ABSTRACT
Museums are diverse institutions, and grow more so. Few museums have remained untouched by shifting paradigms of research, education, and leisure activities. During the late twentieth century, museums increased their emphasis on their public educational missions. As part of these efforts, museums and related institutions, such as planetaria, botanical gardens, and zoos, are embracing new ways of engaging with audiences, for example through new technologies or during special events that emphasize civic discourse. Despite the opportunities offered by these new approaches, museums continue to wrestle with issues of funding and larger cultural politics.
