Riches, Rivals and Radicals: 100 Years of Museums in America

Highly illustrated, exhaustively researched, and eminently readable, this new edition of Riches, Rivals and Radicals describes the rise of the museum in the United States from the early twentieth century to the early twenty-first—a story that parallels the historic changes in American society. Through the decades, museums transformed themselves from cabinets of curiosity to centers of civic pride and prestige and emblems of our shared heritage, good and bad. With a rich cast of characters and admirable narrative sweep, Marjorie Schwarzer brings to life the deep impact that museum culture had on society at large and vice versa. Published in celebration of the American Alliance of Museums’ centennial and The Year of the Museum, Riches, Rivals and Radicals reveals the history of museums to be a gripping and remarkable facet of our American past. This new edition includes a new afterword by the author, and the main text has been updated and revised.