March 24, 2025

Minneapolis—The award-winning podcast The Object, produced by the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia), begins its seventh season on Monday, March 24. With the theme of “Never saw it coming,” the season offers surprises large and small: Monet discovering Japanese art, a forgotten enclave of women artists in Paris, and the secret lives of Leonardo da Vinci.

Through six seasons, The Object has explored the true stories behind objects at Mia, pioneering a new way of talking and learning about art history. Written and hosted by Tim Gihring, a veteran journalist in Minneapolis, the show ranks among the top 20% of podcasts in listenership. It’s been described by listeners as relating “the secret life of art” and “surprising stories … told with plenty of suspense, wit, and style” and by the New York Times as “carving out a place in national conversations” around art and culture.

This season, Mia is also hosting The Object LIVE! presented by Ameriprise Financial, a series of live podcast tapings at the museum. With music, interactive quizzes, special guests, and the storytelling audiences have come to expect, the show brings the podcast’s playful take on art history to life. Upcoming shows include “Your Lobster Is Ringing!” on May 11 (featuring musician and writer Dessa), about Salvador Dalí’s Aphrodisiac Telephone and surrealism and humor in art. “The Ghost of Gatsby!” on October 30 celebrates the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and the art of the 1920s.

“This season is all about hidden treasures, those unexpected finds and secret histories we love to imagine—and quite often turn out to be true,” says Gihring. “The museum is full of these stories, tucked in the back alleys of art history, and we’ll lead listeners down as many as we can.”

Season seven opens with “Can You Hear Me Now?” about the iconic “soundsuits”—some 500 and counting—made by artist Nick Cave since the Rodney King verdict in 1992. It’s a story of the lengths we all go to feel both seen and heard.

The Object is made possible by generous support from Ameriprise Financial.

For more information on The Object and other upcoming exhibitions, visit www.artsmia.org.

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About the Minneapolis Institute of Art

Home to more than 100,000 works of art representing 7,000 years of world history, the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) inspires wonder, spurs creativity, and nourishes the imagination. With extraordinary exhibitions and one of the finest art collections in the country—from all corners of the globe, from ancient to contemporary—Mia links the past to the present, enables global conversations, and offers an exceptional setting for inspiration. Learn more about Mia in our latest Impact Report.

General admission to Mia is always free, but some special exhibitions charge a nominal fee.

For more information, call + 1-612-870-3000 or visit www.artsmia.org. Everyone is welcome. Always.