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This collection of essays presents an expression of faith in the core values of museums, the transformative power of museum professionals, and the potential of museums to impact the way we perceive our world. It also challenges a creeping reliance on commercial values and corporate measure of success, demonstrating instead how the idealism that drives a museum's mission can generate value unidentified in financial reports, but tangible enough to inspire philanthropy.

The essays address five museological themes. Part I confronts common assumptions that museums can be measured in monetary terms and that board rooms belong to those who donate the largest sums. Part II warns about the one-way flow of acquisitions into ceaselessly growing collections. Part III examines a range of museum practices-from means of earning revenue to the salaries and benefits of museum workers-by envisioning how they might change if we prioritized mission over money. Part IV focuses on academic museums, revealing how a commitment to object-based learning can generate extraordinary and distinctive benefits. Part V concludes with reflections on leadership and the immense promise of museums to enrich people's lives.