Europe’s Museums Spruce Up For 21st Century

“Ambitious new plans for the future are transforming the dusty halls of some of Europe’s most revered galleries. In Germany, Spain, Italy and Britain, museums are scrambling to create bigger, more-dazzling exhibition spaces, smart new restaurants and shops, study centers and inviting public areas. The push reflects a shift in how the public regards its artistic institutions. ‘People want more than the old-style museum. We are driven to become more an arm of the entertainment and education industries rather than the academic institutions we used to be’.”