Curious about how to dose your magic mushrooms without overdoing it? This episode explores the increasingly popular “museum dose”—a sweet spot between microdosing and macrodosing. Host April Pride returns to a listener favorite: episode 43 on how to find your ideal psilocybin strain and dose. In this latest drop, she digs into why certain potent shroom strains, like Albino Penis Envy and Blue Meanies, are ideal for creative, lightly altered experiences that won’t get you booted from a gallery (well, probably). You’ll also hear trip tips, a strain review, and a surprising insight from new research on body weight and dosage.
🔵 Key Takeaways
A museum dose typically ranges from 100–500mg and is ideal for socializing, nature walks, or light introspection.
Potent strains like Albino Penis Envy and Blue Meanies deliver more with less, making them museum dose favorites.
You don’t need to adjust mushroom dosage based on body weight—fixed doses are just as effective.
Blue Meanies exist in two species: Psilocybe Cubensis and Panaeolus cyanescens—know which one you're taking.
Tolerance is real: microdosers may benefit from rotating strains or increasing potency over time.
🔵 Timestamps
[01:18] What exactly is a museum dose?
[01:51] Why Albino Penis Envy is ideal for creative weekends
[02:42] April’s museum mishap (and a lesson in maturity)
[03:33] Body weight vs. fixed dosage—what the science says
[04:30] New guest spotlight: author Jennifer Chesak on bad trips and hormones
[04:58] Today’s strain review: Blue Meanies
[06:09] Comparing Cubensis vs. Panaeolus cyanescens potency
[07:18] Effects, visuals, and trip duration for both strains
[07:45] What Blue Meanies look like and how to ID them
[09:05] Why some mushrooms bruise blue and what it means
[10:27] Signs your shrooms are unsafe to eat
[10:43] Trip lengths and intensities: cube vs. non-cube
[12:02] Trip tips recap from episode 43
[12:45] Where to get your guide to psilocybin
🔵 Additional Resources
SetSet Blog: “Blue Meanie: A Double-Species Dive into Psilocybin Power”
SetSet Blog: “Albino Penis Envy”
SetSet Blog: “The Science and Safety of Microdosing Mushrooms for Women”
🎙️SetSet Podcast: ”Psilocybin Mushroom Dosage: A Beginner’s Guide”
🎙️SetSet Podcast: “Psilocybin Mushroom Strains Explained”
🎙️SetSet Podcast: “Psilocybin Mushrooms 101: Effects, Dosing, and Tips”
Substack: “Psilocybin and Women, Survey Says”
Have you ever tried a museum dose—or want to? What setting, strain, or intention helped guide the experience? 👇 Let’s talk about it in the comments after the transcript below.
🔵 Transcript
[00:00] April Pride:
Another benefit to a [high potency mushroom] taken at 100-500 mg a single [microdose], it's perfect for [day tripping].
[00:11] April Pride:
Hey, I'm April Pride founder at Of Like Minds and your host on High Guide podcast. This is a show for women who have an open and curious mind, and this is a show all about women changing their lives, thanks to [altered states of consciousness]. At the top of the show, you heard from me in an earlier episode of The High Guide, episode number 43, The Medicine: Finding Your Right [Shroom Strain] & Dose, and you'll hear more from this episode throughout today's show. I encourage you to listen to this earlier episode in its entirety to learn more about choosing the right [magic mushroom] and how to dose. It's one of my favorite episodes, and it's chock full of answers to the top questions that I'm getting at The High Guide To [Psilocybin], our Q&A that I'm hosting here in Seattle, the events where I do have [psilocybin] on hand to gift in exchange for your donation to host these events. We'll start with the word of the week before rolling into a review of [blue meanies mushrooms], and wrapping up with today's trip tips on [psilocybin dosage] and [potency]. Our word of the week was inspired by questions that came up at this Tuesday night's event.
