"During the economic boom of the 1990s, art museums expanded dramatically in size, scope, and ambition. They came to be seen as new civic centers: on the one hand as places of entertainment, leisure, and commerce, on the other as socially therapeutic institutions. But museums were also criticized for everything from elitism to looting or illegally exporting works from other countries, to exhibiting works offensive to the public taste." "Whose Muse? brings together six directors of leading American and British art museums who offer a forward-looking alternative to such prevailing views. The book, based on a lecture series of the same title held in 2000-2001 by the Harvard Program for Art Museum Directors, also includes an introduction by James Cuno and a fascinating-and surprisingly frank-roundtable discussion between the contributors. Book jacket."--Jacket.