This interesting compendium covers the development of and rationale behind the establishment of museums in the words of those who started them. Editors Genoways (professor of the University of Nebraska State Museum) and Andrei (history, University of Virginia) present work from antiquity to 1925. The first two segments, by Strabo and Varro, merely note the existence of museums. The rest are records of the founding of museums, articles on the philosophy of such exhibits, types of museums, their place in the university and "living" museums: arboretums, botanical gardens, zoos and aquariums. Each section is prefaced by a short introduction and each essay by a short biography of the author. There are numerous suggestions for further reading. The book is intended for students but would also be of interest to the casual reader and museum attendee. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)