This first edition anthology brings together 35 seminal articles that reflect the unfolding thinking on what it means to be a museum in today’s world. The book highlights pivotal articles from the 20th century through to the present in the introductory section.

Contemporary perspectives on the role of the public, public service, stewardship, and leadership constitute the remaining sections. This reader is designed to provide trustees, museum professionals and students with access to some of the best thinking in the museum profession.