Announcer: This is a Getty Podcast.
Zoe: Hi there and welcome to a special If Objects Could
Talk crossover episode!
This week, we’re traveling back in time with the
team at Culture Kids.
Asher and his mom Kristen join me at the Getty Villa Museum
to learn about Roman dinner parties—then we travel back
in time to experience one!
In this two part series, you’ll learn more about
how and what the Romans ate—especially when they wanted
to show off to their friends.
Culture Kids takes young listeners on imaginative
adventures to explore traditions, stories, foods,
languages, animals, and the people behind them.
They bridge communities through curiosity and kindness.
If you love to travel, eat, learn, or all three, you’ll
love these globe-trotting adventure stories.
Let’s go!
Mom: Hello Culture Kids!
Grab your imaginary passports and your bags because it’s
time to become world trotting explorers, right where you are.
Asher: Hello, hello!
My name is Asher and I am your host along with my mom, Kristen.
Mom: Today we’re going to visit our friend Ms. Zoe,
producer for the Getty family podcast If Objects Could Talk.
We’re headed to the Getty Villa in Los Angeles, California—and
we’ll hop aboard our magical Culture Train time-machine
to travel back to ancient Rome and explore how Romans
enjoyed their dinner parties.
Before we get started on our episode, we want to say
thank you to Henry and his family for your 5-star rating.
They said, my son Henry listens to this podcast all
the time on his Yoto player and he has tons of vacations
planned for us as a result.
Asher: That’s awesome!
Thank you, Henry, you’re the best!
Mom: And hey Culture Kids.
Do YOU have a funny joke?
Well you’re in luck because we’re having a Culture Kids
joke fest at the end of the year where we’ll tell jokes
after jokes after jokes.
If you’d like your joke to be featured, submit your
joke on Apple podcasts with a 5 star rating and we’ll
feature your joke and give you a very special shoutout.
Asher: Culture Kids joke fest. I can’t wait.
Bahahaha
Mom: OK Culture Kids, before we hop aboard our magical
Culture Train to the Getty Museum’s Villa in Los Angeles,
let’s uncover exactly why we’re going there, what they
do, and what it all really is!
Asher: Getty Villa is not just any museum.
It’s built like an ancient Roman home.
Mom: That’s right—the Getty Villa was designed as a
recreation of a grand seaside home from ancient Rome, inspired
by a real villa in Italy that still exists, though much of
it is still buried underground.
Asher: They have thousands of real treasures from
Greece, Rome, and other old civilizations!
Mom: Yes, the galleries are filled with objects that
people used every day—statues, jewelry, paintings, even tools.
Each one helps us imagine what life was like
thousands of years ago.
Asher: My favorite part about the Getty Villa?
It is on top of a hill with views of the
beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Mom: Exactly!
The real Roman villa it was modeled after also looked
out over the sea in Italy.
The builders wanted this museum to feel the same way—peaceful,
open, and full of ocean breeze.
It’s the perfect place to imagine you’ve traveled
across time and halfway around the world!
Asher: I hear our Culture Train!
Mom: OK Culture Kids—get ready to stroll through the
sun-lit gardens of the Getty Villa, where marble columns
line courtyards and paths overlooking the sparkling Pacific.
We’ll wander past fountains and fragrant herbs inspired by
ancient Roman homes, built to echo how people lived long ago.
So buckle up—we’re just moments away from stepping into
[All aboard!] ANCIENT ROME! [music, train sounds]
Welcome to the Getty Villa, Culture Kids!
We just arrived, and I can see a big open courtyard
with shiny marble floors, tall white columns all around
us, and vibrant green bushes buzzing with butterflies.
There’s a long, calm pool in the middle that mirrors the
sky, along with fragrant herbs, trees and flowers, just like
people planted in ancient Rome.
Asher: Wait.
That’s a swimming pool, isn’t it?
OK time to go for a swim.
Mom: Oh no Asher, I don’t think this is for a pool party.
This is a museum, remember?
Oh, there's Ms Zoe. Let's walk over.
Asher: Hello Ms Zoe!
Zoe: Hi Kristen!
Hi Asher!
Hi Culture Kids!
Welcome to the Getty Villa!
I’m so excited to show you around today
Asher: Thank you for meeting us.
This place is so fancy; it’s like a big mansion.
Mom: It sure is fancy.
But before we start looking around, for those of us meeting
you for the first time, can you tell us about yourself?
Zoe: I’m Zoe and I’m a podcast producer at the Getty and one of
my newest projects is If Objects Could Talk and which is a podcast
for kids and families where museum objects come alive and
share their side of the story.
Asher: We love it.
Some of the objects are HERE, like in this museum.
Mom: Yup.
And could you tell us more about the Getty villa?
Zoe: Sure.