[01:18] April Pride:
[Museum dose], when that results in increased interest in being social, going to a museum to be lost in the art, or going outside to embrace nature. From episode number 43 of this podcast, some [shroom strains] like [albino penis envy], which we reviewed a couple of weeks ago here on The High Guide, are much more potent. So they actually require a lower dose by weight of the whole fruit bodies, the dried mushrooms, to achieve a feeling equivalent to a more standard [museum dose].
[01:51] April Pride:
Another benefit to a [high potency mushroom] taken at 100 to 500 mg in a single [microdose], it's perfect for [day tripping]. I've heard this described as a [museum dose]. One capsule is great for being social, going to the museum to be lost in the art, going outside to embrace nature. Again, if you're [microdosing] at a dosage that supports a high functioning work week and wanna tap into a more creative weekend experience, take an ape [microdose] as an alternative to your weekday [golden teacher microdose]. And for anyone looking to go there with [ape], remember the effects are amplified three to four times. So a dose of 1 gram or more will produce vivid visual stimulation, intense feelings of euphoria, uncontrollable laughter, joy, cosmic visuals, along with periods of deep introspective and philosophical thoughts. Please do not get kicked out of a museum. [chuckle]
[02:42] April Pride:
Yes, please do not get kicked out of a museum. I think I did once, and if I can't recall exactly why, what went down. It was definitely due to a lack of maturity and an overabundance of Mickey's wide mouths, if I recall. I digress. So when I was reading through the transcript of this episode and the last audio clip and it's featured throughout this episode, I realized that episode 43, The Medicine: Finding Your Right [Shroom Strain] & Dose, also addressed another hot topic for the second consecutive Q&A that I'm hosting, and that is the effect of body weight on [dosage] and [potency]. I'm just gonna let this audio roll. It also picks up where we left off with [albino penis envy shroom strain] review a couple weeks ago and why that particular strain, also known as [ape], is an ideal one for a [museum dose].
[03:33] April Pride:
So do you need to factor body weight to determine [mushroom dosage]? Based on a 2021 report published in The Journal of Psychopharmacology, the answer is no. Optimal [mushroom dosage] doesn't require body weight adjusted dosing. The simpler fixed dose yields consistent results among a range of body weights. Experts agree that [golden teacher] is the strain to begin with when stepping into [psychedelic mushrooms] for the first time. The more experienced [psychonauts] turn to the strain [albino penis envy], which is on the order of three to four times stronger than the other strains, including [golden teacher]. Aside from the guaranteed blast-off, choosing a super [potent strain of medicinal mushrooms] is also good for those who [microdose] and may develop a [mushroom tolerance]. Yes, you can develop a tolerance to [psilocybin mushrooms]. So keeping a consistent dosage with a higher [potency strain] may prove helpful as your regimen plays out.
[04:30] April Pride:
Another topic at Tuesday's event that we'll begin dedicating more tape to in future episodes are [bad trips]. The same day this episode goes live, I'm interviewing Jennifer Chesak, who is the author of the soon to be released next week, in fact, The Psilocybin Handbook for Women, which correlates more [bad trips] in women to our fluctuating hormone levels. Stay tuned for my interview with her and more information on timing your trips to your ovulatory cycle.
[04:58] April Pride:
Today's [shroom strain] review is [blue meanies mushrooms]. But pay close attention here. We're gonna be talking about two different [blue meanies mushrooms]. Both are [hallucinogenic] but are from different species and should be treated somewhat differently. Though both are [psilocybin-containing fungi], one variety is consistently reported to be more potent than the other. Knowing which [blue meanies mushroom] you're ingesting and the differences between the two is what we're going to help with in this review. And the two [blue meanies] represent two different species of [mushrooms]. One's the only one we've reviewed, [Psilocybe Cubensis], and the other, we've never discussed on the show, [Panaeolus cyanescens]. While there's little information on the [Psilocybe Cubensis] variety of [blue meanies mushroom], they are believed to have originated in Southeastern Australia. Although they can now be discussed on the show. [Panaeolus cyanescens] is the subject of our speculation. Not all mushrooms in the [Panaeolus genus] are [psychedelic], and it's thought that this genus inherits [psychedelic] qualities through the tremor of genes via bacteria from a nearby [psilocybe] patch.
