Shouldn't There Be A Podcast Hall Of Fame Museum?

 Let me start by telling you about the Podcast Hall Of Fame. Copying an abbreviated version about the process from their website, "The Podcast Hall of Fame seeks to recognize individuals who have profoundly impacted the podcasting industry. The criteria for entry into the Hall of Fame combine 1) Industry peer recognition and 2) Excellent podcaster or industry contributor 3) Excellence in the podcasting medium, which is positively coupled with historical significance."

"Candidates for inclusion should demonstrate contributions in all three categories or be outstanding in one or two categories in such a way that they merit inclusion. To be eligible, a nominee must have completed at least five years since their first involvement in podcasting."

This year’s inductees are: \ Mark Asquith, Founder of Captivate \ Arielle Nisenblatt, founder, EarBuds Podcast Collective \ Dan Carlin, Creator, Hardcore History \ James Cridland, Editor, Podnews \ Pat Flynn, Founder, Smart Passive Income\ Julie Samuels, President/CEO Tech: NYC, Senior Staff Podcast Troll Attorney, EFF \ Veronica Belmont, CNET’s Buzz Out Loud, Sword & Laser, Mahalo Daily, co-host of Tekzilla \ Sarah van Mosel, former VP, Sponsorship at New York Public Radio, Acast, Stitcher, iHeart, SiriusXM \ Paul Colligan, President, Podcast Partnership \ Kerri Hoffman, CEO, PRX \ Dan Miller, host, 48 Days to the Work You Love, in memoriam - to be presented by Dave Ramsey. 

 These people are my personal heroes, and I'm thrilled that they were given this honor. However, as podcasting has matured, it is time for the medium to graduate to the next level. 

As of early 2026, there is no physical, brick-and-mortar Podcast Hall of Fame museum open to the public. The institution exists primarily as an annual induction ceremony held at the Podfest Expo in Orlando, Florida, which honors pioneers and influential figures in the industry

The logical follow-up question would be: Where could a podcast Hall Of Fame museum be built, renovated from an existing structure, or even designed as a pop-up, temporary structure?

Here are a few options.

First, as a temporary structure, the Podcast Hall of Fame museum can be a temporary structure at PodFest every January or a traveling museum at large podcast events such as On Air Fest in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and Podcast Movement in Austin and New York City.

Second, as a standalone museum built from the ground up, possibly in the cities where podcasting got started. Options include New York City where the initial concept for "audio feeds" was proposed by Tristan Louis in October 2000 to Dave Winer at a NYC deli, or Cambridge, MA where Dave Winer developed the underlying RSS technology, which was used by journalist Christopher Lydon at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University in 2003 for the first "audio blogs."

How about Arlington, Virginia, the birthplace of Adam Curry, who, among other innovations, developed the "iPodder" software in 2004, which automated the downloading of these audio files to Apple's iPod, solidifying the modern podcasting format.

A museum could be constructed by renovating an old building that has been abandoned or up for sale. For example, as of late 2024, New York City had over 15,900 vacant storefronts, according to a NYC Planning Report. 

Finally, what would be in the Podcast Hall Of Fame museum? Quite frankly, it would be the most interactive, sensory explosive museum since Super Blue in Miami and Other World in Columbus and Philadelphia.

There would be audio clips from the first podcasts, interactive booths with clips from thousands of podcasts, and a podcasting 360 view where a rotunda would move to reveal podcasting's history in images and sound.

How about an automated version of Danny Brown's Five Random Questions, where a simulation plays the questions Danny has already asked numerous guests and the museum tourist must answer them as if they are on the show. 

How about a "tips" room where you can play clips from hundreds of podcasts that offer life tips on everything from tooth brushing to buying a TV. The room would include Daily Tips That May or May Not Help You, Salad With A Side Of Fries for health and wellness tips, or The Wirecutter Show. 

 How about a "Name That Podcast" room, and, of course, a room where all the inductee names are carved in plaques on all four walls. On the bottom of each plaque is a button that, when pushed, plays an audio clip from the inductee.   

I believe there should be at least one room dedicated to the contributions made by independent podcasters. Such a museum should not be another opportunity for network-supported celebrity podcasts to pilfer attention away from the people who started and still maintain this medium. 

A Podcast Hall of Fame Museum could not only act as a paean to the significant contributors to podcasting, but also as an experiential celebration of this medium we all love. Ticket sales should be used to fund the museum and Podcast HOF's expenses, with a fund created to support independent podcasts.