So the Getty villa museum is our collection of ancient art
collection and artifacts, so that means art from about 8000
years ago all the way to about 1400 years ago, or the 6th CE.
Asher: Yeah, like so very ancient.
Mom: Yup.
Zoe: This museum building was inspired by a real villa in
Herculaneum and that’s a little seaside town south of Naples.
And this villa was buried by the eruption of the volcano
Vesuvius in the year 79 CE so about 2000 years ago.
And so when it was rediscovered in 1750, it was like it
had been frozen in time.
Asher: Wow so that’s how all the objects and the villa
were protected for 2000 years.
That’s wild!
Zoe: Yes, it really is!
So the experience of being at the Getty Villa museum
is pretty similar to what you would experience in
the town of Herculaneum.
Asher: Very cool.
So this poooool…did they SWIM in it?
Zoe: Probably not.
Maybe they would splash around, but it was most likely
for fish that they could use for their dinner parties.
And a lot of times they just liked the way
the fountains sounded.
They were great for reflecting
Asher: Let’s listen. [Water running]
Ahhh…yes it is quite peaceful.
Zoe: So Asher—
Asher: Yassss?
Zoe: I hear you have a magical time machine.
Asher: I actually hear it coming to take us.
Zoe: Can we step inside and see how they would prepare
for a real Roman dinner party?
Asher: Oh yes it’s revving up!!!
Mom: Alright Culture Kids, hang on tight because we’re
about to blast off aboard our magical Culture Kids
Time-Machine and zoom back to ANCIENT ROME to see how Romans
set up a grand dinner party!
Zoe: Alright, hand on tight!
Asher: Let’s gooooo!!
WoooooOooOoWwwWW!!!
Mom: Welcome to Ancient Rome, Culture Kids!
We’ve just stepped into a grand dining room.
And I see three cushioned couches arranged in a
U-shape around a low table.
There is a big table nearby with bowls, plates, and
drinking cups ready for a feast, and the walls and floors
are decorated with colorful mosaics and paintings to make
the room feel extra special.
Asher: I guess they’re still setting up.
Everything is decorated with pictures and drawings.
But where are we exactly?
The air feels…dusty and…old.
Zoe: So we’re at a villa in the 1st century CE in
the bay of Naples, which is in present day Italy.
And they’re setting up for a huge dinner party tonight.
Asher: So this is like 2000 year ago.
That’s a lot of grandmas and grandpas.
Zoe: Yep!
And the Romans called this the Triclinium, or three-couch room.
Mom: Interesting you say three couches because I
have noticed there are no chairs in the dining room.
Asher: Yeah I just see 3 very low couches.
Is that so they can take A nap if they get tired
during the dinner party?
Too much talking!
I’m tired.
Mom: That could be a possibility!
Zoe: So Romans ate a little differently than we do today.
Imagine lying down on the couch and eating off a small
coffee table in front of you.
That’s exactly how the Romans would eat at dinner parties.
Mom: That is very interesting.
I’ve definitely seen paintings of this.
The ancient Romans would lean on their left side against
a pillow often and use their right hand for eating.
Asher: Let me go sit and try.
Mom: Well…in a real museum I don’t think you can sit on an
ancient artifact, but this is our imaginary Culture Kids time
travel adventure, so sure, go ahead and sit on the couch.
Asher: Taking a seat at the center of the U shape.
Do I look like an important Roman guest?
Mom: Yes, you do.
Asher is leaning on a propped pillow on his left side with
his legs stretched on the couch and looking pretty comfy.
Zoe: Yea, and you would reach out with your hand and grab the
food in front of you.
Asher: Mom, can we please make this a rule at home?
No more chairs; just couches, pillows, and snacks.
Mom: Mmm I don’t know about that.
Asher: Ooh, look at those paintings on the wall.
So many decorations.
Mom: Yes I’ve noticed that.
What kind of paintings are these?
Zoe: These paintings are frescoes.
That means they’re done directly on the wall.
This room looks like it has paintings of,
I think that’s…Egypt?
Asher: Egypt?
I thought we’re in an ancient Roman dinner
party and this is Italy.
Zoe: Paintings of Egypt were really popular in this period
because Egypt was at one edge of the Roman empire.
Romans loved Egypt; they were fascinated by culture, and
hieroglyphics, and architecture.
So we can kind of think of these Egypt paintings like
aspirational travel posters.
Mom: That is so fascinating to know.
Even thousands of years ago people loved to learn about
different cultures and explore the world, just like we’re doing now.
Zoe: Absolutely.
There was a lot of trade and cultural exchange
in the Roman empire.
Asher: Awesome
Mom: Okay, Culture Kids…let’s walk over to this big
table filled with beautiful cups, plates, and pitchers.
Zoe: Sure, come this way. [footsteps]
Look over here.
