20世纪行将结束之际,美国博物馆发生了具有深刻影响的重要变化。传统的经费来源,如钱包充盈的赞助者和政府部门,已日见紧缩,而博物馆运营费用却日见增加。更加重要的是,博物馆工作更为平民化。从前,控制博物馆的主要是赞助人和藏品管理人,现在,参与博物馆管理的人则包括了市场营销人员和观众。今天的博物馆就如同患了狂想综合症:它们试图保持自己高贵的品质(最起码是文化优越感),同时又努力吸引更多更广泛的观众。尽管仍然 The twentieth century is approaching the end of the United States Museum has undergone a profound impact on the important changes. Traditional sources of funding, such as purse-filled sponsors and government agencies, have tightened daily, while the cost of operating museums is on the rise. More importantly, museum work is more civilized. In the past, patronage and collection managers, who dominate the museums, are now marketers and audiences involved in museum management. Today’s museums are like maddening syndrome: they try to maintain their noble qualities (at least culturally superior) while trying to attract a wider audience. Although still