This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by van Aalst, I. Articles by Boogaarts, I. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

From Museum to Mass Entertainment

The Evolution of the Role of Museums in Cities

Utrecht University, The Netherlands, i.vanaalst{at}geog.uu.nl

Inez Boogaarts

Service Centre for International Cultural Activities (SICA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

In a relatively short period of time, the museum cluster has become a key element of the tourism sector and an important contributor to the urban economy. In their competition to attract visitors, residents, and businesses, more and more cities are profiling themselves as a Cultural City, an Entertainment City, or a Fantasy City. Meanwhile, museums have evolved from buildings devoted primarily to educational and cultural presentations into public spaces where the visitor reigns.

This article examines the increased attention that cities are giving to investments in museum facilities and to the development of spatial concentrations of museums, known as museum clusters. Two case-studies - Amsterdam’s Museumplein and Berlin’s Museuminsel - are used as a backdrop for the description, illustration, and analysis of recent trends.

Key Words: Amsterdam • Berlin • museums • urban and cultural revitalizations • urban culture

European Urban and Regional Studies, Vol. 9, No. 3, 195-209 (2002)
DOI: 10.1177/096977640200900301


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. J. Scott Cultural-Products Industries and Urban Economic Development: Prospects for Growth and Market Contestation in Global Context Urban Affairs Review, March 1, 2004; 39(4): 461 - 490. [Abstract] [PDF]