The book is the result of a nationwide survey in the UK that measured public use of and attitudes to the past, archaeology and collecting. The author reviews this research in the light of contemporary theory on ideology and representation and goes on to develop a convincing explanation for the failure of museums and similar institutions to connect with the majority of the public. Merriman marshals the empirical and theoretical work to make a powerful case for a new approach to attract the under served populations; one which encourages a view of the museum as a service helping its public to see, understand and engage with its own personal, local and multi-faceted past.