY: CHRISTOPHER KLEIN UPDATED: JUNE 1, 2023 | HISTORYIrish in the American Civil WarJuly 13, 1863: New York City Draft Riots and Massacre - Zinn Education ProjectNew York City Draft Riots | Lincoln Memorial Shrine WebsiteAfter the Riots: New York's Black Community Responds and Rebuilds - Tenement Museum Website"Recalling a Place of Sanctuary for Black Orphans" By Elissa Gootman | New York Times | April 7, 2003"The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America" by Barnet Schecter"How the Irish Famine changed New York City forever" By Anelise Hanson Shrout | Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland's National Public Service Media Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:55:09

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Ahistorical Cinema: Gangs of New York (Patreon Preview)

7/10/2023
Martin Scorsese's sweeping 2002 epic Gangs of New York brought the gritty streets of lower Manhattan in the 19th century to life. It's full of grit, incredible sets and costumes, and just a smidge of historical liberties. It's the factual smackdown you never knew you wanted. Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:14:56

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Dead Presidents: Died on the Fourth of July

7/3/2023
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two titans of the American Revolution, died within hours of each other on Independence Day, 1826--fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Their long friendship and correspondence was complicated by their shared zeal and hope for the future of the new nation they helped to create--and divergent political ideologies. Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:01:12:02

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The Bermuda Triangle

6/26/2023
In the North Atlantic Ocean, a string of missing ships and aircraft have been attributed to a geometric nexus of misfortune. Is the Bermuda Triangle explainable due to unpredictable forces of nature, or something more supernatural? Patreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.com Artwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Duration:00:59:31