ABSTRACT
In discussions concerning museum provision for culturally diverse audiences, it is often stated that the museum is based upon western ideology; that the concept of visiting a museum - a collection of objects removed from their arena of active participation in cultural affairs, to a place in which they are put on public display to be preserved for future generations - is unique to western cultures. This argument then proposes that museums are therefore alien to many of the new audiences which curatorial staff are seeking to attract, making it difficult if not impossible to succeed in these endeavours. However, this impression of museums as a purely western concept is not entirely accurate. Museum-like models have existed traditionally in other cultures for many years, and some facets of conventional museum practice conform to these indigenous models.