This is where the food would be set out before
the guests arrived.
Enslaved servants would take the dishes from here and
bring them to the guests relaxing on the U-shaped couch.
Asher: OK but why are the cups and dishes so fancy?
It’s just a dinner.
Zoe: Romans loved to use their dinner parties to show off.
So they’re definitely using their fanciest silver cups
and most delicate glasses at this dinner party tonight.
Mom: I can see that.
We see silver and glass cups with lots of designs on them.
It’s hard to believe that thousands of years ago they were
able to create these stunning, intricate designs on these cups.
I wonder how they were made.
Zoe: A lot of the ways they made glass and silver in the
past is very similar to how they would make it today.
And so you can see they were able to make very
delicate little designs.
Like the cranes on this silver goblet.
This is probably inspired by Egypt too, since cranes
were very common around that part of the world.
Asher: Hey!
We learned that cranes mean long life in ancient China, too.
Mom: Great connection Asher.
Zoe: Look at this glass cup over here.
It's got a geometric design with pomegranates.
Or that pitcher which has leaves with olive branches on it.
Mom: That makes sense!
Remember we are in Italy.
Asher: And I guess even thousands of years ago there were lots
of olive trees in Italy.
Zoe: Exactly Asher.
And look!
That glass even has Greek letters on them.
This goes to show that our hosts spoke
lots of other languages and that they are very cultured.
Mom: I love learning that even ancient Romans were
curious about languages—they wanted to understand how
other people spoke and shared their words, just like we do.
I am also noticing that there are no forks or knives.
Asher: Or chopsticks.
Zoe: Well, Romans had spoons and ladles for soupy foods.
But big forks and knives were only for cooking.
So apart from spoons, dinners were designed
to be eaten by hand.
After eating with their hands, they would throw the bones and
pits and leftovers on the floor.
Asher: Throw their food on the floor?
How rude.
Mom: It might seem rude to us today, but back then
it was completely normal!
Every place and time has its own manners.
What feels polite in one culture might be totally
different in another.
Zoe: That’s a good point.
A lot of the party manners from the Roman period are
similar to today, but some of them are pretty different.
Asher: Well good thing I’m wearing my sneakers because
this floor can not be trusted
Zoe: Interesting you say that, Asher.
Romans actually didn’t wear any shoes when they were
ready for their dinner party.
Mom: Well that’s not too different from our house.
We don’t wear shoes in the dining room, either.
Asher: I’ll keep my shoes on for now
Mom: Oooh I hear sounds of people coming in for the
dinner party which means we gotta head on back home.
Ms Zoe before we go, do you have anything else you’d like
to share with our Culture Kids?
Zoe: If you want to learn more about museum objects
like a Roman glass fish flask, or an Egyptian cat
statue, you can check out our podcast for families,
called If Objects Could Talk.
The link will be in the show notes.
Asher: I can’t wait to see them lean on their side and throw
their leftovers on the floor!
Mom: Me too!
And stay tuned, Culture Kids!
In just a few weeks, we’ll all be back here to join
this dinner party and see how they enjoy their meals right
in this very dining room!
Zoe: Bye Culture Kids!
See you again soon!
Mom: And to our Culture Kids families, every time you visit
a museum—or even look around your own home—you’re seeing
tiny pieces of history, little clues about how people once
lived, dreamed, and created.
Keep asking questions.
Listen closely to stories.
And imagine what life might have felt like long, long ago.
Because when you learn about the world—from ancient
Rome to your own kitchen table—you’re not just learning
facts…you’re discovering the people who came before you,
and the stories that are still waiting for you to hear them.
And lastly as always, your family are valued, welcomed,
and celebrated for exactly who you are because every child
belongs here at Culture Kids.
See you next week!
Bye bye!
[train sounds]
Asher: Joke time
Mom: Ok, I’ll go first.
What candy do you eat on the playground?
Asher: What?
Mom: Recess Pieces.
Get it?
Asher: Yea
Mom: Recess, school recess, and the candy Reese’s Pieces.
Had way too many of that this Halloween.
Asher: No I had none.
Mom: I did.
Ok, your turn!
Asher: Why do beets always win?
Mom: Like beets the vegetable?
Asher: Yea.
Mom: I don’t know.
Why do they always win?
Asher: they’re un-beet-able.
Get it?
Mom: I love it, yes.
Yea, that one is pretty self explanatory.
Thanks for joining us today!
We’ve got episodes on fun winter traditions and of
course we’re coming back to our ancient Roman dinner party, all
coming up in just a few weeks.
Please don’t forget to subscribe to Culture Kids
on every platform and tell just one person—or
more—about our show today.
This is how you help us spread our mission of
creating a multicultural mindset around the world.
Thank you for all that you do and see you next week.
Bye bye!