What are museums for? How far should museums shift from their traditional focus on high culture to explore popular culture? How can the passion people feel for popular material culture best be conveyed in displays?

In attempting to answer these fundamental questions, Kevin Moore offers a radical critique of existing museum practice, arguing that, in order to have a sustainable future, museums must rise to the challenge of representing popular culture. Drawing on examples (both successful and unsuccessful) of contemporary museum practice, including the V&A's blockbuster shows on David Bowie and Alexander McQueen, and the Saatchi Gallery's Rolling Stones exhibition, he seeks to unravel the paradox that to reflect popular culture adequately, museums may need to abandon their traditional form.

Kevin Moore is Chief Executive of Humber Bridge Board, which manages the Humber Bridge in East Yorkshire, UK. For nearly twenty years he was Director of the National Football Museum in Manchester, UK, and was previously a Lecturer in Museum Management and Marketing at the University of Leicester, UK.