This is the final edition of our podcast series. In this age of instant communication, we're not sure Musecast can meet your needs in the way that some of our other resources can. So we've made the hard decision to suspend Musecast and focus on those resources. Become a fan of the Art Institute on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! And if you think we've made a mistake, let us know. Write to us at musecast@artic.edu and let us know that you want to keep listening.

What's New: From our interactive Pathfinder floorplan and Curious Corner to My Collections to  and our new blog ARTicle, discover the many ways that the Art Institute is embracing technology and connecting art lovers around the world with our renowned collection.

Exhibition Focus: Judith Barter, Field-McCormick Chair of American Art, explains how and why William Morris and other leaders of the Arts and Crafts movement rebelled against the machine-made, mass-produced objects of the mid-19th century and offers insights into the spectacular results on view in Apostles of Beauty: Arts and Crafts from Britain to Chicago.

Art Institute in the Community: It's not the holidays in Chicago until our famous lions don their wreaths. Get an inside look at the Wreathing of the Lions from the man behind the wreaths--the museum's head gardener and horticulturist Tom Wolfe. Plus, find out about all the fabulous festivities surrounding this year's wreathing ceremony and the entire holiday season.

Art Institute in the Community: Go beyond the museum walls as curator James Rondeau and exhibition manager Maureen Pskowski discuss the work of sculptor Scott Burton and Ellsworth Kelly's White Curve, on view in the Modern Wing's outdoor spaces.

What's New: On October 10, Caravaggio's The Supper at Emmaus, on loan from the National Gallery London, arrives at the Art Institute. Curator Christina Nielsen offers an inside look at the masterpiece and the artist that she calls "a supernova with a self-destructive streak."

Exhibition Focus: Though separated by 150 years, the works on view in Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage and On the Scene: Jason Lazarus, Wolfgang Plöger, Zoe Strauss share an unusual feature. Photography curators Elizabeth Siegel and Katherine Bussard reveal the surprising similarity.

Your Turn: We'd like to hear from you. Share your modern-day versions of Victorian photocollage or let us know if you think repurposing found photographs can still be considered photography. E-mail us at musecast@artic.edu or post your thoughts to our Facebook page.

Collection Connection: Just getting familiar with the Modern Wing? Starting this fall and stretching through the year, we'll provide you with over 500 ways of exploring the Modern Wing through art, music, poetry, and dance. Join Art Institute director James Cuno, the Poetry Foundation, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as we introduce our new season of programming, 500 Ways of Looking at Modern.

Art Institute in the Community: Two new pavilions celebrating the centennial of Daniel Burnham's Plan of Chicago have opened in Millennium Park. Listen as Joseph Rosa, John H. Bryan Chair of Architecture and Design, Thomas Vietzke of Zaha Hadid Architects, and Ben van Berkel of UNstudio describe how the pavilions' forward-looking designs relate to Burnham's concept of Chicago.

What's New: Summer hours wind to a close at the Art Institute. Stop by the Modern Wing to see new works in the photography galleries and Stone New Media Gallery, and see Beyond Golden Clouds and A Case for Wine before they close.

The Modern Wing: The Modern Wing has opened! It’s time to revisit some old friends that have been off view during construction. Drop in the Modern Wing galleries and hear what visitors have to say about the new building.

Art Institute in the Community: Sit down for a glass of wine with Terzo Piano's Cathy Mantuano and A Case for Wine curator Christopher Monkhouse, and find out why this summer exhibition may indeed prove to be addictive.

Exhibition Focus: Beyond Golden Clouds: Japanese Screens explores four centuries of this quintessentially Japanese medium. Curator Janice Katz explains why the screen has been a viable format for Japanese artists over the centuries.

What's New: With the Modern Wing open, there's even more museum to enjoy. Enjoy extended summer hours during Target Free Summer Evenings at the Art Institute.

Celebrate the opening of the Modern Wing  with the second installment of our special episodes of Musecast!

Collection Connection: Objects of design and digital photography surround us in our everyday lives. Find out from curators Zoe Ryan and Matt Wittkovsky how these media are explored in the Modern Wing's new Architecture and Design and Photography galleries.

From the Artist: Sculptor Richard Serra speaks about bringing together the worlds of industrial production and fine art.

Art Institute in the Community: Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia fame discusses the artistry of pasta and new dishes available in Terzo Piano, the Modern Wing's new restaurant.

What's New: Join us for free museum admission and fun activities for the whole family when the Modern Wing opens on May 16.

Art Institute in the Community: Journey to the top of the Nichols Bridgeway with museum director James Cuno and hear about some of the free spaces within the Modern Wing. Then, learn about the Modern Wing’s exciting new space for families, teachers and students, the Ryan Education Center.

Collection Connection: Natural light is one of the most striking features of the new Modern Wing. Hear how the new galleries of modern art use the Modern Wing's flying carpet to carefully calibrate the amount of light that shines on these masterpieces. 

