ABSTRACT
This chapter examines some of the ways in which ‘community engagement’ has been interpreted and practised in UK museums over the past 150 years, and how it has been influenced by the aspirations of cultural elites and changing government policy. Recent thinking about community engagement and socially engaged practice in museums is discussed, and examples of recent and contemporary practice from the UK are described. Recommendations are made for the future development of community engagement strategies. It is recognised that communities and institutions differ in their character, expectations and aspirations and that there is no ‘one size’ that fits all; but whilst differences are acknowledged, it is suggested that there are some principles of good practice, all too often lost in the pressure to do things quickly and ‘cleanly’, which should be observed if meaningful and positive cultural engagement is to take place.
