Riches, Rivals and Radicals: 100 Years of Museums in America
"[This is] the book I have long awaited to serve as the required text for my undergraduate course in Museum Studies. Not only is does it offer a comprehensive introduction to the field, it encourages students to make connections between important moments in American history and cultural production and to appreciate the powerful role of the museum in this relationship. I especially appreciate Schwarzer's thematic organization of chapters ("The Building," "The Collection," "The Exhibition," and "People and Money"), as these broad categories lend themselves perfectly to the teaching of a semester-long course that explores museum architecture, curatorial models, approaches to audience education, and fundraising. Schwarzer is a passionate educator and leader in the field, and her witty prose exemplifies how the accessibility of a single text can make students become excited about becoming museum professionals." --Paula J. Birnbaum, Ph.D., Chair, Visual Arts Department, University of San Francisco