What's New: Hailed by the New York Times and Chicago Tribune, Becoming Edvard Munch continues. Make sure to see this show before it closes April 26. To learn more about the exhibition, join Reading between the Lions or bring your friends to After Dark .

Collection Connection: Rediscover the Impressionist collection with curator Gloria Groom. Listen as she describes these masterpieces' newly opened galleries.

Exhibition Focus: Sure, we've all seen The Scream, but just how much do we know about artist Edvard Munch? Is he just crazy, or crazy like a fox? In an interview about the upcoming exhibition Becoming Edvard Munch, curator Jay Clarke explains that we may not know the artist as well as we think we do.

Art Institute in the Community: Two Art Institute programs, After Dark and Reading between the Lions, provide a surprising way to interact with the museum. Stop by two of their events.

What's New: The Art Institute offers free general admission all February. Make sure to take advantage of half-priced tickets for Becoming Edvard Munch.

Exhibition Focus: Listen as textile chair and curator Christa Thurman recounts the 40-year journey that culminated in The Divine Art.

Collection Connection: Catch curator Madhuvanti Ghose in the midst of installing the new Alsdorf Galleries of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan, and Islamic art.

Art Institute in the Community: Take to the streets of Chicago and hear historian and author Carl Smith discuss the stunning vision of Daniel Burnham's Plan of Chicago and its breathtaking artwork.

What's New: Celebrate the holidays at the Art Institute. Join in at Wreathing of the Lions on November 28, and welcome back the Impressionist collection

Art Institute in the Community: Inspired by our new season of events 360 Degrees: Art beyond Borders, this episode takes a look at global culture seen at the local level. Hear about the intermingling of art and culture from our partners at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and Poetry Foundation, and listen to performances by Yang Wei from the Silk Road Ensemble and Alfonso Ponticelli of Swing Gitan. Both musicians will be performing at the season's opening day festivities.

Exhibition Focus: Exhibition curator David Travis shares his personal recollections of the photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson and reveals some of the inspiration behind the exhibition Henri Cartier-Bresson and the Art and Photography of Paris.

What's New: See the exhibition Benin--Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria before it closes on September 21, and hear about the museum's return to its fall hours.

Exhibition Focus: Spectacular and sophisticated, the royal sculptures and regalia featured in Benin--Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria are among Africa's most acclaimed works of art. Hear about a few of the exhibition's highlights from curator Kathleen Bickford Berzock and organizer Barbara Plankensteiner.


Art Institute in the Community: In the summer series Passport to Africa, musicians from the Old Town School of Folk Music enliven the museum's garden every Thursday and Friday night. Hear why Nathaniel Braddock, member of the Occidental Brothers Dance Band International, and Taylor, half of the duo Morikeba and Taylor, are passionate about the music of Africa.


The Modern Wing: Join James Cuno, president and director of the Art Institute, as he describes how recent renovations have strengthened the museum's encyclopedic collection.


What's New: August is the last month of Target Free Summer Evenings. Stop by to see new exhibitions or enjoy music and outdoor dining.

Exhibition Focus: Mario Ybarra, Jr.  works his artistic magic to compare Chicago's Wrigley Field to . . . Wrigley Field,  the Friendly Confines' Los Angeles counterpart that was demolished in 1966.

Collection Connection: The art of conservation is a mix of detective work and scientific analysis. Learn how the latest developments in modern forensics turns art history into an episode of Art Scene Investigation.

Art Institute in the Community: In the community program Stitches and Stories, the Art Institute branches out to the Chicago Public Library to creatively introduce iconic works from the collection to local elementary school students.

What's New: Visit Collecting for Chicago the inaugural exhibition of the museum's newly opened prints and drawings galleries, and stop by for live music and outdoor dining at the Summer Music Series.

Art Institute in the Community: Tour the museum with Art Institute expert Jane Clarke and learn interesting historical facts about this Chicago landmark.

Collection Connection: Hear how the re-integration of painting and sculpture in the Allerton galleries gives us a clearer window into the world of Old Master artists.

Exhibition Focus: Learn about Graphic Thought Facility, the museum's first exhibition dedicated solely to graphic design.

What's New: Take advantage of the last days to see Edward Hopper and Watercolors by Winslow Homer: The Color of Light,  and learn about some of the offerings for our Target Free Summer Evenings.

Collection Connection: Instructions written by Sol LeWitt are at the heart of his conceptual work. Visit with Takeshi Arita and Eileen Jeng, who are executing Wall Drawing Number 1257: Scribbles for the first time.

Exhibition Focus: Hear highlights from the opening day symposium for the exhibition Ed Ruscha and Photography.

Family Fun: The books of Chris Raschka pop and sing with the rhythms of poetry and jazz. Listen as the artist speaks about his artistic motivation.

What's New: Visit the "My Collections" Web page and create a gallery of your favorite works, design your own tour, or get connected to useful resources.

