Cities need museums as people need memories: not as a repository of their past, but as a token of their identity and a guide to the future. Here is a unique survey of city museums from five continents to stimulate discussion about such museums' varied functions – from archive to development workshop.

Joseph Rykwert, University of Pennsylvania; author of The Seduction of Place: The City in the Twenty-First Century

A far more compelling book than others of its kind.

Museums Journal

Books that arise from conferences are often uneven and poorly structured butCity Museums and City Development is an exception.

ReCollections

This book brings together the latest thinking and scholarship on a topic that is critical to the future of all museums. City museums, more than any other topic specific cultural institutions, not only carry the seeds of memory but bear the responsibility of reflecting the increasingly diverse populations they serve. These museums, through their programs, bring relevance to their various publics, serve as places of discussion and civil discourse, and ultimately inform and enlighten their citizens.

Sal Cilella, Director, Atlanta History Center

The contents should both inspire and challenge anyone working in a history museum, especially one in an urban setting.

AASLH History News