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Stories in Colour – The Story of Gold

The National Gallery’s vibrant podcast returns to tell the story of a rare, sparkling and glistening colour – or should we say material? 

It's been called the tears of the gods, the sweat of the sun, a barbaric relic and a universal language. Join us as we trace the use of gold across the ages! From the tombs of Ancient Egypt to Renaissance altarpieces, all the way to a currently missing golden toilet. 

The first episode in our three-part miniseries released on Wednesday 19 November 2025. Episodes released weekly, finishing on 3 December 2025.

‘Stories in Colour’ is available on YouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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'The Story of Gold' guests

‘Stories in Colour’ guests for ‘The Story of Gold’ miniseries include National Gallery Specialist Scientist and Organic Analyst Nelly von Aderkas, National Gallery Curator of Italian Paintings before 1500 Laura Llewellyn, art historian and educator Ben Street, National Gallery Courses and Events Programmer Caroline Miller and National Gallery Associate Curator of Contemporary and Modern Projects Priyesh Mistry.

Reviews for stories in Colour

The Times ★★★★ ‘There’s lots to enjoy here.’

The Irish Independent: ‘You don’t have to even visit London’s National Gallery to be enthralled by its new podcast’ 

The New Statesman: ‘Our emotional reflexes to colour – fear, disgust, calm – are put under the microscope.’ 

The Guardian: '... deep conversations that make you sit back and think (“What the hell even is colour?”)'

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