Volume 1 in a series designed to act as a forum for the dissemination and discussion of new research currently being undertaken in the field of Museum Studies. The series aims to cover the whole museum field and to broadly address the history and operation of the museum as a cultural phenomenon. The papers published are of a high academic standard, and are also intended to relate directly to matters of immediate museum concern. The publication aims to fill a major gap in the present scope of museum-based literature. This volume is concerned with the ways in which meaning is created through museum objects, and the processes which this involves. The papers, however, adopt a wide diversity of stances, ranging widely across the field; some take a broadly theoretical line, and others examine specific areas like museum education and the relationship of museums to native peoples. The volume concludes with a Review Section, covering recent books, exhibitions and conferences.