During the past century museums have played an important role in democratizing access to knowledge about science, culture and the arts. For its part, the Smithsonian annually receives more than 25 million visitors to its museums and reaches millions more through its publications, travelling exhibitions, radio and television programs, courses, lectures and scholarly collaborations. New technologies promise increased access to Smithsonian holdings: interactive videodiscs, for example, now being developed in a laboratory on our campus may in the future bring exhibitions to homes and schools across the country and abroad.