[06:09] April Pride:
[Blue meanies mushrooms] are considered to be one of the more [potent strains of psilocybin mushrooms]. I'm sure they are, just like all the rest of them. They contain a high concentration of [psilocybin] and can produce intense [psychedelic effects]. For [blue meanies cubensis], [potency] is considered high, though this is always dependent on the individual [mushroom] and the individual [psychonaut]. [Panaeolus cyanescens], on the other hand, is reported to have up to 2.95% [psilocybin and psilocin] content as compared to the typical 1.7% found in many cubes. The [Psilocybe cubensis] variety of [blue meanies mushroom] is a [potent shroom], one that is useful for recreational use at higher doses for [shadow work] and [ego dissolution]. The [Panaeolus cyanescens] variety is ideal for these sorts of intentions as well, but the higher [potency] of the non-cube variety means that you'll want to exercise some caution while using it and have a clear idea of the intention behind its use beforehand. This can help guide the experience and maximize potential benefits.
[07:18] April Pride:
Effects of [blue meanies cubensis] variety tend to come on around 45 minutes after ingestion, which I find is similar to most cubes. [Panaeolus cyanescens] variety, perhaps due to its higher [psilocybin and psilocin content], is reported to come on much more quickly. [Blue meanies] can produce a range of effects, including euphoria, visual and auditory hallucinations, ultra perception of time and space, and feelings of connectedness and spirituality.
[07:45] April Pride:
The appearance of [blue meanies], as the name suggests, [blue meanies mushrooms] have a blue appearance. They are usually small in size with caps that are either conical or bell-shaped. The caps can range from 1–4 cm in diameter. [Blue meanies mushrooms] are distinguished by their deep blue coloration and large, thick stems. [Panaeolus cyanescens] are a light gray or off-white color when mature. As with most [psilocybin containing fungi], the stems bruise a dark blue-green when picked or damaged. The [blue meanies cubensis] variety fruits prolifically, and also bruises very blue when picked. This blue bruising is a result of the presence of [psilocybin] in the [mushroom].
[09:05] April Pride:
Why are some [mushrooms] covered with more blue than others? The blue found on the whole fruit bodies are essentially bruises that result from the degradation of [psilocybin and psilocin] among other compounds found in the [mushrooms]. One hypothesis is that the blue might be a repellent against predators...
[10:27] April Pride:
It's also important to note that blueing is different from blackening, which along with an unpleasant smell, can indicate your [shrooms] are no longer safe for consumption. Remember, [fungi] are inherently a poison, so don't mess with poisonous poison.
[10:43] April Pride:
The [psilocybe cubensis] variety of [blue meanies mushrooms] last the fairly standard four to eight hours for a [mushroom trip], with effects coming on between 45 minutes and an hour after consumption. [Panaeolus cyanescens] is significantly more [potent] than the cube variety, with a faster onset and a more intense trip...
[12:02] April Pride:
And for today's trip tips from episode 43, The Medicine: Finding Your Right [Shroom Strain] & Dose.
[12:10] April Pride:
Whether you wanna blast off or lean back, lots of ways to determine your [dosage] of [psilocybin mushrooms]. Number one, consider the natural [potency] of your [strain] selection. Number two, more blue doesn't signify more [potency]. Number three, up the [potency] by starting your trip with a tek shot. Number four, slow-roll your trip by sipping on tea. Number five, if you have a weekly [microdose] regimen, keep an eye on your [mushroom tolerance]. And number six, don't worry about your personal human size. Just consult The High Guide to [Psilocybin].
[12:45] April Pride:
Check out the show notes for this episode to subscribe to our Friday email, which gets you The High Guide to Psilocybin, a PDF download to start your journey with magic mushrooms. Thank you for listening to this episode of The High Guide. I'm your host April Pride. Please check out our website, thehigh.guide for our shroom strain reviews and the guide to psilocybin. Tune in the next Friday for another episode of The High Guide, a show all about women changing their lives, thanks to altered states of consciousness.
Share this post