How museums make cities stronger (with Tayana Panova)

Vote for Call 'Em Like Museum in the 2026 Signal Awards Museums already do a lot: they educate the public, preserve important works of art and culture, and inspire people to create art of their own. But they have the potential to do even more. By adopting principles of urban design, museums can transform into essential "third places"—vibrant social spaces where communities gather, friendships are formed, and societies grow stronger. "The third place is essential to being healthy and happy because you need to have a place where you can just relax, be yourself, have fun, connect with friends, and meet new people," explains urbanist and psychologist Dr. Tayana Panova. How we experience a space depends entirely on its design, she says. An engaging environment filled with life makes time fly, whether you are walking down a vibrant city street or exploring a beautiful museum gallery. Today on Call 'Em Like Museum, Dr. Panova—co-host of The Perfect City podcast and a popular creator exploring how urban design affects our brains—discusses what museums can learn from the design of cities, and vice versa. We also explore the vital, real-world stimulation we get from third places that our screens simply cannot replicate, the right way to integrate technology into an exhibit, and what modern cultural institutions might want to borrow from American shopping malls. Full transcript of this episode Subscribe to the newsletter This episode was hosted, produced, and edited by Eric Johnson from LightningPod Chapters (00:00) - Introduction (02:26) - The Role of Museums in a City (06:56) - European vs. American Museums (10:17) - Designing Human-Scale Cities (15:08) - Smartphones vs. Real-World Stimulation (19:33) - The Role of Technology in Museums (23:21) - Can Museums Be Third Places? (28:53) - Building Community Through Museum Programs (35:42) - What Museums Can Learn From Urban Design (40:21) - What Cities Can Learn From Museums Music: www.purple-planet.com Follow Tayana on Instagram , TikTok , and YouTube @dr.tpanova The KunstHausWien in Vienna