A THEORY OF THE MUSEUM EXPERIENCE

My grateful thanks go to my mother who gave me a love of learning; to Mark who supported and inspired me throughout my research journey; to my friends Seonaid and Hugh who became my fellow travelers; to the staff of St Mungo's Museum, especially Harry and Kiran who gave me valuable time and information, as did the architect David Page; to my colleagues in the National Museums of Scotland who supported and encouraged me; and to Barbara Lloyd and the staff and PhD students at Leicester University's Department of Museum Studies. I am especially grateful to Lois Silverman who opened my eyes to the possibilities of meaning-making and above all to my tutor, Professor Eilean Hooper-Greenhill, who provided inspiration and leadership by example