Travel with Rick Steves 801 Museum Matters with Mary Beard; Fascinating Museums; Soul of South Korea
Aug 9, 2025
Dame Mary Beard, an esteemed classics scholar and British Museum trustee, discusses the ethics of cultural antiquities and the joy of focusing on select museum artifacts. Bob Eckstein, a humorist and New Yorker cartoonist, shares how museums can transform our perspectives through memorable illustrations. Travel writer Chaney Kwok reveals why Seoul is a fantastic starting point for exploring Asia while highlighting the serene beauty of Jeju Island. Each guest brings a unique lens to the transformative power of museums and travel.
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Curator Handed Me Ancient Cake
- Mary Beard remembers a curator opening a case and showing her an ancient Egyptian cake up close when she was five.
- That single moment sparked a lifelong passion for ancient history and museums.
Cultural Heritage Belongs To Everyone
- Mary Beard argues that great cultural objects are a shared global heritage rather than possessions of a single nation.
- She celebrates active sharing via loans and international exhibitions to make collections meaningful worldwide.
Parthenon Marbles Debate Is Complex
- Mary Beard describes the Parthenon (Elgin) marbles dispute as a long, genuinely difficult argument about ownership and responsibility.
- She urges practical sharing and loans as part of any reasonable, responsible solution.