Exhibition Focus: Exhibition curator Judith Barter takes a close look at the iconic Nighthawks, the centerpiece of the museum's retrospective on Edward Hopper.

Art Institute in the Community: Local "performance potter" Theaster Gates describes how his artwork connects to Japanese ceramics.

Conservation Connection: Conservator Kristi Dahm reveals the techniques hidden beneath the surface of Winslow Homer's  light-filled watercolors.

What's New: Warm up to free general admission  the entire month of February.

Art Institute in the Community: Chef Graham Elliot Bowles is an artist in his own right when it comes to creating kitchen masterpieces. Hear how the museum inspires his culinary creations.

Exhibition Focus: What's a kid to do in a museum that's a hands-free zone? Visit Big, Small and interact with art that's really big and really small.

The Modern Wing: Unbeknownst to many, the Art Institute has been a forerunner of environmentally-friendly building design. Hear how the Modern Wing  will continue the museum's tradition of going green.

What's News: Construction of the Modern Wing has allowed the museum to renovate many of its existing galleries. Find out about a downloadable tour that walks you straight to museum highlights, and hear about special programs and hours for the holidays.

Exhibition Focus: Jasper Johns: Gray  co-curator Douglas Druick explains the important role the color gray has played in the work of Jasper Johns.

American Perspectives: Continuing this yearlong celebration of American artistic vision, poet Quraysh Ali Lansana speaks about his work and the painting Cabin in the Cotton by Horace Pippen.

Art Institute in the Community: Check back in with Teen Lab, where Chicago teens create their own art inspired by works in the collection.

What's News: The Modern Wing is taking shape rapidly.  Hear what's new with the building and learn how to find out which galleries throughout the museum are being renovated and reinstalled.

The episode includes:

Exhibition Focus: Hear how the Gates of Paradise was restored to its original luster from curator Bruce Boucher and conservators who led the project.

Art Institute in the Community: Get a sneak preview of Congo Square Theater Company's "Whose Invisible Man" and find out how the photography of Jeff Wall is connected to Ralph Ellison.

From the Collection: Learn about Cubi VII  David Smith's  stainless-steel sculpture in the museum's North Garden.

Latest News: American Perspectives opens September 15--find out about the festivities planned for Opening Day.

The episode includes:

The Art Institute in the Community: A bus tour takes Community Associates right into Chicago's historic Pullman community.

Exhibition Focus: Curator James Rondeau and exhibition coordinator Maureen Pskowski investigate the provocative power of Jeff Wall's photographs.

Modern Wing: Architect Renzo Piano and museum director James Cuno discuss key architectural components that will distinguish the Art Institute's Modern Wing.

Latest News: Revisit the Masterpiece auction game with a self-guide to the collection and learn about more fun-filled options in celebration with the citywide "Art of Play" program.

The episode includes:

Exhibition Focus: Artist Kota Ezawa from On the Scene speaks about how his design process allows him to re-imagine iconic photographs.

The Art Institute in the Community: National Public Radio's Peter Sagal and museum visitors speak about the pieces in the collection that they enjoy.

Modern Wing: Chair of Contemporary Art James Rondeau and Assistant Curator Lisa Dorin give an update on the planned reinstallation museum's contemporary collection in the Modern Wing and share the latest on the ongoing Focus exhibition series.

Latest News: Hear about this summer's Target Free Thursday and Friday Evenings and learn about this month's self-guide, Nightlife in the Museum.

The episode includes:

Modern Art: Visit the Modern Wing's construction site and find out why we're calling the museum's new wing the "Building of the Century."

Collection Focus: Hear a local artist from the museum's Artists Connect program, Bibiana Suarez, discuss how the museum's collection has influenced her own work.

The Art Institute in the Community: Learn about Teen Lab, the museum's program that gets teens engaged with art.

The episode includes:

Exhibition Focus: Curator Douglas Druick speaks with Chicago gallery owner Rhona Hoffman and discusses the world of the art dealer today compared to the times of Ambroise Vollard.

The Art Institute in the Community: Love is in the air! Just in time for Valentine's Day, hear about works in the museum that picture love and romance.

Latest News: Learn about our February Free Days and Q&Art, where you can learn everything you wanted to know about art but were afraid to ask.

Modern Art: Featured Young Chicago artist Peter Pfanner of Motorola speaks about his design process.

The episode includes:

Exhibition Focus: An interview with Betti Xiang, as she plays the Chinese erhu and talks about music of the Silk Road.


The Art Institute in the Community: Find out how a museum program helps first-year nurses and other medical professionals sharpen their observational skills by looking at art, as part of the workplace program Art Express.

Modern Art: Conceptual artist Mel Bochner speaks with curator Mark Pascale in the exhibition Focus: Mel Bochner-Language 1966-2006.

Latest News: Catch up on holiday programs. Hear about progress on the the Modern Wing construction (visible through the online Web cam).