Here is a complete introduction to the history of museums, types of museums, and the key roles that museums play in the twenty-first century.

Following an introductory chapter looking at what a museum is today, Part I looks at the history and types of museums:

art and design museums

natural history and anthropology museums

science museums

history museums, historic houses, interpretation centers, and heritage sites

botanical gardens and zoos

children’s museums

The second part of the book explores the primary functions of museums and museum professionals:

to collect

to conserve

to exhibit

to interpret and to engage

to serve and to act

The final chapter looks at the museum profession and professional practices. Throughout, emphasis is on museums in the United States, although attention is paid to the historical framing of museums within the European context.

The new edition includes discussions of technology, access, and inclusivity woven into each chapter, a list of challenges and opportunities in each chapter, and “Museums in Motion Today,” vignettes spread throughout the volume in which museum professionals provide their perspectives on where museums are now and where they are going. More than 140 images illustrate the volume.