In Scotland at least, and probably more widely, these are difficult times for museums both large and small. Government access policies, taxation changes and downturns in tourist markets all bring about uncertainty and financial constraints. By their nature museums cannot be as subject to markets as are other services or businesses: if even a very small museum closes, what happens to the possibly unique materials it holds? And there are an awful lot of vulnerable small and very small museums, both in the UK and throughout the world. That much becomes evident from the contents of this comprehensive directory.
Somebody reads my reviews: of two aircraft collections missing from the previous edition, one is now included and the other at least can be accessed via the Web site of its parent body. Coverage has expanded again, not so dramatically this time, but comfortably enough with some 1,300 new entries taking the total to more than 42,000. Otherwise, it remains much as reviewed previously (RR 2001/66) although English translations are now appended to foreign language names. The full range of information is retained, including in addition to standard directory data, type of museum, year of foundation, name of director, and a note of collections. Internet addresses are also quoted where available. This is all presented clearly, concisely and consistently so that a deceptive amount of information is easily accessed or perused.
Arrangement remains alphabetical: by country, by town and then by name. This works well enough, although for some rural locations a bit of guesswork (or use of the index) is required: Housesteads is actually several miles from Hexham (Chesters which is nearer the town is not included although it does have a small museum of finds on the site). Whether a more systematic breakdown between country and towns by states (in the USA) or local government areas in the UK (and perhaps elsewhere) would be useful is a point worth considering: it will depend on the use to be made of the directory. If direct access to entries for specific museums is required then the present arrangement is sufficient. The indexes also are the same as previously: by name of museum; by name of personality for eponymous or personality‐focussed collections, although still confined to real and not fictional characters; and by subject categories. Again, these work well for their purpose.
The subject index also helps to assess the breadth of content, which remains impressive. I have previously alluded to small museums included in addition to the major collections, and this remains a great strength. There are still omissions, of course, and some questions of definition: when does a theme park become a museum? Is that why the Fantasy of Flight collection in Florida is not included? On the other hand, the Flambards Victorian Village is here. But omissions seem few and far between and numbers alone suggest that coverage is improving with each edition. It is worth stressing the value of this directory for its absolutely international coverage and its accurate up‐to‐date and more than adequate depth of information. The two volumes are clearly laid out and easy to consult; this still belongs in a host of general and specialist collections.
