ABSTRACT
This chapter summarises the argument that has been developed in the course of the book. The relationship between long- and short-term changes in both the Museum and the environments within which it is functioning is discussed, as is the relationship between stability and change in how the Museum has reacted to these changes over the course of time. Whether the Museum is effectively a free agent in terms of making decisions about Museum policies and practices, or whether it is severely constrained by external influences to the extent that it has only limited, if any, room for manoeuvre in terms of making choices is discussed. The co-existence of both conditions is identified and their consequences for both how New Walk functions and the services that it provides are identified and explained.
