PhB (Hons) student, Eleanor Foster speaks to arguably the most significant figure in the museum world globally: Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, head of the Smithsonian Institution in the United States, in Future Self, the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences podcast.

Learn how Secretary Bunch got to where he is now, the role and responsibility museums have in the 21st century, and how they facilitate conversations around difficult issues.

Listen to the full podcast here.


Eleanor Foster is a PhB (Hons) student majoring in History. Her research has focused on the intersection of history, anthropology, and museums. It currently explores collections of Indigenous Australian material culture in overseas museums.
Lonnie G. Bunch III is the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. As Secretary, he oversees the world's largest museum, education, and research complex. The Smithsonian comprises 19 museums, 21 libraries, and numerous research centres – as well as the National Zoo. Secretary Bunch was previously the inaugural director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture