ABSTRACT
The concluding chapter summarises key findings of the book, outlining new forms, channels of operations and sources of support for contemporary museum diplomacy. Building on the comparative case studies, it points out that museums in the twenty-first century gain access to international resources and establish connections with international constituencies in ways that no longer require support from their respective governments. First, the chapter reveals the increasing convergence between museums as public intuitions and for-profit corporations that reconfigures museum diplomacy, offering new approaches that can be conceived, designed and implemented. Second, it reviews the case studies to illustrate that museums from different cultural contexts and political regimes generate soft power by developing global reputations and projecting strong expertise and credibility, outperforming their national governments in diplomatic reach and impact. Finally, the chapter revisits global corporatisation and museum franchising strategies to stress their strong capabilities to generate economic capital and implement international programming bypassing government control.
